History Film / AFistfulOfDynamite

* ThemeTuneCameo: A remarkable example. Creator/EnnioMorricone composed a musical theme for both John and Juan, which is played in the background when we see them, but ''never'' diegetically. Then, all of a sudden, John begins to whistle "his" musical theme; but what really takes the cake is the fact that Juan, not even seeing his buddy, ''instantly recognizes'' him by what's being whistled. A strange case of either MagicalRealism or MediumAwareness.

* FullCircleRevolution: Juan's view of revolution is that the poor die to replace those in power with other selfish rich people. Then the cycle simply repeats itself.

Directed by Creator/SergioLeone in 1971, the film takes place during the UsefulNotes/MexicanRevolution in 1913. Juan Miranda, a Mexican bandit, has a chance encounter with early Irish nationalist John Mallory. Mallory also happens to be a demolitions expert with enough explosives to level a mountain.

Directed by Creator/SergioLeone in 1971, the film takes place during the Mexican Revolution in 1913. Juan Miranda, a Mexican bandit, has a chance encounter with early Irish nationalist John Mallory. Mallory also happens to be a demolitions expert with enough explosives to level a mountain.

ThemeTuneCameo: A remarkable example. Creator/EnnioMorricone composed a musical theme for both John and Juan, which is played in the background when we see them, but ''never'' diegetically. Then, all of a sudden, John begins to whistle "his" musical theme; but what really takes the cake is the fact that Juan, not even seeing his buddy, ''instantly recognizes'' him by what's being whistled. A strange case of either MagicalRealism or MediumAwareness.

* TitleDrop: The phrase "Duck, you sucker(s)", an original title if the film, is used multiple times, typically [[spoiler: before John blows something to hell and back]]. And the very last TitleDrop, shaped as the end credits directly answering the protagonist's final AsideComment, alludes to one of the central messages of the film.

* StuffBlowingUp

* AnachronismStew: When he is captured by the Governor, Mallory uses a Hi-Power handgun, which was first made around 1935. Later on, Juan uses a Nazi MG-42 (The 42 meaning 1942, when it was made) to blow away a government convoy. Both weapons are used in a film set in 1913. Then again, the film abounds in thinly-veiled allusions to Nazis, so [[TropesAreTools at least some of anachronisms could be deliberate]].

* BecomingTheMask: Slowly but surely, Juan starts to become the revolutionary hero he was tricked into becoming, and only starts to actually care about the revolutionary cause after [[spoiler: Col. Reza and his soldiers massacre his entire bandit gang, including his six children.]]

* SpaghettiWestern: Of "Zapata" subgenre.

* SpaghettiWestern

* AssholeVictim: The rich people Juan robs at the beginning of the film, who discuss, in his presence, how Mexican peasants are just animals. When he kills one of them, rapes the woman, and robs the rest, it's very hard to have any sympathy for them.

*** A newspaper which designated Mallory as a terrorist (and uses his English name "John" instead of Irish "Sean"). By definition it should have been a pro-British newspaper then, but we get to see the title - and it's ''United Irishman'', [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Irishman which actually was a nationalist newspaper]] and so highly unlikely to print a "Wanted" ad of Mallory. The mistake is understandable, as after [[UsefulNotes/TheIrishRevolution Irish War of Independence]] anything Irish termed ''united'' came to be associated with pro-British ''unionists'' rather than Irish republicans.

* AnachronismStew: When he is captured by the Governor, Mallory uses a Hi-Power handgun, which was first made around 1935. Later on, Juan uses a Nazi MG-42 (The 42 meaning 1942, when it was made) to blow away a government convoy. Both weapons are used in a film set in 1913. Then again, the allusions to Nazis are abound throughout the film, so [[TropesAreTools at least some of anachronisms could be deliberate]].

** John being an Irish nationalist in 1913 owns an IRA flag. Problem is the IRA didn't exist until 1919. He would have most likely been an Irish volunteer for the IRB (Irish Republican Brotherhood) if any official organisation at all. This failing is further compounded by countless reviews and summaries of the film labelling John ex-IRA or an IRA terrorist. [[JustifiedTrope Probably justified though]], as IRA, [[UsefulNotes/TheTroubles still very active at the time of the film release]], was a ''much'' more well-known organization, and Leone certainly wished the viewers to draw the necessary parallels.

* AnachronismStew: When he is captured by the Governor, Mallory uses a Hi-Power handgun, which was first made around 1935. Later on, Juan uses a Nazi MG-42 (The 42 meaning 1942, when it was made) to blow away a government convoy. Both weapons are used in a film set in 1913. Then again, the allusions to Nazis are abound throughout the film, so at least some of anachronisms could be deliberate.

*** A newspaper which designated Mallory as a terrorist (and uses his English name "John" instead of Irish "Sean"). By definition it should have been a pro-British newspaper then, but we get to see the title - and it's ''United Irishman'', [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Irishman which actually was a nationalist newspaper]] and so highly unlikely to print a "Wanted" ad of Mallory. The mistake is understandable, as after [[UsefulNotes/TheIrishRevolution Irish War of Independence]] the anything Irish termed ''united'' came to be associated with pro-British ''unionists'' rather than Irish republicans.

