eli wallach had fun in italy/fascist spain cause he and leonne spoke french....fonda got stuck standing in the desert sun while leone, who could barely speak engleesh, took hours setting up camera shots around fonda.
No one could have imagined Hank Fonda doing this untill it was done, and by God the man did it perfectly. We've all loved him in so many things, but I've never had more respect for the man than when he did this. An absolute incredibly good actor. Thank you Mr. Fonda, for this, and everything else.
A great, very underrated film. Maybe one of Leone's most accessible films for me (Once Upon a Time in America is my personal fave) but it's still a great film all the same. Btw, Jason Robards, as Cheyanne, totally stole that movie.
@LTDViperDeli You are dead-on! Jason Robards was fantastic! I think it was the greatest western ever made. Watch "Mister Roberts" first and see Henry in 2 great roles playing 2 ends of the spectrum.
@LTDViperDeli Yeah he did...like Wallach did the Good, the bad and the ugly, never a wrong word about either Clint or Charles, cause they both rocked, but you can see the love Leone had for the "sidekicks".
@pelontorjunta you cannot argue over taste or opinions as they are allowed to differ, but probably 2 billion people agree that casting Fonda for this role was a genius move my friend, not to mention this being one of the best movies ever made. But again these are just opinions so that's 2 billion + and 1 -, you get that more often? :-D
Sergio wanted people to be surprised of Fonda. But more importantly he wanted that image of the piercing steel blue eyes like coming straight from Hell. Because the Devil is a charmer.
in fort apache he played an officer that typified the attitude of many officers that the native americans were easy to overcome..fetterman and custer come to mind
Leone had a deep respect for Fonda. It was his dream to work with him someday and what a struck of luck that Fonda accepted the role in "Once Upon a Time in the West" which turned out to be such a classic.
with the same result and there's no doubt about this role being the Top of
Fonda's career , the toughest , most difficult & best played one by him .
So, to be honest , we've got to underline that it was a privilege and a honor for H. Fonda to work in one of Sergio Leone's masterpieces and not the opposite !!!
A few funny guys tried to reverse true facts ( one of them has even said he dislikes this sublime movie ....) , no wonder of such a pathetic sciovinistic attitude
we know very well how some Americans use to overrate all the ways their all special effects & no artistic issues junk movies along with the Hollywood big factory of rubbish !
There's a reason why such masterpieces as Once Upon A Time in the West
have not been created by american directors & producers , the same reason that drove Q. Tarantino ( the only one interesting & artistically remarkable thing of US cinema in last 20 years ) to copy & rip off Italian movies and not american ones .
@Trulyloyale bravo complimenti, per il tuoi ,commenti, giudizio, più che giusto,vuol dire. che capisci di cinema. credo io, che Sergio Leone sia stato il più . grande, regista della storia del cinema, e gli americani, sono i primi ha saperlo.anche se i film di leone, sono stati distrutti dai tagli vergognosamente in america. forse, perche, non era, americano. cordiali saluti.
Thumbs up twice to HF for being brained enough to not miss the opportunity of
acting a main role in such a legendary movie, thumbs up 3 times to S . Leone
for picking & directing all the actors ( not only Fonda ) Hollywood majors had been ignoring and for making the best western movies ever made , or I should say x making among the most memorable masterpieces in movies history .
Sergio Leone would have made his masterpieces any way, with or withouth
When Fonda played a bad guy he made the character the evilest bastard in the west. My dad loved westerns and he loved Fonda .... but sadly he never got to see how the good guy played the bad guy.
He was one of those actors that you can watch just for the hell of it. He didn't need to be in a good movie or to say good lines, just look at his eyes and you're entertained for 2 hours. Only Gary Cooper compares with him in that respect. It's fascinating.
Henry Fonda is very very good in this movie. A great classic. Actually, the four principals caracters are very good. I felt in love with Claudia Cardinale when i saw the movie for the first time.
You good folks are right. But no one would be even talking about this flick if Henry hadn't done it. He saved the film. I guess Sergio was a genius looking at it from that perspective.
@Gowavenger Really? Clint Eastwood was pretty unknown when he did the first Leone-western, yet it became a huge hit, your explanation? Once Upon... is the greatest western ever made, a tribute to the genre that ended up becoming the most beautiful contribution to the genre. Fonda is great casting, but the success is mostly thanks to Leone.
Harmonica's music plays because we want to have the connection between the ruthless killer Frank, and the final showdown between Frank and harmonica...that WOW moment where we now know why harmonica is so hell bent on killing frank himself, one on one! We get that immediate connection at the end of the film, that moment where we ourselves feel that sense of vindication when ruthless killer Frank is finally gunned down!
