Once Upon a Time in the West

Date: 1968
Director: Sergio Leone
Production Company: Paramount, Finanzia San Marco, Rafran Cinematografica

Stars: Charles Bronson, Claudia Cardinale, Henry Fonda, Jason Robards, Gabriele Ferzetti
Location(s): Spain, USA, Italy (studio)

Region(s): ,

Storyline:

The railroad is heading west and using unscrupulous means to buy up the land in the way. Bronson and Robards join forces to stop Fonda and protect widow Cardinale. For many, the ultimate western and with a Morricone score to die for. The original title is C’era una Volta il West

Additional Information:

Stills by SJ

 

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If you have any information regarding this production, the locations or, even better, some comparison shots please contact us. Images submitted must be in Landscape orientation, as would be seen on the cinema screen, not Portrait.

We are aware that there are films on the site that were added when the criteria for the inclusion of locations was very different from today and, as a result, there may be scenes missing from some productions. Please do not forward additional screen captures to us but bring the detail to our attention, for we do, and are, 're-addressing' these older entries as time allows.

  • Capture 1
  • 31 Jan 2011

Bronson faces Al Mulock, Jack Elam and Woody Strode. Mulock killed himself for real in Gaudix after these scenes.

The hills are a good guide. Now wind turbines litter the plain. This between Calahorra and Calahorra station near Guadix in Spain. SJ

  • Capture 2
  • 29 Jan 2011

Reverse pov. Bronson is too quick.

And I turned around to see more wind turbines. SJ

  • Capture 3
  • 29 Jan 2011

The homestead soon to be inherited by Cardinale.

Looks isolated, doesn't it? SJ

  • Capture 4
  • 29 Jan 2011

The last supper

But in fact the house is the bar in the middle of a western movie set called Western Leone. SJ

  • Capture 5
  • 29 Jan 2011

Fonda and gang emerge from the sagebrush, nicely kitted out in dustcoats.

Western Leone is just to the east of the A-92 north of the Tabernas turning. SJ

  • Capture 6
  • 29 Jan 2011

Cardinale arrives in the west

The view from Calahorra station. The farm is new but those buildings to the rear are remnants of Leone's set. SJ

  • Capture 7
  • 'Now' required

The edge of "Flagstone" at Calahorra station, now a paved road.

  • Capture 8
  • 02 Oct 2026
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And suddenly there's a cut to Monument Valley on the Utah and Arizona border, USA.

Today. (SR)

  • Capture 9
  • 08 Apr 2021

One of the most magnificent locations in the world, popularised by John Ford's westerns from 30 years earlier.

Monument Valley on the Utah and Arizona border, USA.

Christian Urban send us this shot having visited Monument Valley a number of times. (RL)

  • Capture 10
  • 'Now' required

Still in Utah.

  • Capture 11
  • 08 Apr 2021

Heading towards the Yei Bei Che rocks.

Monument Valley

Another shot from Christian as a close up of those rocks to the right. (RL)

  • Capture 12
  • 08 Apr 2021

More nice scenery.

Monument Valley

Christian thought it was 'nice scenery' too, so he took a closer shot. (RL)

  • Capture 13
  • 02 Oct 2026
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And some more.

More again. (SR)

  • Capture 14
  • 08 Apr 2021

Arriving to rest the horses and for Cardinale to meet Bronson

Monument Valley

Christian acknowledges that this shot is from another angle but he wasn't to know that he would be contributing to ReelStreets at a later date. He says that the car park, middle left, was the station. (RL)

  • Capture 15
  • 'Now' required

Cardinale in Monument Valley

  • Capture 16
  • 29 Jan 2011

After the funeral.

Back to Spain and Western Leone. More buildings now. SJ

  • Capture 17
  • 30 Jan 2011

Bronson and Cardinale

Western Leone. SJ

  • Capture 18
  • 30 Jan 2011

Calahorra station, up the road from Western Leone towards Guadix.

Calhorra Station now. SJ

  • Capture 19
  • 31 Jan 2011

Bronson atop of Ferzettti's train

Much the same shot as once006. SJ

  • Capture 20
  • 'Now' required

Not sure where Fonda is here. Could be the US.

  • Capture 21
  • 'Now' required

And another shot.

  • Capture 22
  • 'Now' required

And same place again.

  • Capture 23
  • 30 Jan 2011

Robards back in Western Leone

Oops, I'm a little too high here but I had to ascend to get in the all important hills in the background. SJ

  • Capture 24
  • 30 Jan 2011

Back at Calahorra station

Now. SJ

  • Capture 25
  • 'Now' required

This is part of Leone's set at Calahorra station. The skeleton still survives.

  • Capture 26
  • 'Now' required

Some more bleak but eye-catching scenery in the vicinity.

  • Capture 27
  • 30 Jan 2011

And back once again to Western Leone. My goodness, there is a lot of whizzing to and fro.

Not too bad an effort though I say so myself. SJ

  • Capture 28
  • 31 Jan 2011

Bronson and Fonda square up behind the homestead.

Western Leone

  • Capture 29
  • 'Now' required

Fonda in a flashback sequence in Utah.

  • Capture 30
  • 'Now' required

Back to Monument Valley, Utah. This arch was built about 25 miles of the valley off highway 163. Though it has since collapsed, the bases are still there.

  • Capture 31
  • 31 Jan 2011

They draw after the flashback sequence. SJ

Building has made this angle difficult to recreate. SJ

  • Capture 32
  • 31 Jan 2011

Bronson in front of a pair of nipple-shaped hills.

Or perhaps that's just me. SJ

  • Capture 33
  • 31 Jan 2011

More eye catching scenery.

And there it is. SJ

  • Capture 34
  • 31 Jan 2011

Bronson surveys Robards after the shootout with Fonda.

Given the previous shots, this must be the correct area. Not particularly convincing I grant but it is over 40 years. SJ

  • Capture 35
  • 31 Jan 2011

The railroad is coming through.

Very distinctive hill. SJ

  • Capture 36
  • 31 Jan 2011

Looking the other way... Manuel adds, "By the way, if you are wondering how the train ended up in the middle of the Tabernas desert: presumably coming from Gádor as the nearest station of the Sierra Nevada railway between Guadix and Almeria, the retired rolling stock of the Spanish State Railways (RENFE) was transported by road, using a low-loader trailer, over a distance of about 10 km up to the point in the foreground. The cut in the terrain was created by using a bulldozer so that the loco could switch from the low-loader trailer directly to the specially built broad gauge track and finally reach Sweetwater under its own power with a short duty train."

Same shot as once023. SJ

  • Capture 37
  • 31 Jan 2011

The railroad... Manuel adds detail, "The RENFE tender loco No. 140-2022 was used, withdrawn in 1967 and here fitted for filming with typical American style features such as smokestack with spark arrestor and cow catcher. Believe it or not, it's the same loco already seen in the opening sequence and also in Capture 18."

Now. SJ

  • Capture 38
  • 31 Jan 2011

Cardinale embraces the railroad.

Chimney's gone along with the ramshackle barn. SJ

  • Capture 39
  • 31 Jan 2011

The end... "But not," continues Manuel, "for the former RENFE No. 140-2022, which was already over 100 years old at the time and able to add to her film career in Leone's "A Fistful of Dynamite" (qv).

Still at Western Leone. SJ