*** A newspaper which designated Mallory as a terrorist (and uses his English name "John" instead of Irish "Sean"). By definition it should have been a pro-British newspaper then, but we get to see the title - and it's ''United Irishman'', [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Irishman which actually was a nationalist newspaper]] and so highly unlikely to print a "Wanted" ad of Mallory. The mistake is understandable, as after [[UsefulNotes/TheIrishRevolution Irish War of Independence]] the whole "united" label came to be associated with pro-British unionists rather than Irish republicans.

* AnachronismStew: When he is captured by the Governor, Mallory uses a Hi-Power handgun, which was first made around 1935. Later on, Juan uses a Nazi MG-42 (The 42 meaning 1942, when it was made) to blow away a government convoy. Both weapons are used in a film set in 1913

** John being an Irish nationalist in 1913 owns an IRA flag. Problem is the IRA didn't exist until 1919. He would have most likely been an Irish volunteer for the IRB (Irish Republican Brotherhood) if any official organisation at all. This failing is further compounded by countless reviews and summaries of the film labelling John ex-IRA or an IRA terrorist.

* DramaticGunCock: John Mallory issues one of these [[spoiler: before blowing away his former friend-turned-informant Sean Nolan with a shotgun]].

* {{Flashback}}: John occasionally recalls his younger days back in Ireland with his best friend Sean and an unnamed love interest.
* FlashbackEcho: Played straight. John witnesses [[spoiler: Dr. Villega betraying the resistance and pointing out members for the firing squad. He instantly recalls a similar event involving his friend Sean Nolan betraying him in Dublin]].

* JudgeJuryAndExecutioner: John Mallory acts as this to [[spoiler: Sean Nolan, deciding his fate on the spot when he attempts to have him arrested by British forces]]. It's [[ImpliedTrope heavily implied]] John [[spoiler:feels a great deal of guilt over judging his old friend so harshly]], which becomes a plot point later in the movie.

* LoveTriangle: {{Implied|Trope}}. In Mallory's flashbacks of Ireland it's hinted he and his best friend Sean loved the same woman, [[spoiler: which might have affected their judgement since [[MurderTheHypotenuse Sean ended up ratting John to the British and John shot his friend.]]]]

* MohsScaleOfViolenceHardness: It rates a 7, primarily due to [[spoiler:the blood spurting out of the two British soldiers that John Mallory (James Coburn) shoots in the pub in slow-motion and the blood oozing out of the bullet hole on Sean Nolan's (David Warbeck) bare forehead as he slowly dies. Oh, yeah, there's also hundreds of people being massacred by firing squad]].
* TheMole: [[spoiler: Sean Nolan. John's best friend and fellow Irish nationalist is revealed through flashbacks to be the reason he is on the run from the British for murder. See also LoveTriangle and TortureAlwaysWorks]].

* TortureAlwaysWorks: [[spoiler: Sean Nolan & Dr. Villega]] are both tortured into becoming informants on their respective allies.

* TranquilFury: John Mallory. He's almost serene at San Hoglay and barely flinches [[spoiler: as he kills two British officers and his former friend in a bar.]]

--> '''John''': I don't judge, [[spoiler: Villega]]. I did that... only once in my life.

* TitleDrop: The phrase "Duck, you sucker(s)" is used multiple times, typically [[spoiler: before John blows something to hell and back]]. "A fistful of dynamite" is nowhere to be heard (it was probably a reference to Leone's own ''Film/AFistfulOfDollars'').

* NeverTrustATitle: ''A Fistful of Dynamite'' - a title imposed on the film in the US - alludes to [[Film/AFistfulOfDollars the earlier film by Leone]], which led many viewers to expect something akin to "Dollars Trilogy". In fact this one is ''completely'' different.

The movie has been released under many titles; ''Duck, You Sucker!'' was derived from the film's Italian name, ''Giu La Testa'' (literally meaning "Down with the Head"). During a re-release it was renamed ''A Fistful Of Dynamite'' for commercial reasons, to make it the [[TrilogyCreep fourth film]] in Film/TheDollarsTrilogy. And finally, in some places, it was originally marketed under its working title of ''Once Upon A Time... The Revolution'' (or ''...in the Revolution), making it a [[Film/OnceUponATimeInTheWest second]] [[Film/OnceUponATimeInAmerica part]] in a [[ThematicSeries thematic]] "Once Upon a Time" trilogy.

--> ''Mallory'': When I go, I'm taking half this country with me.

* DownerEnding: [[spoiler: John is definitely dead, and Juan, having lost his whole family and his newly-made best friend, seems to be a completely broken man]].

* WeHardlyKnewYe: Don Jaime the governor, and revolutionary General Santerna ([[AllThereInTheManual who isn't even named]]). [[TropesAreTools This serves to illustrate impersonality of oppressive state machine]] (see also SilentAntagonist above).

* WeHardlyKnewYe: Don Jaime the governor, and revolutionary General Santerna ([[AllThereInTheManual who isn't even named]]).

* AllThereInTheScript: The flashbacks are silent, so the name of John's friend (Sean Nolan) is never known.

* OneSteveLimit: Technically averted with John, Juan and Sean (which are English, Spanish and Irish variations of the same name). In fact, the name of John's late Irish friend (Sean Nolan) [[AllThereInTheScript is not revealed in the film itself]], so it's perfectly possible to assume that "Sean" of Ennio Morricone's score refers to John Mallory (who's Irish as well).