Sergio was a genius! That shot, that whole scene is brilliant! I still get chills watching it because yes, Fonda was always the good guy, always the underdog!
Now he he becomes not only the anti-hero, he is one of cinema's best bad guys EVER!!! Cold, cunning and ruthless with those piercing baby blues!
One thing I found odd about the massacre scene is why Harmonica's music was playing. It doesn't make sense, since Harmonica isn't there nor does he have anything to do with that scene at the time.
@Lamporre It was a very early hint of his past connection with Harmonica that isn't revealed until the end in full, making Frank's death right after very satisfying lol
This comment has received too many negative votesshow
Sorry folks, Fonda was what made this movie respectable. Totally miscast was: Bronson and Jason Robards (Robards shouldn't be in a western). I'm a big Bronson fan but him peeking around corners blowing a mouth harp is ridiculous. I can name a lot of movies he's awesome in and you can too. And no, this isn't an Eastwood style movie, my personal Eastwood fav is Outlaw Josie Wales. I stick by it, Fonda is strong in a weak Leone western.
Blue eyed SOB made it more realistic. We know from history that blue eyed blondes aren't always angels, but can be the most vicious, cruel and sadistic killers as the Nazi's were.
Definitely agree that Fonda's "Frank" is one of his strongest roles, although I'll have to respectfully disagree that you've consider this one of Leone's weaker westerns...despite the lack of action that OUATITW might have had, I thought this had the strongest story, whereas "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly," "A Fistful of Dollars," and so on had more gunplay
Nah Once Upon a Time in the West is right up there with Good, Bad, and the Ugly. You just hate it because it didn't have Clint Eastwood. Everyone agrees with me.
You are so right. The scene they talk of in this video when he shoots the kid was one of the best I've seen in movies. Those blue eyes and the fact that it is the great Henry Fonda just made me go "Holy crap!".
From 1.38 onwards, the scene between Fonda and the boy was redone in the Indian epic "Sholay" from 1975, which just goes to show that imitation is the extreme form of flattery. In our so called "curry western", the bad guy played by the late Amjad Khan confronts a kid as well, after dispatching his family, then shoots him in the same fashion. If you enjoy great films, see that one too. It is available with English subtitles as well.
Fonda and Leone was right. Cause when I first saw Once... and saw this scene then he says "You shouldnt have said my name." to one of his men, then he looks back to the boy you know whats coming. Man I almost crapped myself cause this was Henry Fonda, Mr. Roberts, Juror #7 and such a great actor. I couldnt believe he was such a bastard in this and he was so damn good in this.
I completely agree. Sergio Leone was a genius by wanting Fonda for that role, but thumbs up to Fonda for actually agreeing at that. One truly masterpiece.
Henry Fonda oozes evil in this film. This film proves the guy is a tremendous actor. You have no doubt in your mind that he is one evil SOB when he becomes Frank.
before i saw once upon a time in the west...i first thought that charles bronson was the villian...then when i found out that henry fonda played the villian, i knew i had to see how well his acting was gonna be. and sure enough, henry fonda DOES NOT DISSAPOINT!
Indeed, Charles Bronson played a bad guy in many movies before he took on a full time role as the good guy. I am a huge Bronson Fan and own as many of his films that are available on DVD, unfortunately there are many of his films that have never been released on DVD.
I first saw this film as a kid and I wasn't aware of who Henry Fonda was. He gave me nightmares. Of course, as I grew up I became familiar with Fonda but I always viewed him as a villain, not as the good guy he always played.
I don't know much about this guy , but when I watched 12 angry man , this guy was my hero , and still is goo henry fonda , wish he was the same age as me lol ....
The ultimate in offbeat casting. Leone's choice of Henry Fonda was truly inspired. So great and evil was his performance, he almost turned his role into a HORROR film portrayl, even though it was a western. And the Oscar went to Duke Wayne?
Another good example of offbeat casting is Robert Mitchum in the original Cape Fear..another mean sonofabitch character played by someone who usually is/was the good guy.
If you haven't seen it..watch it, the remake was good but the original is awesome.
I grew up on 12 Angry Men, and Fonda always represented, in my youth, a character that stands up for what's right even if the cover looks nasty. Him as a villain floored me. It would be like casting Tom Hanks in a similar role right now. I knew a head of time he was the villain but it didn't sink in until he shot that little boy, and you realize the heavy he was playing was no lightweight. Even though I knew he was the villain I still said "Jesus christ! it's Henry Fonda!"
