Some New Thing: A Fistful of Dollars and the Birth of the Spaghetti Western

SteynonLine ^ | October 11, 2025 | Rick McGinnis

[rktman]

Loved them as cheesy as some were.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

The first Spaghetti Western I ever saw was called FINGER ON THE TRIGGER with Rory Calhoun(1965) filmed in Spain. I knew it was foreign when the Indians had short hair, hair on their chests using Roman era bows and spears.

[SunkenCiv]

The "get three coffins ready" vignette is a favorite. The climactic shootout (which was given an homage in "Back to the Future III") is also a fave. The rest of it notsa good. In one of the making of (perhaps an alt audio track on a DVD) Volonte's Marxism was mentioned as the reason his career fell apart. I think it's probably why he was so effective as a bad guy on screen. 😊

[RckyRaCoCo]

Sergio Leone and Ennio Morricone...magnifico!

"there are two kinds of people in the world my friend"

yeah, those who made "toxic masculinity" entertaining, and those who make today's "testosterone challenged" dreck

RIP amici

[GreyFriar]

I’ve watch all 3 of the early Clint Eastwood “spaghetti westerns” and have yet to see the bowl of spaghettin in any of them.

[eastforker]

If they would have just apologized for making fun of his mule.

[Alberta's Child]

Paul Hogan had a comedy TV show years ago. The only skit I remember was a spoof of a Spaghetti Western called “A Fistful of Ravioli,” starring “Clunk Eastman.” LOL.

[bray]

The 50’s Westerns were some of the best movies made. Real actors and beautiful women who liked being women.

[EQAndyBuzz]

“ Paul Hogan had a comedy TV show years ago. The only skit I remember was a spoof of a Spaghetti Western called “A Fistful of Ravioli,” starring “Clunk Eastman.” LOL.”

Pocket Full of Yen - Kentucky Fried Movie

[citizen]

The best Leone spaghetti was One Upon a time in the West.

Henry Fonda, Charles Bronson, Claudia Cardinale, Jason Robards, Jack Elam, Woody Strode, Keenan Wynn

[frank ballenger]

Funny about spaghetti. I heard that in Italy spaghetti is considered one of the side dishes with the entrees. In the US we think the opposite.

[Angelino97]

If they would have just apologized for making fun of his mule.

Jimmy Stewart would have apologized for them.

[wally_bert]

One of his best skits.

“I wanted Sophia Loren”.

[wally_bert]

I loved the Bud Spencer / Terrance Hill ones.

They played so well off each other.

[left that other site]

Spaghetti...

...Bears A Striking Resemblence to Ramen Noodles. :-)

[left that other site]

But I love ‘em BOTH! :-)

[TangoLimaSierra]

Yes it was.

[TangoLimaSierra]

Just watched Squint Eastwood in A Fistful of Dollars and Unforgiven a couple nights ago.

[RightOnTheBorder]

They were delayed in the US due to a lawsuit with Kurosawa Akira because “Fist-full of Dollars” was a nearly shot for shot adaptation of “Yojimbo.” Both movies are excellent in their own ways.