FOR A FEW DOLLARS MORE at the Belcourt

Nashville’s Belcourt cinema is in the middle of a month long festival of director Sergio Leone’s amazing spaghetti westerns. One could quibble that they are showing them out of order with FISTFULL OF DYNAMITE (a.k.a DUCK, YOU SUCKER) slotted before ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST, but why complain? I missed last week’s screening of FISTFULL OF DOLLARS but caught Sunday’s noontime show of FOR A FEW DOLLARS MORE and was thrilled to see it projected for the first time. I have seen the film at least 10 times over the years but finally witnessing the power of Leone’s cinema on the big screen was wonderful. It was also exhausting! These films wear you out- but in a good way.

Of the remaining three movies in the series I definitely plan to see ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST but the other two don’t call my name quite so loudly. I love them all but OUATITW and FAFDM are my favorites of the maestro’s westerns.

I just wish they would show the uncut Leone gangster epic ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA as well!