I first saw this movie when I was a kid. Didn't know Henry Fonda from the Pillsbury Dough Boy at the time. That shot STILL shocked the crap out of me. Something about those kindly blue eyes hiding a demon works, even if you come into the movie cold.
I'd love to see a re-make, although I have no thoughts on who should be Fonda OR Bronson. But even if they eventualy re-make this, Fonda will always be the perfect villian to me and no one else.
In my opinion Javier Bardem would be one of the actors that could perform in a leone-style remake. He is some badass and his face is good for camera close-ups ;-)
Let´s see: "Jesus Christ, it´s Richard Gere" - how about that? Though Fonda WAS an actor and Gere isn´t... Harmonica: Harry Dean Stanton would be a funny choice.
The smartest most intelligent thing the director did was to give baby blue eyed American hero Henry Fonda the role of the villian and rough "I served prison time" face of Bronson the good guy. More realistic.
Yes, he is one of the great American actors in the history of cinema. And, in this movie, he played that role like no one has ever played a villain in the history of celluloid screen.
Indeed,Sergio Leone made a great choice casting him for the part. And, thanks to Mr. Fonda, with his good insight, humor and story telling, we now know why the director made that decision.
Great post. Fonda shocked the world with his cold hearting killing of the kid in this film. The All-American good guy goes bad..LOL..only a marvel like Leone could make it work. Two legends for sure!!
The first time i seen this was when I was eleven or twelve years old I really enjoyed the movie, I dont know what to say, but Sergio Leone is the best western movie maker too bad hes not alive anymore =(
I just saw this marvelous Western and Henry Fonda was SPECTACULAR. Against-type roles rarely work, but he pulled it off so well it's terrifying.
He seems so warm in this interview--this goes against the popular opinion that he was cool and aloof off-screen. Who cares, he's one of the best actors ever, and that's good enough for me.
I remember watching this on the big screen in of all places - Bangkok, Thailand when I was just a kid. Fonda's cold steely stare had me totally mesmerized and I remember thinking, "That is a killer."
One of Henry's finest roles and I DO remember saying "Jesus Christ, it's Henry Fonda". But he sold it 100%, because he was a superb actor. Not everyone could have twisted their mouth into a "chewer's smile" like he did. I wonder whose idea that was?
I love how he narrates the scene. as if he's totally clueless of the McBain massacre. =)
chardenver 1 month ago
Mr. Choo Choo! I love it! This movie is an underrated classic.
scifi75 2 months ago
Thank you Henry Fonda with your eyes and legs. Without you... it woulda been different and worse.
Losrandir 3 months ago
He was badder than LVC's The Bad.
Noodles37UK 3 months ago
eli wallach had fun in italy/fascist spain cause he and leonne spoke french....fonda got stuck standing in the desert sun while leone, who could barely speak engleesh, took hours setting up camera shots around fonda.
monk22yrs 3 months ago
Henry Fonda is extraordinary in the role. So so good.
ADA4750 3 months ago
Yep, well like many other of the comments here I concur, superb casting. He wanted the baby blues.
skyrim579 4 months ago
No one could have imagined Hank Fonda doing this untill it was done, and by God the man did it perfectly. We've all loved him in so many things, but I've never had more respect for the man than when he did this. An absolute incredibly good actor. Thank you Mr. Fonda, for this, and everything else.
LeCutter 5 months ago
A great, very underrated film. Maybe one of Leone's most accessible films for me (Once Upon a Time in America is my personal fave) but it's still a great film all the same. Btw, Jason Robards, as Cheyanne, totally stole that movie.
LTDViperDeli 6 months ago
@LTDViperDeli You are dead-on! Jason Robards was fantastic! I think it was the greatest western ever made. Watch "Mister Roberts" first and see Henry in 2 great roles playing 2 ends of the spectrum.
S2H134 4 months ago
Comment removed
LTDViperDeli 6 months ago
@LTDViperDeli Yeah he did...like Wallach did the Good, the bad and the ugly, never a wrong word about either Clint or Charles, cause they both rocked, but you can see the love Leone had for the "sidekicks".
Jayskiallthewayski 6 months ago
The "friend" Fonda referred to was Eli Wallach.
jtschau 6 months ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
Fonda was not a good choice for this film. And Bronson plus Cardinale another wrong one. I never really liked this film.
pelontorjunta 7 months ago
@pelontorjunta that might be the most ignorant post i've ever read. stop watching movies.
