adrian-43767
From the outset one gets the feeling that Trintignant, a very fine actor, is miscast. According to production reports, he struggled with Italian and English, and it was decided that the best thing was to give him a silent role - which greatly limits his scope, but somehow helps increase the film's claustrophobic atmosphere, hemmed in by constant snow and cold. Kinski gets the plum part, with the clever lines; the actor who plays the sheriff also does well; cinematography is excellent under such strenuous conditions; dialogue is good enough to keep you riveted; and the motivations of all those human living on the brink of animaldom -- especially the group of "outlaws" who prowl outside of town and keep attacking people for food -- almost turn THE GREAT SILENCE into a Western version of MAD MAX. The film is full of Leone-like touches, including significant looks and close-ups. Unlike any Leone movie, it is able to show two human beings who feel real love for each other (Trintignant and the black woman whose husband was killed by Kinski). It also has its fair share of subjective angles and shots, all of which builds up to what should have been a terrific climax.Instead, Director Sergio Corbucci suddenly and unexpectedly decides to turn THE GREAT SILENCE into a historic piece about some massacre. A happier ending would have made it a masterpiece comparable to ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST, and certainly better than A FISTFUL OF DOLLARS or FOR A FEW DOLLARS MORE.The greater the pity - as much as I would like to give it a higher mark, because there is much to be enjoyed about THE GREAT SILENCE, ultimately its weak and wayward ending lets it down. 6/10
drewconnor
I watched The Great Silence for the first time last night. There is no doubt in my mind that this film is easily amongst the best spaghetti westerns ever made. I do feel this is better than Django. The Sergio Corbucci films I'd previously seen seemed very hit and miss. The photography sometimes looked rough, complete with shaky zooms. The photography in The Great Silence however is generally superb. Some wonderful wide shots and a number of other beautiful shots, the camera does pan about very well. The film is set on a snow swept landscape and it looks terrific, it also contains a wonderful, haunting score from Ennio Morricone. On an unforgiving, snow-swept frontier, a group of bloodthirsty bounty hunters, led by the vicious Loco (Klaus Kinski) prey on a band of persecuted outlaws who have taken to the hills. As the price on each head is collected - one - by - one, only a mute gunslinger named Silence (Jean-Louis-Trintignant) stands between the innocent refugees and the greed and corruption that the bounty hunters represent. It's hard to believe this film was made in 1968, it is very impressive for many reasons. First it does not follow most genre conventions, it simply follows it's own set of rules, the ending is especially different. It's well cast, I thought both of the male leads were perfect. There is a very good moment where the mute gunslinger and a coloured woman make love. This scene is really unusual and quite daring for the time. This is a very bleak film, which may put some people off. I happen to think the ending is brilliant.
winterbear-157-474225
One of the more thought-provoking spaghetti westerns of the 1960s/70s. Set in a winterscape that adds to the sombre, almost melancholy tone, each character is on the surface either good or evil; but as the film progresses, these notions of become less distinct, and perhaps more genuine. This adds a depth to the film that other such westerns do not ordinarily have, even if this depth only becomes apparent after the film ends and one reflects on the characters and story. The film seems to me a product of its time and Italy's history, in a political sense - what is right, what is wrong? - a fight between the (perverted) use of the law to get results as against morality, a fight between emotions and indivdualism (i.e. fascism as against indivualism and liberalism). But which one is which...?. Watch, enjoy. The musical score is integral to this film as well, particularly the Love Theme which plays in the deneoumont. A film worth seeking out and buying on DVD, particularly as an antidote to the Segio Leone westerns. As someone else has commented, this is to the spaghetti western as Peckinpah's "The Wild Bunch" is to the Hollywood western. Perhaps a true western, truer to life than the romanticism of others in the genre.
FightingWesterner
What more can you ask for than a desolate snow-covered wasteland, a mute ghost-like avenger, and a villain that looks and acts like the human personification of a snake?A truly atmospheric production and one of director Sergio Corbucci's best, The Great Silence delivers thrills and shocks in equal doses, with lots of jaw-dropping moments, including probably the most unexpected ending in the history of westerns.Here, Klaus Kinski does what he does best, providing some truly inspired villainy. His scenes opposite (the underrated) Frank Wolff are absolutely great. The romantic subplot involving mute gunfighter Jean Louis Trintignant and widow Vonetta McGee is probably as tender and touching as you'll ever find in an Italian western.Also, it's always nice to see Luigi Pistilli and Mario Brega (in a rare non-bearded performance) doing just about anything.
AD
