History Characters / OnceUponATimeInTheWest

* ZeroPercentApprovalRating: Absolutely no one likes Frank and for a very good reason. While his allies were few and far between from the get-go, Frank actively manages to turn every single one of them against him by the time the movie reaches its final arc. Jill hates him for massacring his husband and family and for violating her, Cheyenne hates him for framing for said massacre, his employer Morton hates him for being an unapologetic murderer who disobeys his orders and treats him like dirt and Harmoncia hates him for [[spoiler: being the one who murdered his brother. Even Frank's own men turn against him the moment they get a higher offer from Morton himself, and it's no wonder why considering he murdered one of them earlier simply for failing at something that wasn't even his own fault.]]

* ZeroPercentApprovalRating: Absolutely no one likes Frank and for a very good reason. While his allies were few and far between from the get-go, Frank actively manages to turn every single one of them against him by the time the movie reaches its final arc. Jill hates him from massacring his husband and family and for violating her, Cheyenne hates him for framing for said massacre, his employer Morton hates him for being an unapologetic murderer who disobeys his orders and treats him like dirt and Harmoncia hates him for [[spoiler: being the one who murdered his brother. Even Frank's own men turn against him the moment they get a higher offer from Morton himself, and it's no wonder why considering he murdered one of them earlier simply for failing at something that wasn't even his own fault.]]

* HonorBeforeReason: He has a chance to ride away safely after killing his boss, Morton. Instead he comes back to face his nemesis, the man with the harmonica.
-->'''Frank:''' "Morton once told me I could never be like him. Now I understand why. Wouldn't have bothered him, knowing you were around somewhere alive."\\
'''Harmonica:''' "So, you found out you're not a businessman after all."\\
'''Frank:''' "Just a man."

* CharacterDevelopment: While Frank remains a loathsome bastard, it should be noted he does go through somewhat of an arc. He initially tries to leave the life of an outlaw behind him and become a business man, but ultimately realizes it's not who he is and gives up on that dream.
* CharacterTics: He's constantly spitting out in a less than pleasant manner, another sign that he'll never make a proper businessman.

* {{Leitmotif}}: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdPo_Ww6Dag A variation on Harmonica's theme. Usually harsh fuzz guitar, but also played on oboe and trumpet at different points in the film]].

* EvenBadMenLoveTheirMamas: Apparently, [[SonOfAWhore his mother really got around]], but that doesn't stop him from calling her "the finest woman that ever lived."

* SonOfAWhore: His mother was a prostitute. [[EvenBadMenLoveTheirMamas He still calls her [[HookerWithAHeartOfGold the finest woman who ever lived".]]

* SonOfAWhore: His mother was a prostitute. [[EvenBadMenLoveTheirMamas He still calls her "the finest woman who ever lived".]]

* TheSociopath: Frank fits the criteria for sociopathy/psychopathy very well. Shallow charm? Enough to show a very good façade of being FauxAffablyEvil. [[ManipulativeBastard Manipulation skills]]? Enough to try to manipulate situations and turn them in his favor. Violent behavior? The man is aggressively controlling, domineering, authoritarian, and [[PsychoForHire commits murder out of sheer personal delight]]. Need for stimulation? The man kills, tortures and rapes [[ForTheEvulz for pure enjoyment]]. He also lacks any kind of remorse, morals or conscience, and his motivation for having an important position in a railway company is what seems to be the search for personal gratification and the need to want to be important, very common traits in sociopaths/psychopaths.

** Henry Fonda, the actor who played Frank, was initially reluctant to take another a role in a Western, having been in so many already and [[TypeCasting always playing one of the good guys]]. That is, until director Creator/SergioLeone told him, "Picture this: the camera shows a gunman from the waist down pulling his gun and shooting a running child. The camera pans up to the gunman's face and... it's Henry Fonda." He signed on in a heartbeat (with some encouragement from a mutual friend).

->Played by: Creator/ClaudiaCardinale

->Played by: Creator/HenryFonda

->Played by: Creator/JasonRobards

->Played by: Creator/CharlesBronson

->Played by: Gabriele Ferzetti

->Played by: Creator/WoodyStrode, Creator/JackElam and Al Mulock.

* BlackDudeDiesFirst: Averted, Stony is the last of the three to be killed. He even manages to shoot Harmonica as he goes.

* FaceDeathWithDignity: Quite possibly the only redeeming feature about him. As he lays dying, all he asks is for Harmonica to tell him who he is before he dies.

* IneffectualSympatheticVillain: Doesn't do much killing, being a [[EvilCripple crippled]], dying old man. His last dream is to see the Pacific Ocean before he dies. [[spoiler:He spends his dying moments desperately crawling towards a small, muddy puddle as a substitute for the Pacific.]]

-->There are many things you'll never understand. This is one of them. *holds a stack of dollars while looking at Frank's drawn gun* You see, Frank, there are many kinds of weapons. And the only one that can stop that is this. Now, shall we get back to our little problem?
* TragicDream: [[spoiler: Never got to finish his railroad or see the Pacific Ocean before he’s killed]].

* FaceDeathWithDignity: As he lays dying, all he asks is for Harmonica to tell him who he is before he dies.

* CuffsOffRubWrists: After Cheyenne cuts him loose aboard Morton's train, he's seen rubbing his wrists in the background.

* RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil: If the murders weren’t enough, Frank truly crosses the line with his rape of Jill.

* [[spoiler:RedemptionEqualsDeath: He doesn't get to enjoy his newly heroic life very long.]]

* BewareTheQuietOnes: Harmonica barely speaks a word, but he is a {{Gunslinger}} and adapt at psychological warfare.

* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: He’s cold, ruthless, and treats Jill only marginally better then Frank, but he does care about her.

* TerribleTrio: Considering they work for Frank and are tasked with killing Harmonica, they definitely are good guys.

* EvilOldFolks: Henry Fonda was 63 years old by the time of the film's production and while he's very youthful for his age, he is still noticeably older than the rest of the main cast, even older than Gabriele Ferzetti who plays his employer. This doesn't stop him from being the evilest character in the movie however.

* DeterminedWidow: Nothing will stop her from fulfilling Brett's dream. Although she's somewhat of a deconstruction since she was a HookerWithAHeartOfGold looking for a new life and arrives on the scene after her new family is massacred.

* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: He’s cold, ruthless, and treats Jill only marginally better then Frank, but he doesn’t care about her.

* WeaponOfChoice: A nickel-plated Colt Single Action Army revolver "Cavalry" style (7.5 inch barrel) with black grips.

* AbsoluteCleavage: Towards the end of the movie.

* [[DidNotGetTheGirl Did Not Get The Guy]]: She has lots of sexual tension with Cheyenne, Frank and Harmonica, but no one gets her. Cheyenne dies, Frank never stood a chance considering who he was and what he did to her, and Harmonica couldn't return her feelings.

* MsFanservice: Throughout the film she is seen in various stages of undress. Near the end of the movie she even wears a dress that features AbsoluteCleavage (something that would be very scandalous in 1800s America).

%%* NiceHat