OUDude1976 7 months ago
@OUDude1976 Its just an opinion. Probably a stupid opinion, but an opinion nonetheless
TheM4A1Clan 7 months ago
@pelontorjunta you cannot argue over taste or opinions as they are allowed to differ, but probably 2 billion people agree that casting Fonda for this role was a genius move my friend, not to mention this being one of the best movies ever made. But again these are just opinions so that's 2 billion + and 1 -, you get that more often? :-D
Jayskiallthewayski 6 months ago
he was believable as the villian. Sergio cast him just right
ruleofthespirit 7 months ago
One of my favorite behind the scenes stories. And yes, possibly the greatest cast against type ever. .
wowbobwow37 9 months ago 2
Henry Fonda was the man. don't care about his progeny, but he is acting royalty
PorkFrog 10 months ago
speak in italian
elprincipematta 10 months ago
JESUS CHRIST ITS HENRY FONDA!
CodSingletary 11 months ago 8
Sergio wanted people to be surprised of Fonda. But more importantly he wanted that image of the piercing steel blue eyes like coming straight from Hell. Because the Devil is a charmer.
skinwalkerxxx 11 months ago 7
in fort apache he played an officer that typified the attitude of many officers that the native americans were easy to overcome..fetterman and custer come to mind
pdogone1 11 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
Henry Fonda and Jimmy Stewart were the 40s, 50s and 60s best movie actors ever
92af 11 months ago
He's creepy as hell as Frank. A real bastard, and a great "love-to-hate" villain.
anton1990 11 months ago 2
What about Fort Apache?, he is not precisely the good guy. But well, he played an awesome villain in this film.
roxandroy 1 year ago
This is great.
Leone had a deep respect for Fonda. It was his dream to work with him someday and what a struck of luck that Fonda accepted the role in "Once Upon a Time in the West" which turned out to be such a classic.
blue32ism 1 year ago 3
Jesus Christ it's Henry Fonda!
IamMegatron 1 year ago 18
with the same result and there's no doubt about this role being the Top of
Fonda's career , the toughest , most difficult & best played one by him .
So, to be honest , we've got to underline that it was a privilege and a honor for H. Fonda to work in one of Sergio Leone's masterpieces and not the opposite !!!
A few funny guys tried to reverse true facts ( one of them has even said he dislikes this sublime movie ....) , no wonder of such a pathetic sciovinistic attitude
from them
Trulyloyale 1 year ago
we know very well how some Americans use to overrate all the ways their all special effects & no artistic issues junk movies along with the Hollywood big factory of rubbish !
There's a reason why such masterpieces as Once Upon A Time in the West
have not been created by american directors & producers , the same reason that drove Q. Tarantino ( the only one interesting & artistically remarkable thing of US cinema in last 20 years ) to copy & rip off Italian movies and not american ones .
Trulyloyale 1 year ago
@Trulyloyale bravo complimenti, per il tuoi ,commenti, giudizio, più che giusto,vuol dire. che capisci di cinema. credo io, che Sergio Leone sia stato il più . grande, regista della storia del cinema, e gli americani, sono i primi ha saperlo.anche se i film di leone, sono stati distrutti dai tagli vergognosamente in america. forse, perche, non era, americano. cordiali saluti.
Giuseppee62 7 months ago
Thumbs up twice to HF for being brained enough to not miss the opportunity of
acting a main role in such a legendary movie, thumbs up 3 times to S . Leone
for picking & directing all the actors ( not only Fonda ) Hollywood majors had been ignoring and for making the best western movies ever made , or I should say x making among the most memorable masterpieces in movies history .
Sergio Leone would have made his masterpieces any way, with or withouth
H. Fonda or Robards or any else
Trulyloyale 1 year ago
That scene says it all! Epic and a model for generations to come. I can't praising the music, masterpiece! Some Legend of Zelda mood in there!!!
menolyrics 1 year ago
He was one of the greatest.
charvelgtrs 1 year ago 2
When Fonda played a bad guy he made the character the evilest bastard in the west. My dad loved westerns and he loved Fonda .... but sadly he never got to see how the good guy played the bad guy.
tpsossff 1 year ago
Henry Fonda is one of the best American Actor of all Time.
Starfighterking 1 year ago
Comment removed
Starfighterking 1 year ago
I just bought this film on a whim...am im glad i got it.Awesome movie...casting Henry Fonda as a bad guy... what a stroke of genius.
jimjam69 1 year ago
He was one of those actors that you can watch just for the hell of it. He didn't need to be in a good movie or to say good lines, just look at his eyes and you're entertained for 2 hours. Only Gary Cooper compares with him in that respect. It's fascinating.
ronasheton 1 year ago
Henry Fonda is very very good in this movie. A great classic. Actually, the four principals caracters are very good. I felt in love with Claudia Cardinale when i saw the movie for the first time.
