5. For A Few Dollars More (1965)
United ArtistsThe Dollars Trilogy (or The Man With No Name Trilogy) is nothing less than one of the most important trilogies in film history. Although connected in a somewhat loose sense - primarily by the gunslinging, rug-wearing protagonists played by Clint Eastwood - the themes of one film resonate through the others, and the three films taken as a whole paint a formidable and beautiful portrait of the American West. There are many ways in which the middle entry in the series, 1965's For a Few Dollars More, exhibits more passion and sophisticated technique than either the predecessor or the successor. The antagonist of the film, Gian Maria Volonte's ruthless Indio, is perhaps what most separates For a Few Dollars More from A Fistful of Dollars - his tortured, hyperactive, bleary-eyed villain proves himself to be a worthy match for the Man With No Name, and the motivation to take him out drives much of the film. Interestingly, Volonte was credited as "Johnny Wels" in the American release of the film. Many trilogies that exist today peter out after the first film, or have a middle entry that must be dealt with before reaching the final chapter. The Dollars Trilogy presents strength throughout, and For a Few Dollars More is a great film even without the bookends.