The film starts with establishing episodes for each of the main characters. There is Colonel Mortimer (Lee Van Cleef), an aging bounty killer, and the Man With No Name (Clint Eastwood), another bounty killer, occasionally referred to as 'Manco'. Both men kill their quarry, demonstrating that they can keep their cool, and collect their reward money. Then there is Indio (Gian Maria Volonte), a bank robber who is sprung from prison by his men, killing his cellmate on the way out. Following this, there is a $10,000 dollar reward set for Indio, and both bounty killers plan to catch him.
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Both men deduce that Indio will try to rob a seemingly impossible bank, the one at El Paso. Meanwhile Indio is briefing his men: he learned from his cellmate that the safe at El Paso is hidden in a wooden cabinet, containing a million dollars. All men therefore head for El Paso, where Mortimer and Manco, after first arguing, decide to go into partnership. Manco is to infiltrate the gang, as Mortimer is already known to them for trying to pick a fight with one of them (Klaus Kinski) in the saloon. Manco therefore springs another of Indio's men from prison in order to get in with them, and is sent out with three men the next morning to rob the bank at nearby Santa Cruz as a diversion. Manco kills the men, and forces the telegraphist at Santa Cruz to send out an alarm signal, then makes his way to El Paso to meet up with Mortimer. However, Indio breaks into the bank from the back and escapes with the safe. Having to change their plan, Mortimer tells Manco to return to the gang and lead Indio to the north; instead Manco advises going south; in turn, Indio decides to go east.
When they reach their destination Mortimer is already there, having anticipated Manco's double-cross. He offers his services, and opens the safe for them. Indio locks the money away until the fuss has died down, but catches the two bounty killers trying to make off with it in the night. They are beaten up but not killed, as Indio wants to use them as scapegoats for the robbery. He then arranges for them to be set free so that they can decimate his band, while he and one other make off with the loot. However, in the gunfight that follows Indio comes up against Mortimer, and it transpires that there is a personal score to be settled, as Indio caused Mortimer's sister to kill herself. They face each other, with Mortimer's gun on the ground, waiting for the chimes on Indio's watch to stop. As they are running out, the chimes are heard from an identical watch, which Manco has picked from Mortimer's pocket. With both men on an even footing, Mortimer kills Indio; he has his revenge, and gives the reward money to Manco, who gathers up all the bodies and rides out of town...
The review of this Movie prepared by Chanco Blanco
Bounty hunters "The man with no name" otherwise known in this film as Manco (Clint Eastwood) and Colonel Douglas Mortimer (Lee Van Cleef) are in a mutual pursuit of the main outlaw character Indio (Gain Maria Volante). Manco wants the bounty on Indio and his gang. Col Mortimer wants justice and revenge of the killing of his sister by Indio.
Manco and Col Mortimer start out on separate pursuit of Indio but ultimaely form a casual partnership to capture and kill Indio and his gang after they have robbed the bank of El Paso. The plan is to have Manco infiltrate the gang and Col Mortimer remain on the outside.
Indio is portrayed as an eccentric and mentally unstable killer who has frequent flashbacks of the evening he entered Col Mortimer's sisters house and killed her husband then sexually assaulted her until she grabbed his gun and shot herself. Indio carries a pocketwatch which he stole from her. This watch is a frequent symbol used in the movie, that when opened, plays music that sends Indio into a flashback of that evening. The watch and it's music are used whenever Indio is pitted in a dual-style shootout. The most famous of which is the climatic scene near the end of the movie where Indio has shot Col Mortimer's gun out of his hand. Indio opens the pocketwatch and tells Col Mortimer, "When the music stops, try to pick up the gun and shoot me colonel,...just try". This scene is unexpectedly interupted when the music is heard but from a different direction from Indio's watch. Manco is responsible for this for having stolen Col Mortimer's pocketwatch. Lucky for the Cololel, Manco is there to level the playing field by giving the Colonel his gun which the Colonel uses to outdraw Indio.
The movie concludes when Manco is loading the dead into a wagon and as he does he is adding up the total bounty for all he has in the wagon. In the background, one of the bandits who had previously been shot and wounded is approaching Manco, when Manco hears his gun cock, Manco turns around and kills him. In the mean time Colonel Mortimer is riding away and hears the shot and calls out, "is everything ok" for which Manco replys "yes old man. Thought I was having trouble with my addition".
The musical score in this movie is classic Ennio Morricone, loud, classical, whistling, and of course...frquently interlaced with the simple tune played by the pocketwatch.
The review of this Movie prepared by Indio
Manco (CLint EAstwood) and Colonel Douglas Mortimer (Lee Van Cleef) are Bounty Hunters on the trail of a gang of robber led by Gian Maria Volante. Eventually, they join forces, and plot to recapture the money stolen from the bank of el paso, kill the gang,and gain their bounty. The end shows Mortimer's motive for following the gang, as he reveals that his sister was raped by Volante's character, and he seeks revenge.
The review of this Movie prepared by Tom Stern
Two Bounty Hunters (Eastwood & Van Cleef) join forces to kill the outlaw band led by Indio (Volonte). Eastwood's character for the money and Van Cleef's for revenge.
In the end they both suceed in getting what they want while gunning down dozens of bad guys.
Spain substitutes for the American Southwest and the scenery is quite effective but the highlight of the film is the musical score by Ennio Morricone is one of the all-time greatest in movie history.
The review of this Movie prepared by Jim Connell