ADA4750 1 year ago 2
Jesus Fucking Christ! Look, it's Henry Fonda!
ssj19 1 year ago 2
sincerely i only remember him in this movie, i know he was a huge actor before, but this role as villain is awsome, and he had guts to play it
carig12 1 year ago 2
@carig12 C'mon, 12 Angry Man?
halarmadrid 1 year ago
Is Henry Fonda being the dirtiest-villain-ever the reason this movie didn't do so good at first here in the States? Picky, picky, picky!
ConeheadMundi 1 year ago 2
@ConeheadMundi I didn't know it wasn't a success. To me, Fonda was perfect.
MsSarjen 1 year ago
@MsSarjen ...Henry Fonda should have goyyen an oscar.
jimjam69 1 year ago
One of the greatest actors ever to have graced our screens.
youngferret21 1 year ago 2
Hank Fonda as the villain. Man, did he ever knock that one out of the park.
LeCutter 1 year ago 4
Fonda should have gotten an Oscar for this.
jbails007 1 year ago 2
He was a cold man.
BlackenedForLife 1 year ago
You good folks are right. But no one would be even talking about this flick if Henry hadn't done it. He saved the film. I guess Sergio was a genius looking at it from that perspective.
Gowavenger 1 year ago
I disagree. With or wihout Henry, this movie is a masterpiece.
alfalfafalafelmafia 1 year ago 4
@Gowavenger Really I think without the music it would only be half a film.
RaptureFilmz 1 year ago
@Gowavenger completely wrong about needing Fonda. Sergio was a master though.
mcallen83 1 year ago
@Gowavenger Really? Clint Eastwood was pretty unknown when he did the first Leone-western, yet it became a huge hit, your explanation? Once Upon... is the greatest western ever made, a tribute to the genre that ended up becoming the most beautiful contribution to the genre. Fonda is great casting, but the success is mostly thanks to Leone.
filmidioten 1 year ago
Harmonica's music plays because we want to have the connection between the ruthless killer Frank, and the final showdown between Frank and harmonica...that WOW moment where we now know why harmonica is so hell bent on killing frank himself, one on one! We get that immediate connection at the end of the film, that moment where we ourselves feel that sense of vindication when ruthless killer Frank is finally gunned down!
matthewme23 1 year ago 2
Sergio was a genius! That shot, that whole scene is brilliant! I still get chills watching it because yes, Fonda was always the good guy, always the underdog!
Now he he becomes not only the anti-hero, he is one of cinema's best bad guys EVER!!! Cold, cunning and ruthless with those piercing baby blues!
matthewme23 1 year ago 3
Where's the rest of the documentary that this is from?
JimmySteller 1 year ago
One thing I found odd about the massacre scene is why Harmonica's music was playing. It doesn't make sense, since Harmonica isn't there nor does he have anything to do with that scene at the time.
Lamporre 1 year ago
@Lamporre It was a very early hint of his past connection with Harmonica that isn't revealed until the end in full, making Frank's death right after very satisfying lol
JordanSayz 5 days ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
Sorry folks, Fonda was what made this movie respectable. Totally miscast was: Bronson and Jason Robards (Robards shouldn't be in a western). I'm a big Bronson fan but him peeking around corners blowing a mouth harp is ridiculous. I can name a lot of movies he's awesome in and you can too. And no, this isn't an Eastwood style movie, my personal Eastwood fav is Outlaw Josie Wales. I stick by it, Fonda is strong in a weak Leone western.
Gowavenger 1 year ago
herp derp
Snitsie 1 year ago
@Gowavenger
I disagree. Bronson was an excellent actor in this film, as was Robards.
Lamporre 1 year ago
that was very funny.
edicccc 1 year ago 3
Comment removed
92af 1 year ago 2
This comment has received too many negative votes show
Harmonica shooted this piece of shit between eyes..RIP..
Vroumvroumhehe 1 year ago
do you have the entire interview..
saveen3 2 years ago
A true legend !
onetrashdancer 2 years ago 12
i love Henry Fonda.....can not find anymore interviews
saveen3 2 years ago 17
this movie is so....amazing, that everytime I see an Henry Fonda movie I say :"JC, that's the Blue eyed killer" . Best western ever made.
thanks for posting it.
santuz 2 years ago 7
Blue eyed SOB made it more realistic. We know from history that blue eyed blondes aren't always angels, but can be the most vicious, cruel and sadistic killers as the Nazi's were.
000266617 2 years ago 6
his eyes were amasing
JulesD1992 2 years ago 10
Henry is quite a cool guy
joetheanglo 2 years ago 3
Two greatest entrances in film history: Orson Welles in The Third Man and Henry Fonda in Once Upon a Time in the West.
