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The late, great Italian filmmaker Sergio Corbucci (Django, Companeros) directed and co-wrote this western in 1968. Bounty killers led by Loco (Klaus Kinski) prey on outlaws hiding out in the snowbound Utah mountains. After an innocent becomes Loco s latest victim, his wife hires a gunman for revenge. Silence, mute since his throat was cut as a child after witnessing the murder of his parents, decides to take justice into his own hands. Score by Ennio Morricone.
Extras:
- Interview with Alex Cox (Sid & Nancy, Repo Man)
- Alternate Ending (with optional commentary by Alex Cox)
- Theatrical Trailer
Review
One of the great Spaghetti Westerns an ending, and a film, which you will never forget --DVD Times
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
14 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
This is one of the finest spaghetti westerns, although it's not as well known as Sergio Leone's work or Corbucci's other classic Django. The reason is perhaps that morally it's too complex for mass appeal as we viewers, especially in westerns, prefer to know who the good guys are and who the bad guys are, then cheer as the bad guys go down in a hail of lead.
In the unusual setting of a snow-bound winter (there's a traditional view that snowy westerns aren't as popular as sweaty ones) the townsfolk of Snowhill are suffering. With food scarce they revert to stealing to eat. Ruthless bounty hunters are called in to bring them to justice. When the nastiest hunter Loco shoots up an innocent man, the dead man's wife hires Silence, a mute gunslinger, to kill Loco...
This film is a brutal masterpiece with a level of violence that few movies could equal, and yet there is subtlety with clever scripting and good performances, most notably from Klaus Kinski in a particularly nasty role even for him. Throughout, the story blurs the traditional depiction of right and wrong. Spaghetti westerns became popular by having anti-heroes who act as viciously as the bad guys. But this film goes further. The good guys are outlaws, forced to steal through hunger, and the bad guys are bounty hunters, motivated by personal gain only. Even the law is depicted as being ineffective and ill-thought out, exploring in a way few other westerns have the dubious principle that killing a man can be justified as self-defence only when the other guy goes for his gun first.
This twisted morality clearly has a subtext, and pleasingly the film doesn't preach it and nor does it provide an answer, leaving it to the viewer to interpret for themselves what it says about life during this time of expansion, and now. That aside, ultimately the film's immortality comes from its ending, which I won't describe to avoid spoilers, other than to say it's memorable and one that works because so few other films have done it. If you like westerns, this is a must see film. Just don't expect Shane.
In the unusual setting of a snow-bound winter (there's a traditional view that snowy westerns aren't as popular as sweaty ones) the townsfolk of Snowhill are suffering. With food scarce they revert to stealing to eat. Ruthless bounty hunters are called in to bring them to justice. When the nastiest hunter Loco shoots up an innocent man, the dead man's wife hires Silence, a mute gunslinger, to kill Loco...
This film is a brutal masterpiece with a level of violence that few movies could equal, and yet there is subtlety with clever scripting and good performances, most notably from Klaus Kinski in a particularly nasty role even for him. Throughout, the story blurs the traditional depiction of right and wrong. Spaghetti westerns became popular by having anti-heroes who act as viciously as the bad guys. But this film goes further. The good guys are outlaws, forced to steal through hunger, and the bad guys are bounty hunters, motivated by personal gain only. Even the law is depicted as being ineffective and ill-thought out, exploring in a way few other westerns have the dubious principle that killing a man can be justified as self-defence only when the other guy goes for his gun first.
This twisted morality clearly has a subtext, and pleasingly the film doesn't preach it and nor does it provide an answer, leaving it to the viewer to interpret for themselves what it says about life during this time of expansion, and now. That aside, ultimately the film's immortality comes from its ending, which I won't describe to avoid spoilers, other than to say it's memorable and one that works because so few other films have done it. If you like westerns, this is a must see film. Just don't expect Shane.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
This film is beautiful... I first saw it presented on TV
by Alex Cox... I taped it on VHS, and watched it many, many
times... I later saw it, at the London Film festival, on
a big screen... WONDERFUL... the soundtrack by Ennio Morricone,
is one of his BEST scores... Some people dismiss Spaghetti Westerns,
as trash... but this is a Western that couldn't be made in Hollywood.
Dark, gothic and beautiful... I also have the Soundtrack...
BUY BOTH, IF POSSIBLE....
by Alex Cox... I taped it on VHS, and watched it many, many
times... I later saw it, at the London Film festival, on
a big screen... WONDERFUL... the soundtrack by Ennio Morricone,
is one of his BEST scores... Some people dismiss Spaghetti Westerns,
as trash... but this is a Western that couldn't be made in Hollywood.
Dark, gothic and beautiful... I also have the Soundtrack...
BUY BOTH, IF POSSIBLE....
