History YMMV / OnceUponATimeInTheWest

* CrowningMusicOfAwesome: It's Morricone, so this might be a given, but [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6BQKFs3-VM "The Man With A Harmonica"]] has got to be one of the most badass film cues of all time.

* LoveToHate: Frank. Creator/HenryFonda's great performance certainly helps.

* VindicatedByHistory: The film received mixed and very mild reviews from critics when it was first screened, and, financially speaking, it only barely recovered its budget. This result was encouraged by the twenty-or-so minutes worth of footage (including the tavern scene between Harmonica and Cheyenne, and [[spoiler: Cheyenne's death]] sequence) cut from the film's original release. Today, it is regarded as one of the greatest Westerns ever made (in the category of ''Film/TheSearchers'' and ''Film/{{Stagecoach}}''), and it holds a 98% on its Website/RottenTomatoes profile.

* EvilIsCool: Frank fits very well to the trope. Its combination of badass, ProfessionalKiller, DeadpanSnarker and his suit practically makes him a cool villain.

* LoveToHate: Frank is admired for being amazingly evil, and in fact, the role of Creator/HenryFonda in this movie was meant to be shocking to the audience, as Fonda, before this, always characterized by making the "good guy". His sarcasm and cynism certainly helps this trope.

* NightmareFuel: Frank. His first appearance is enough of a creepy guy, killing an entire family right down to their youngest child. [[spoiler: Then later, it's revealed that when Harmonica was younger, Frank forced him to "keep his lovin' brother happy" by using the poor kid as a ''human hanging stool'', such that when his strength gave out, said brother would die,]] all while Frank has the most terrifying SlasherSmile ever.

** He crosses it in his very first scene, murdering a whole family right down to their youngest child,

* NightmareFuel: Frank. His first appearance is enough of a creepy guy, killing an entire family right down to their youngest child. Then later, it's revealed that when Harmonica was younger, Frank forced him to "keep his lovin' brother happy" by using the poor kid as a ''human hanging stool'', such that when his strength gave out, said brother would die, all while Frank has the most terrifying SlasherSmile ever.
* SignatureScene:

* CompleteMonster: [[TheDragon Frank]] is a former bandit turned enforcer for the railroad company. During the film's opening sequence, he and his men gun down the [=McBain=] family, with Frank shooting down the last survivor, [[WouldHurtAChild a small boy]], himself, before nailing a duster to the door so that local {{bandito}} chief [[AntiHero Cheyenne]] will be blamed for the crime. When he reports to his boss, [[EvilCripple Mr. Morton]], [[IneffectualSympatheticVillain Morton]] says that he only wanted the [=McBain=]s scared. Frank's response: "[[PsychoForHire People scare better when they're dying]]." When Morton tries to cut a deal with [=McBain=]'s newly arrived widow (ex-HookerWithAHeartOfGold Jill), [[DragonInChief Frank]] sabotages the plan, takes Jill hostage, [[RapeAsDrama has his way with her]], and forces her to sell her land at an auction, positioning his own men there to intimidate the bidders. The arrival of Harmonica, the film's protagonist, ruins this plan, and sets the stage for TheReveal of Frank's [[MoralEventHorizon worst crime]]. [[spoiler:When Harmonica was a boy, Frank made his older brother stand on his shoulders, and put a noose around the brother's neck. When Harmonica collapsed from exhaustion, his brother was hanged. To add an appropriately {{sadist}}ic touch, Frank instructs him to "[[KickTheDog keep your]] [[WhamLine lovin' brother]] [[KickTheDog happy]]." He then places a harmonica between the younger brother's lips.]] No reason is ever given for his actions, and Frank has ultimately gone down in film history as one of the most vicious villains of his era.

* HateSink: Frank is an utterly despicable ChildHater who has no redeemable or likable traits whatsoever. Years ago, he [[spoiler:killed off Harmonica's brother in probably the most sadistic way possible]], and now he goes and kills off a farming family, including their youngest son. [[RapeAsDrama Then he advances on the widow]]. He is clearly meant to garner much of the viewers' hatred and revulsion as possible.

* LoveToHate: Frank. Creator/{{Henry Fonda}}'s great acting certainly helps.

* NightmareFuel: Frank, as expected from a sadistic, murderous psychopath. Just check out some of his most depraved acts.

* LoveToHate: Frank. Henry Fonda's great acting certainly helps.

* LoveToHate: Frank. Henry Fonda's great acting makes him a very chilling, terrifying villain.