TulseLuper 2 years ago 8
Fabulous interview...definitely one of Fonda's strongest roles...in one of Leone's weaker westerns....in my humble opinion of course.
Gowavenger 2 years ago
Definitely agree that Fonda's "Frank" is one of his strongest roles, although I'll have to respectfully disagree that you've consider this one of Leone's weaker westerns...despite the lack of action that OUATITW might have had, I thought this had the strongest story, whereas "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly," "A Fistful of Dollars," and so on had more gunplay
CesMan83 2 years ago 5
Nah Once Upon a Time in the West is right up there with Good, Bad, and the Ugly. You just hate it because it didn't have Clint Eastwood. Everyone agrees with me.
MajBlood 1 year ago 4
You are so right. The scene they talk of in this video when he shoots the kid was one of the best I've seen in movies. Those blue eyes and the fact that it is the great Henry Fonda just made me go "Holy crap!".
Tronite 1 year ago 3
Legend
stevok777 2 years ago 14
Henry Fonda was totaly better than James Mason was
92af 2 years ago 12
In other news: The Beatles are better than The Monkees
cwpolo17 2 years ago 11
From 1.38 onwards, the scene between Fonda and the boy was redone in the Indian epic "Sholay" from 1975, which just goes to show that imitation is the extreme form of flattery. In our so called "curry western", the bad guy played by the late Amjad Khan confronts a kid as well, after dispatching his family, then shoots him in the same fashion. If you enjoy great films, see that one too. It is available with English subtitles as well.
gillyh2745 2 years ago
Fonda and Leone was right. Cause when I first saw Once... and saw this scene then he says "You shouldnt have said my name." to one of his men, then he looks back to the boy you know whats coming. Man I almost crapped myself cause this was Henry Fonda, Mr. Roberts, Juror #7 and such a great actor. I couldnt believe he was such a bastard in this and he was so damn good in this.
Cavillier1970 2 years ago 4
His best work.
viewingut 2 years ago 13
Henry Fonda was a great actor
92af 2 years ago 78
@92af One of the greatest. :)
SonnyA89 3 months ago
maybe the greatest against type casting decision ever made
kingcaesar5 2 years ago 138
I AGREE!!!
dingane19 2 years ago
I completely agree. Sergio Leone was a genius by wanting Fonda for that role, but thumbs up to Fonda for actually agreeing at that. One truly masterpiece.
matteoprez 2 years ago 14
@kingcaesar5 Agree.
Methadone4Life 1 year ago
@kingcaesar5 - you're absolutely right. Thumbs up to Leone for offering him the role, thumbs up (twice) to Fonda for accepting it.
matteoprez 1 year ago
@kingcaesar5 deffo :)
thelonious76 1 year ago
Henry Fonda oozes evil in this film. This film proves the guy is a tremendous actor. You have no doubt in your mind that he is one evil SOB when he becomes Frank.
RodneyHampton 2 years ago 11
Henry Fonda in great new bio (Charlton Heston: An Incredible Life: Revised Edition) at amazon for sale!
Bestmanme08 2 years ago
before i saw once upon a time in the west...i first thought that charles bronson was the villian...then when i found out that henry fonda played the villian, i knew i had to see how well his acting was gonna be. and sure enough, henry fonda DOES NOT DISSAPOINT!
007QuantumofSolace 2 years ago 6
Indeed, Charles Bronson played a bad guy in many movies before he took on a full time role as the good guy. I am a huge Bronson Fan and own as many of his films that are available on DVD, unfortunately there are many of his films that have never been released on DVD.
videocircus 2 years ago
I first saw this film as a kid and I wasn't aware of who Henry Fonda was. He gave me nightmares. Of course, as I grew up I became familiar with Fonda but I always viewed him as a villain, not as the good guy he always played.
lemonite1 2 years ago 5
same for me
SmokyMcPot78 2 years ago
This clip is the original LOL..."JC that's Henry Fonda!" ....that's so awesome hearing it from the man himself. Great clip!
Agundis1825 2 years ago 13
Yeah, like far out baby. LOL, ok, enough with the 60's lingo...
nephilimiyr 2 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
That's funny what Henry Fonda said because the first time I saw this movie I said, "Jesus Christ that's Henry Fonda" when I saew that scene!
