Duck, You Sucker! / Fistful of Dynamite, A (1971)

Duck, You Sucker! / Fistful of Dynamite, A (1971)

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“If I fall, they’ll have to alter all the maps.”

Synopsis:
When an Irish revolutionary (James Coburn) meets up with a Mexican bandit (Rod Steiger) during the time of Zapata and Pancho Villa, a complicated collaboration ensues.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Cat and Mouse
  • James Coburn Films
  • Mexico
  • Revolutionaries
  • Rod Steiger Films
  • Sergio Leone Films
  • Thieves and Criminals
  • Westerns

Review:
Sergio Leone’s follow-up to Once Upon a Time in the West (1968) — his sixth and penultimate film before Once Upon a Time in America (1984) — was this rambling operatic western about betrayal, values, explosives, and (marginally) revolution in early 20th century Mexico. At the heart of the narrative is the cat-and-mouse turned shakily-collaborative alliance between Coburn and Steiger, whose initial meeting on the road fills the enjoyable first half-hour of the film.

After this, we learn a bit more about Coburn’s previous involvement in the IRA and a love triangle through intentionally slow-paced (occasionally slo-mo) flash-back sequences:

… and we see how Steiger and Coburn (playing characters named “Juan” and “Sean” respectively — both variations on “John”) come to realize their mutual respect for one another. Everything is beautifully filmed, with strategic framing, excellent use made of extras and expansive sets, an instantly jaunty score by Ennio Morricone, and many effectively set up scenes of explosions.

However, be forewarned that the storyline — intended to deglamorize revolution and reveal it as the violent, chaotic, corrupt mess it is (the film’s working title was Once Upon a Time… The Revolution) — goes on for too long and is challenging to follow at times. Leone fans won’t want to miss this one, but it’s not must-see for other film fanatics.

Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:

  • James Coburn as John (Sean) Mallory
  • Rod Steiger as Juan Miranda
  • Coburn and Steiger’s entertaining banter with one another
  • Giuseppe Ruzzolini’s cinematography
  • Masterful direction of both close-up and wide panning shots

  • Impressive sets and costumes
  • Ennio Morricone’s score

Must See?
No, but it’s recommended for fans of Leone. Listed as a Cult Movie and a Personal Recommendation in the back of Peary’s book.

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One thought on “Duck, You Sucker! / Fistful of Dynamite, A (1971)”

  1. First viewing (3/31/20). A once-must, for its cult status. As posted in ‘Revival House of Camp & Cult’ (fb):

    “When there’s confusion, a man who knows what he wants stands a good chance of getting it.”

    ‘A Fistful of Dynamite’ (aka ‘Duck, You Sucker’): My all-time favorite western is Leone’s ‘Once Upon a Time in the West’. But, until now, I hadn’t seen this 5th and final western of his. Even though it tends to be overlooked, it’s every bit as good as his previous westerns – it’s certainly the most subversive and, in some ways, it may even be superior in its scope.

    One of the two commentaries on the DVD is by filmmaker Alex Cox; it’s very engaging and Cox sure knows his stuff. He mentions that, when he was teaching film at a university, he would tell his students of the importance of knowledge of 20th-century world events for the purpose of fully understanding the context of any number of films.

    Along those lines, it would certainly help the viewers of this film if they had a better understanding of the turbulent political histories of Ireland and Mexico (esp. the roles of Zapata and Pancho Villa) – largely because of the matters of ideology and loyalty. But… since Leone himself said that the unrest in his film is backdrop and that the main concern is the friendship between two revolutionary leaders, you can worry less about getting lost.

    Immensely impressive in production design and photography, the film also has a sharp-as-ever score by Ennio Morricone.

    In the leads, James Coburn gives one of his best performances as an IRA explosives expert (his accent is rather good) – and holding the reins in on scenery-chewing (though that does slip out) is co-star Rod Steiger as Mexican bandit Juan – who has become increasingly disillusioned about revolutions, finding much more solace in acquiring large amounts of money. Steiger’s passionate explanation (to Coburn) of the down-and-dirty reality of revolutions is (to me) the film’s best sequence.

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