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
One reviewer of this film stated that this is what Sergio Leone's films should have been. I assume they were talking about the first two dollars films, because obviously 'The Great Silence' beats them in terms of emotion, plot and themes. However, while the dollars films do contain exagerrated spectacle, character and style, their events are still very much down-to-earth and believable. There's good reason to believe the lives of certain degenerate characters in the real life West were pretty close to how they're portrayed by Leone. The events that take place in 'The Great Silence', however, are over-the-top and clichéd, which seems to be the case with many other Italian westerns outside of Leone's work. Directors just seemed to be attempting to outdo each other in terms of violence and strangeness, and you get a taste of that in 'The Great Silence', with a mute super-fast gun fighter for a hero who always manages to shoot first before his opponents; over-the-top dialogue and themes on romance and revenge; and a plot and a setting trying too hard to promote a world of anarchy and exagerrated violence rather than giving the sense of some civilisation going on in the background, which Leone managed to do.
Nevertheless, it must be remembered that compared to the majority of the spaghetti western genre, 'The Great Silence' comes close to being a masterpiece, and an entertaining one at that. There are some original ideas here such as the mute hero and the snow-bound setting when most spaghetti westerns opted for sweaty desert locations in the manner of Leone. Also, unlike most spaghetti westerns (including the director's other famous western 'Django', which simply opted for general craziness) there is a sense of melancholy and atmosphere reining over the narrative, as the mute hero's services as protector of the outlaws hiding in the Utah mountains are hired by a widow to avenge the death of her husband at the hands of Klaus Kinski's portrayal of the sadistic villain.
It was the ending which won this film for me, which took me completely by surprise and defies all clichés. Personally, I feel 'Keoma' did a better job as a spaghetti western set in mountainous scenery with over-the-top violence and a sense of melancholy. Nevertheless, I have only watched 'the Great Silence' once, so don't take my judgements to heart!
Nevertheless, it must be remembered that compared to the majority of the spaghetti western genre, 'The Great Silence' comes close to being a masterpiece, and an entertaining one at that. There are some original ideas here such as the mute hero and the snow-bound setting when most spaghetti westerns opted for sweaty desert locations in the manner of Leone. Also, unlike most spaghetti westerns (including the director's other famous western 'Django', which simply opted for general craziness) there is a sense of melancholy and atmosphere reining over the narrative, as the mute hero's services as protector of the outlaws hiding in the Utah mountains are hired by a widow to avenge the death of her husband at the hands of Klaus Kinski's portrayal of the sadistic villain.
It was the ending which won this film for me, which took me completely by surprise and defies all clichés. Personally, I feel 'Keoma' did a better job as a spaghetti western set in mountainous scenery with over-the-top violence and a sense of melancholy. Nevertheless, I have only watched 'the Great Silence' once, so don't take my judgements to heart!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Silence isn't always golden
I bought this movie because the music was by Morricone, and I didn't already have any of it on other media. Fortunately the music is good (as expected), as is the scenery. Read more
Published 10 months ago by J. Allen
Best of 5
I watched 5 spaghetti westerns over a weekend and this was the best. The snow covered scenery works well with the story. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Thirty five
A Word of Warning For Region 1 Viewers
I saw this film as a rental a bit over a year ago. I immediately picked up the excellent Morricone soundtrack. Read more
Published 17 months ago by s.eidson
Speak up
I like going into movies blind, knowing little or nothing about them other than quality, but I have to warn you about the opening shot that nearly toasted my retinas. Read more
Published 20 months ago by P. J. Potter
Excellent and different
The Great Silence is different than the usual spaghetti westerns. The first thing you notice is that it's set entirely in the snow. Read more
Published 21 months ago by Michael Gerrard
An OK film with an uniquely bleak ending
I think the other reviewers are overstating this one quite a bit. Best western ever? Well, I don't think so. Read more
Published on 20 April 2010 by Dr Gonzo
Interesting Italian Western
Never seen this before, but I do like Django, so though I would give it's predecessor a try.
Typical of it's director an anti hero with deformaties & a cast of sadistic... Read more
Typical of it's director an anti hero with deformaties & a cast of sadistic... Read more
Published on 23 Feb 2010 by Andy B
Christmas Gift.
It was good value for its price. Service was good. Arrived on date it was due. product was in excellent condition.
Published on 27 Dec 2009 by David Alexander
Simply stunning!
Other reviewers have given a good account of this movie.
The score, by Ennio Morricone is simply stunning, and has been crafted to flow with the beautiful snowy landscape, the... Read more
The score, by Ennio Morricone is simply stunning, and has been crafted to flow with the beautiful snowy landscape, the... Read more
Published on 11 Sep 2008 by Ibraar
Leaves me wanting more Spaghetti in my Western
Directed By Sergio Corbucci in 1968 The great silence is still a great hit today.
It realy is a great Spaghetti western filmed nicely with great atmosphere and in this movie i... Read more
It realy is a great Spaghetti western filmed nicely with great atmosphere and in this movie i... Read more
Published on 23 Aug 2007 by T. Jarvis
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