History Film / AFistfulOfDynamite

* SociopathicSoldier: Col. Reza and his men, who seem intent on killing or imprisoning every single person in Mexico. That they're modelled on German and Italian stormtroops doesn't help their image. Reza in particular is a terrifying Type II.

* 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 ''Film/TheDollarsTrilogy''. 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 "Duck Your Head"). During a re-release it was renamed ''A Fistful of Dynamite'' for commercial reasons, to make it the [[TrilogyCreep fourth film]] in the Film/DollarsTrilogy. 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.

The movie has been released under many titles; ''Duck, You Sucker!'' was derived from the film's Italian name, ''Giu La Testa'' (literally meaning "Duck Your 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.

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

* 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 Nolan's (David Warbeck) bare forehead as he slowly dies. Oh, yeah, there's also hundreds of people being massacred by firing squad]].

%%* BadassMoustache: Again, Mallory.

* NotSoDifferent: The first action the revolutionary army takes after gaining control over some Mexican city? Execution of the government-led soldiers.

** John being an Irish nationalist in 1913 owns an IRA flag. Problem is the Irish Republican Army didn't exist until 1919, because it was the army of the Irish Republic. He would have most likely been in the IRB ([[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_Republican_Brotherhood Irish Republican Brotherhood]]), a secret organization, if any at all. This failing is further compounded by countless reviews and summaries of the film labelling John ex-IRA or an IRA terrorist. The later secret terrorist organization was not the same as its earlier namesake which became the [[UsefulNotes/PaddiesWithPropellerPlanes Irish Defence Forces.]] [[JustifiedTrope Probably justified though]], as the terrorist IRA was a ''much'' more well-known (and nominally Marxist) organization and [[UsefulNotes/TheTroubles active at the time of the film release]], and Leone certainly wanted the viewers to draw the necessary parallels.

* BadassLongcoat:

* BadassMoustache: Again, Mallory.

* BanditClan: The Mirandas.
* {{Bandito}}: Juan Miranda and his outlaws.

* CheshireCatGrin: Mallory has this across his face. A lot.

* FanDisservice[=/=]NakedPeopleAreFunny: A group of rich men are stripped naked by Juan's group.
* FightingIrish: John.
* FireForgedFriends: Juan and Mallory.

* ImplacableMan: Reza, who simply will not die.

* OddCouple: Juan and Mallory.

* OneWomanWail: It is done during the FlashBack scenes.

* TheRevolutionWillNotBeCivilised: Embodies this trope.

* ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill: Juan not just shooting, but [[MoreDakka machine-gunning]] the guy [[spoiler:who shot John]] for like half a minute. Though it's arguably {{Justified|Trope}} given it's [[spoiler: the seemingly deathproof [[ImplacableMan Colonel Reza]]]].

* TookALevelInBadass: Juan takes one by the end.

* VillainProtagonist: Juan, [[BecomingTheMask at first]].

* ThemeTuneCameo: A remarkable example. Music/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.

* 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. At least before death John seems to have finally found peace with himself.]]

** And the original title ''Duck, You Sucker!'' makes some other viewers to think of it as a low-brow film, which is true (deliberately so) only for certain scenes. Probably the least misleading title is ''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 - but then it deprives the film of a meaningful TitleDrop in the very last shot.

* TitleDrop: The phrase "Duck, you sucker(s)", an original title of 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.

* TortureAlwaysWorks: [[spoiler: Nolan & Dr. Villega]] are both tortured into becoming informants on their respective allies. [[spoiler: In the second case at least, John]] seems to be GenreSavvy enough to recognize it.

Despite the light-hearted moments between Juan and John, the [[TheRevolutionWillNotBeVilified romantic side of revolution]] is frequently deconstructed throughout the movie as both characters suffer [[TheRevolutionWillNotBeCivilized significant losses]]. It's arguably Creator/SergioLeone's most politically charged movie, capturing as much Leone's reaction to the chaos of Italy's [[UsefulNotes/RepublicanItaly Years of Lead]], a cycle of terrorism and political warfare between extremists of both left and right, as it is a Western. Thus the revolution setting was intended to be symbolic according to WordOfGod, incorporating elements from a variety of events and time periods, and not an accurate rendering of the Mexican Revolution. The whole thing is, as with all Leone's westerns, set to epic Music/EnnioMorricone...but ''this'' time, his SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic has a ''trippy'' side.

Directed by Creator/SergioLeone in 1971, the film takes place during UsefulNotes/TheMexicanRevolution 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.

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.

The film never had the commercial success of the director's other SpaghettiWestern classics, due in part to confusing trailers implying it was an actual comedy and poor marketing. Leone's insistence the movie be called ''Duck, You Sucker!'' in its initial U.S release despite being repeatedly told this was not a popular turn of phrase in the states didn't help things either. Critics reviewed it favourably (especially in Europe, where the movie's parallels to contemporary politics were perhaps better-appreciated) but certainly not to the extent of the director's other work, though it has begun to change since.

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.

** John being an Irish nationalist in 1913 owns an IRA flag. Problem is the Irish Republican Army didn't exist until 1919, because it was the army of the Irish Republic. He would have most likely been in the IRB (Irish Republican Brotherhood), a secret organization, if any at all. This failing is further compounded by countless reviews and summaries of the film labelling John ex-IRA or an IRA terrorist. The later secret terrorist organization was not the same as its earlier namesake which became the [[UsefulNotes/PaddiesWithPropellerPlanes Irish Defence Forces.]] [[JustifiedTrope Probably justified though]], as the terrorist IRA was a ''much'' more well-known (and nominally Marxist) organization and [[UsefulNotes/TheTroubles active at the time of the film release]], and Leone certainly wanted the viewers to draw the necessary parallels.

** The movie appears to be set in 1913-1914, during the rule of Victoriano Huerta (who's mentioned by name several times), so it's unclear which "wee fart of a revolution" John took part in. The closest in time would have been either the Curragh Mutiny, an affair which mostly involved Ulster unionists, or the Easter Rising, which occurred two years after the film's events. Of course it's possible that John and Nolan's planned "revolution" was disrupted by British authorities before it actually took place - or that he refers to something more distant in time (see "Viewers are Geniuses" on the YMMV tab).

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