* CrossesTheLineTwice: Frank does have a very dark, morbid point when he states that people scare better ''when they are dying.''

* NightmareFuel: Frank, as expected from a sadistic psychopath. Just check out some of his most depraved acts.

* MoralEventHorizon: Frank crosses it in his very first scene, murdering a whole family right down to their youngest child.
* NightmareFuel: [[TheSociopath Frank]] [[CompleteMonster in general]]. Just check out some of his most depraved acts.

* EvilIsCool: Frank fits very well to the trope. Its a combination of badassery, ProfessionalKiller, DeadpanSnarker and his suit practically makes him a cool villain. The fact that he's played by Creator/HenryFonda certainly helps.

* LoveToHate: Frank has a large fanbase, and is easily one of the most memorable characters in the film.

* TheWoobie: Jill, when she becomes a widow and a woman alone in the West.

* VindicatedByHistory: The film received mixed and very mild reviews from critics when it was first screened, and, financially speaking, it only barely recovered its budget. This result was encouraged by the twenty-or-so minutes worth of footage (including the tavern scene between Harmonica and Cheyenne, and [[spoiler: Cheyenne's death]] sequence) cut from the film's original release. Today, it is regarded as one of the greatest Westerns ever made (in the category of ''Film/TheSearchers'' and ''Film/{{Stagecoach}}''), and it holds a 98% on its RottenTomatoes profile.

* EvilIsCool: Frank fits very well to the trope. Its a combination of {{badass}}, ProfessionalKiller, DeadpanSnarker and his suit practically makes him a cool villain. The fact that he's played by Creator/HenryFonda certainly helps.

* CompleteMonster: [[TheDragon Frank]] is a former bandit turned enforcer for the railroad company. During the film's opening sequence, he and his men gun down the [=McBain=] family, with Frank shooting down the last survivor, [[WouldHurtAChild a small boy]], himself, before nailing a duster to the door so that local {{bandito}} chief [[AntiHero Cheyenne]] will be blamed for the crime. When he reports to his boss, [[EvilCripple Mr. Morton]], [[IneffectualSympatheticVillain Morton]] says that he only wanted the [=McBain=]s scared. Frank's response: "[[PsychoForHire People scare better when they're dying]]." When Morton tries to cut a deal with [=McBain=]'s newly arrived widow (ex-HookerWithAHeartOfGold Jill), [[DragonInChief Frank]] sabotages the plan, takes Jill hostage, [[RapeAsDrama has his way with her]], and forces her to sell her land at an auction, positioning his own men there to intimidate the bidders. The arrival of Harmonica, the film's protagonist, ruins this plan, and sets the stage for TheReveal of Frank's [[MoralEventHorizon worst crime]]. [[spoiler:When Harmonica was a boy, Frank made his older brother stand on his shoulders, and put a noose around the brother's neck. When Harmonica collapsed from exhaustion, his brother was hanged. To add an appropriately {{sadist}}ic touch, Frank placed a harmonica between the younger brother's lips and instructed him to "[[KickTheDog keep your]] [[WhamLine lovin' brother]] [[KickTheDog happy]]."]] No reason is ever given for his actions, and Frank has ultimately gone down in film history as one of the most vicious villains of his era.

* EvilIsCool: Frank fits very well to the trope. Its a combination of BadAss, ProfessionalKiller, DeadpanSnarker and his suit practically makes him a cool villain. The fact that he's played by Creator/HenryFonda certainly helps.

* MoralEventHorizon: Frank crosses this in his very first scene, murdering an entire family right down to their youngest child. Yes, Frank is pretty vile.