He was so mis casted in this movie it's pathetic!
nephilimiyr 2 years ago
You crazy baby! :)
Mintsauce27 2 years ago
The best villain ever. Pure evil. Yup, something about the 'usual hero' playing the bad guy that gives it the push to the top of evildom.
oreodontist 3 years ago 5
henry fonda played one of the best villains in the history of cinema in this film.
lesassassins 3 years ago 14
I don't know much about this guy , but when I watched 12 angry man , this guy was my hero , and still is goo henry fonda , wish he was the same age as me lol ....
backstreetblue 3 years ago
Strange how his " Baby Blues " look brown in this clip.
theplanetking 3 years ago
The ultimate in offbeat casting. Leone's choice of Henry Fonda was truly inspired. So great and evil was his performance, he almost turned his role into a HORROR film portrayl, even though it was a western. And the Oscar went to Duke Wayne?
notredamehesamighty 3 years ago 3
Another good example of offbeat casting is Robert Mitchum in the original Cape Fear..another mean sonofabitch character played by someone who usually is/was the good guy.
If you haven't seen it..watch it, the remake was good but the original is awesome.
theplanetking 3 years ago 2
I didnt catch this till i was in my late teens - Holy Sh*t - THESE were class films - I should have been a writer lol
Mintsauce27 3 years ago
I grew up on 12 Angry Men, and Fonda always represented, in my youth, a character that stands up for what's right even if the cover looks nasty. Him as a villain floored me. It would be like casting Tom Hanks in a similar role right now. I knew a head of time he was the villain but it didn't sink in until he shot that little boy, and you realize the heavy he was playing was no lightweight. Even though I knew he was the villain I still said "Jesus christ! it's Henry Fonda!"
Whooligan86 3 years ago 2
"Jesus Christ! It's Henry Fonda!"
Classic.
I first saw this movie when I was a kid. Didn't know Henry Fonda from the Pillsbury Dough Boy at the time. That shot STILL shocked the crap out of me. Something about those kindly blue eyes hiding a demon works, even if you come into the movie cold.
archer1949 3 years ago 5
"Jesus Christ! It's Henry Fonda!"
wonder what Henry said when he died
"Jesus Christ! It's JESUS
eastsackevster 3 years ago
This has been flagged as spam show
more like "Jesus Christ Christianity is stupid"
billheartyface 2 years ago
LOL...no bhf, more like you're stupid....
darthracer777 2 years ago 6
excellent retort darthracer.
billheartyface 2 years ago
is he alive?
zazaboy62000 3 years ago
No, he died in the 80's I think.
Loserido 3 years ago 3
i would rather watch him pick blue berries
subxero6 3 years ago
the "actor friend" that Fonda refers to was Eli Wallach, who had worked with Leone and Eastwood on "the good, the bad and the ugly"
LuisMartin1989 3 years ago 2
Yeah, Wallach said to FOnda:
"You gotta take that part you bastard!!! If you don't take that part, you know nothing about Tuco, you bastard."
Cedrusdeodara 3 years ago 7
God he was even gorgeous in his old age
marymother 3 years ago 5
thanks!
nab2021 3 years ago
i dont get it.... PLEASE someone explain to thicky me
jozaow456 3 years ago
Henry Fonda almost never plays a villain.
Loserido 3 years ago 2
aaaa, i see =) it all makes sense now. but that doesnt explain why leone made him wear blue contacts...
jozaow456 3 years ago
Fonda´s trademark eyes ARE/(were) blue ("my baby blues").
brennscheidt 3 years ago
o =) thanks budd =)
jozaow456 3 years ago
For a while, people wouldn't accept him as a bad guy. After "Mr. Roberts," etc, folks had their mind set that Henry was a good guy.
catman351 3 years ago
HAHA Nice...Jeezuz Christ.....So funny, well told....Thanks for posting.
jj4u007 3 years ago 3
Whats that show? Maybe its Michael Parkinson's laugh, but im not sure
Zsorzs88 3 years ago
I'd love to see a re-make, although I have no thoughts on who should be Fonda OR Bronson. But even if they eventualy re-make this, Fonda will always be the perfect villian to me and no one else.
YoungDarthVader 3 years ago
In my opinion Javier Bardem would be one of the actors that could perform in a leone-style remake. He is some badass and his face is good for camera close-ups ;-)
starputzer 3 years ago 2
Young: Why do we need a remake?
The original is perfect as it is. ;)
NGS712 3 years ago 6
I agree!
Leave the ORIGINAL alone!!! Let the newer directors come up with their own masterpieces! ; )
gasnra09 3 years ago 3
gasnra: I've never understood 'remakes' 'cause it's always of good movies.
