Page 48 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 125
P. 48

48                 Issue #125 June 2023                                                           www.sportsenergynews.com


                      In Reel Time







                       The Man with No Name



                                            beginning of the
      By Nikolai Adams
                                              rejuvenation of the historic genre.
          erhaps one of the most iconic       Casting  an  array  of  actors  from
      Pintroductions  to  a  character      different  countries  (Germany,  Italy,

      finds  Clint  Eastwood’s  Man  with    Spain,  Austria,  and  America  –  to
      No  Name  riding  into  a  dry,  vile   give you a few examples), it makes
      town,  wearing  the  now  legendary   for  a  jarring  viewing  experience
      garb – dust covered poncho, brown     for  those  who  have  not  watched  a
      gaucho-style hat, black jeans, spurs,   movie  done  in  this  fashion  before.
      and a Colt in his trusty holster (the   That is because each performer
      stubby  cigars  will  come  a  little   acted  in  their  own  language  (with
      later). Stopping for a drink of water,   it  being  shot  like  a  silent  film),

      he takes in the violent, melancholic   dubbed  later  in  post-production  –
      locale,  where  people  gaze  at  him   meaning  that  the  lips  rarely  match
      in  a  distrusting  and  ominous  way   up to the speaker’s mouth. Despite
      through  their  wooden  shutters,  and   the  excessive  language  barriers  on
      children are shot at in the street by   set and the unorthodox voice-to-lip
      thuggish individuals.                 mismatch, these two issues do not in
                                            any way spoil the powerful essence
        The  first  of  what  would  become

      the  “Dollars  Trilogy”  (or  “The    of the feature.
      Man  with  No  Name  Trilogy”),  A      A marvellous example of an anti-                                                            Photo Submitted
      Fistful of Dollars (1967), despite its   hero,  Eastwood’s  character  (his

      now  celebrated  status,  was  poorly   name may be Joe) is by no means a   border town (it feels like a Hatfield  mythic  whispers  that  the  gunman
      received  by  most  North  American   cookie-cutter role model. Thankfully,   and  McCoy  feud).  The  centre  of  cannot be beat.
      and  British  critics  when  originally   the  film’s  minuscule  budget  (an   the  locale  is,  fittingly,  the  saloon.   The Man with No Name decides


      released.  Once  again  showing       estimated  two  hundred  thousand     It  is  here  that  The  Man  with  No   to  take  on  four  of  the  Baxter’s  to

      how time is a fickle thing, the term   dollars)  and  complaints  with  the   Name meets a barkeep and his soon    start,  as  they  hassled  him  when  he
      Spaghetti  Western  (this  type  of   script had actors like Henry Fonda,   to  be  loyal  friend  Silvanito  (José   entered the town (known as the ‘get
      motion  picture),  was  first  coined   Charles Bronson, Rory Calhoun and    Calvo) – the cantina owner divulges   three coffins ready’ scene, it is one


      as a negative,  disparaging term      James Coburn (to name just a few)     the  complex  feud  that  plagues  the   of the standout moments – perfectly
      (ridiculing  the  European  product   turn down the role – it was actually   diminutive town.                     capturing  the  movie’s  unique  mix
      for being of poorer quality to their   third  choice  Richard  Harrison  who   On the one side, the Rojo brothers,  of  comedy  and  violence).  Then
      American  counterparts)  –  though    pointed Leone in the direction of the   Don  Miguel  (Antonio  Prieto),  entrenching      himself   with    the
      today, it is generally thought of as an   television series Rawhide, where star   Esteban (Sieghardt              Rojo  brothers,  he  sneakily  sells
      endearing and highly positive term.   Eric Fleming turned the part down,                                          information  to  both  sides  (after  he
      Directed by Sergio Leone, its unique   but suggested another member of        Rupp)  and  Ramón  (Gian  Maria     witnesses  Ramón  pulling  a  violent
      visual  style  (beautifully  framed   the show (Eastwood), which opened     Volontè)  deal  with  the  illegal    heist  against  a  group  of  military
      close-ups that differ from the typical   the door for the actor, who brought   distribution  of  alcohol,  while   men).
      Hollywood  use  of  the  technique,   a  laconic,  assured,  acerbic  and   the  other  gang,  the  Baxter’s,  are
      as well as his then unorthodox use    dryly humourous turn to the drifter   gunrunners – John Baxter (Wolfgang      Further  complicating  things  for
      of  viewpoint  that  places  us  in  the   character.                       Lukschy)  is  also  town  sheriff,  the  multi-faceted  man,  he  sees
      moment  over  Eastwood’s  gun),                                             though his wife Consuelo (Margarita  that  Ramón  is  infatuated  with  a
      and  attempt  to  move  away  from      The  story  follows  the  chiselled,   Lozano)  is  in  many  ways  the  head  striking  woman  named  Marisol
                                            quick  draw  as  he  finds  himself

      the  traditional  American  tropes  of                                      of  the  family.  Ramón  has  built  up  (Marianne Koch), which has led him
      the  western,  is  now  viewed  as  the   teetering  between  two  rival  gangs   quite the reputation, and Eastwood’s
                                            in  the  tiny,  combative  Mexican    character is constantly hearing near               Continued on page 49
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