* AlternateCharacterInterpretation: Frank is certainly nuanced for a sociopathic murderer; is Frank serious about his desire to transition into a genteel retirement? Does he finally understand that money is more powerful than guns? Does Frank genuinely respect Morton for his determination and business acumen or is only hiding his contempt for a man who is more powerful than him despite being weaker? When Morton is dying, Frank at the last moment chooses not to finish him with a bullet... is Frank taking delight at watching the man crawling like a worm or is Frank allowing him to reach a puddle, a stand in for his beloved Pacific ocean? The final conversation with Harmonica suggests that he'll never outgrow the bandito mentality: "Not a businessman, just a man."
* CompleteMonster: [[TheDragon Frank]] is a former bandit turned enforcer for the railroad company. During the film's opening sequence, he and his men gun down the [=McBain=] family, with Frank shooting down the last survivor, [[WouldHurtAChild a small boy]], himself, before nailing a duster to the door so that local {{bandito}} chief [[AntiHero Cheyenne]] will be blamed for the crime. When he reports to his boss, [[EvilCripple Mr. Morton]], [[IneffectualSympatheticVillain Morton]] says that he only wanted the [=McBain=]s scared. Frank's response: "[[PsychoForHire People scare better when they're dying]]." When Morton tries to cut a deal with [=McBain=]'s newly arrived widow (ex-HookerWithAHeartOfGold Jill), [[DragonInChief Frank]] sabotages the plan, takes Jill hostage, [[RapeAsDrama has his way with her]], and forces her to sell her land at an auction, positioning his own men there to intimidate the bidders. The arrival of Harmonica, the film's protagonist, ruins this plan, and sets the stage for TheReveal of Frank's [[MoralEventHorizon worst crime]]. When Harmonica was a boy, Frank made his older brother stand on his shoulders, and put a noose around the brother's neck. When Harmonica collapsed from exhaustion, his brother was hanged. To add an appropriately {{sadist}}ic touch, Frank placed a harmonica between the younger brother's lips and instructed him to "[[KickTheDog keep your lovin' brother happy]]." No reason is ever given for his actions, and Frank has ultimately gone down in film history as one of the most vicious villains of his era.
%%* CreepyAwesome: Frank.

* TheWoobie:
** Jill that discover to be already a widow and a woman alone in the West.

* CreepyAwesome: Frank.

* TheWoobie: Jill.

* MoralEventHorizon: Frank crosses this in his very first scene, killing a little kid. Yes, Frank is pretty vile.

* FunnyMoments: [[Funny/OnceUponATimeInTheWest Has its own page.]]

* TearJerker:[[Tearjerker/OnceUponATimeInTheWest Has its own page.]]

* CrowningMusicOfAwesome: It's Morricone, so this might be a given, but [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ppJxujFSQI "The Man With A Harmonica"]] has got to be one of the most badass film cues of all time.

* CompleteMonster: [[TheDragon Frank]] is a former bandit turned enforcer for the railroad company. During the film's opening sequence, he and his men gun down the [=McBain=] family, with Frank shooting down the last survivor, [[WouldHurtAChild a small boy]], himself, before nailing a duster to the door so that local {{bandito}} chief [[AntiHero Cheyenne]] will be blamed for the crime. When he reports to his boss, [[EvilCripple Mr. Morton]], [[IneffectualSympatheticVillain Morton]] says that he only wanted the [=McBain=]s scared. Frank's response: "[[PsychoForHire People scare better when they're dying]]." When Morton tries to cut a deal with [=McBain=]'s newly arrived widow (ex-HookerWithAHeartOfGold Jill), [[DragonInChief Frank]] sabotages the plan, takes Jill hostage, [[RapeAsDrama has his way with her]], and forces her to sell her land at an auction, positioning his own men there to intimidate the bidders. The arrival of Harmonica, the film's protagonist, ruins this plan, and sets the stage for TheReveal of Frank's [[MoralEventHorizon worst crime]]. When Harmonica was a boy, Frank made his older brother stand on his shoulders, and put a noose around the brother's neck. When Harmonica collapsed from exhaustion, his brother was hanged. To add an appropriately {{sadist}}ic touch, Frank placed a harmonica between the younger brother's lips and instructed him to "[[KickTheDog play your ever lovin' brother a tune]]." No reason is ever given for his actions, and Frank has ultimately gone down in film history as one of the most vicious villains of his era.

* CompleteMonster: [[TheDragon Frank]] is a former bandit turned enforcer for the railroad company. During the film's opening sequence, he and his men gun down the [=McBain=] family, with Frank shooting down the last survivor, [[WouldHurtAChild a small boy]], himself, before nailing a duster to the door so that local {{bandito}} chief [[AntiHero Cheyenne]] will be blamed for the crime. When he reports to his boss, [[EvilCripple Mr. Morton]], [[IneffectualSympatheticVillain Morton]] says that he only wanted the [=McBain=]s scared. Frank's response? "[[PsychoForHire People scare better when they're dying]]." And that's just the first part of the movie! No reason is ever given for his actions, and Frank has ultimately gone down in film history as one of the most vicious villains of his era.

* GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff: Though it was a flop in America and did middling business in Italy, the movie was memetically popular in France, running for years in Paris. French lothing designers even based a line of long coats off the movie's dusters.