If a remake ever HAD to be made it should be of movies that had 'potential' but they turned into shit. If you know what I mean. :P
NGS712 3 years ago 3
Let´s see: "Jesus Christ, it´s Richard Gere" - how about that? Though Fonda WAS an actor and Gere isn´t... Harmonica: Harry Dean Stanton would be a funny choice.
brennscheidt 3 years ago
The smartest most intelligent thing the director did was to give baby blue eyed American hero Henry Fonda the role of the villian and rough "I served prison time" face of Bronson the good guy. More realistic.
000266617 3 years ago
Jesus Christ - that's Henry Fonda!
xXKillStealr69Xx 3 years ago 7
This is fabulous, what an ending...
bon1042 3 years ago
I read in Fonda's biography that his actor friend that was in one of Leone's movies was actually Eli Wallach.
aDimWit 3 years ago
john wayne who ? fonda, bronson, robards, eastwood, van cleef, james coburn, eli wallach...........these were actors in great movies
cholulasaucehot 3 years ago 3
wow just some real classic stuff Henry Fonda Once Upon Time and the soundtrack some good music .
richysst 3 years ago
What a Monster Frank was. Only a marvellous actor like Fonda could have played him so convincingly.
321flyer 3 years ago 10
Yes, he is one of the great American actors in the history of cinema. And, in this movie, he played that role like no one has ever played a villain in the history of celluloid screen.
Indeed,Sergio Leone made a great choice casting him for the part. And, thanks to Mr. Fonda, with his good insight, humor and story telling, we now know why the director made that decision.
jipnidriver 3 years ago 7
One of the greatest actor ever and the best vilain role in cinema history... am I exagerating ?.... No !
alphafloor71 3 years ago 5
Henry Fonda was gorgious in that role - I really hated him, if you know what I mean.
What a wonderful man and actor he was.
RlCARDA 3 years ago
This is included on the 2-disc dvd of the movie.
Didn't Leone also want (no joke) to film upskirt on Claudia Cardinale and have her wear no panties? In her first scene where she gets off the train.
Pastoralian 3 years ago
Your last paragraph... GAWD, I hope not.
bon1042 3 years ago
What a career. What an actor...
okiefilm 3 years ago 3
It's a shame Fonda didn't play more villains, he was great in this movie! He's just evil personified in the movie!
TheCreepingUnknown 3 years ago 11
So true. Demonic, evil, son of a bitch.
integral 3 years ago 3
Henry Fonda played the villian so very effectively in this awesome western.
rickram1961 3 years ago 9
Fonda said that this was his favorite role on a couple of occasions. Thanks for posting this clip, it's informative and quite funny too.
AllenbysEyes 3 years ago 8
the friend he's talking about is eli wallach.
MagicFreddie 3 years ago 6
Great post. Fonda shocked the world with his cold hearting killing of the kid in this film. The All-American good guy goes bad..LOL..only a marvel like Leone could make it work. Two legends for sure!!
Methadone4Life 3 years ago 9
Frank is the Ted Bundy of Western Bad Guys.
screamwriter1 4 years ago
Fuckin awesome post.
saintofallkillers 4 years ago
I laughed so hard at the end
jsXanatos 4 years ago 2
LOL and oddly enough, that was my very reaction upon the first time I saw that scene (and the film).
IntelligentHoodlum 4 years ago
Same here, LOL
SpaceOddity 3 years ago
The first time i seen this was when I was eleven or twelve years old I really enjoyed the movie, I dont know what to say, but Sergio Leone is the best western movie maker too bad hes not alive anymore =(
Irockyousuck90 4 years ago 3
hank fonda is one of the gold standards.
edmame 4 years ago
'People scare better when they're dyin'
dapoetmaster 4 years ago
I just saw this marvelous Western and Henry Fonda was SPECTACULAR. Against-type roles rarely work, but he pulled it off so well it's terrifying.
He seems so warm in this interview--this goes against the popular opinion that he was cool and aloof off-screen. Who cares, he's one of the best actors ever, and that's good enough for me.
RubyTuesday717 4 years ago 2
*BRAVO* Henry is one of the greats!!
JellyBeanM 4 years ago 4
I remember watching this on the big screen in of all places - Bangkok, Thailand when I was just a kid. Fonda's cold steely stare had me totally mesmerized and I remember thinking, "That is a killer."
jtschau 4 years ago
One of Henry's finest roles and I DO remember saying "Jesus Christ, it's Henry Fonda". But he sold it 100%, because he was a superb actor. Not everyone could have twisted their mouth into a "chewer's smile" like he did. I wonder whose idea that was?
Indyrail 4 years ago 5
out-standing
bbdupon 4 years ago
thanks!
EnricoMF 4 years ago
Awesome
coltondude01 4 years ago
wonderful
matt2matt2002 4 years ago
greatness!
mectersa 4 years ago