If you were sitting in a darkened movie theater in 1968, you probably thought you knew Henry Fonda. He was the moral compass of America. He was Tom Joad. He was the "Young Mr. Lincoln." He was the guy who stood up for what was right in 12 Angry Men. He was, basically, the human personification of a warm hug and a fair trial.
Then Sergio Leone happened.
When the camera slowly revolves around a group of outlaws in the opening of Once Upon a Time in the West, it finally settles on a face. It’s not just any face. It’s Fonda. But something is wrong. He isn't there to save the day. He’s there to slaughter a family, including a small child. He does it with a cold, almost bored expression.
Honestly, it’s one of the most jarring moments in cinema history. It didn't just break the rules of the Western; it shattered the image of a Hollywood legend.
The Casting Choice That Nobody Saw Coming
Sergio Leone was a visionary. He didn't just want a villain; he wanted a statement. He had originally tried to get Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef, and Eli Wallach for the opening scene just to kill them off as a meta-joke about the Dollars trilogy, but that didn't pan out. He set his sights on Fonda because he knew the psychological impact of seeing "America’s Hero" pull the trigger on an innocent kid.
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Fonda wasn't sure. He actually turned the role down initially. His agent was skeptical. The script was weird. It was only after Leone flew to the United States and explained the vision—and after a little nudge from Eli Wallach—that Fonda agreed.
When Fonda showed up on set in Italy, he had done his homework. Or so he thought. He arrived wearing dark brown contact lenses and a villainous "Vandyke" beard. He looked like a classic bad guy.
Leone took one look at him and told him to get rid of it. All of it.
He wanted those "baby blue" eyes. He wanted the clean-shaven face the world loved. Leone knew that the contrast between Fonda's trustworthy features and the soul of a sociopath named Frank would be far more terrifying than any fake mustache. He was right.
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Henry Fonda in Once Upon a Time in the West: A Different Kind of Evil
Frank isn't your average bank robber. He is a mercenary for a railroad tycoon named Morton, but he has his own ambitions. He wants to become a "man of business," yet he can't escape his nature as a killer.
The way Fonda plays him is fascinating. There’s a certain slyness to his movements. He’s elegant, but he’s a predator. In the scene where he confronts the McBain family, the tension isn't just in the gunfire; it's in the silence. Leone used extreme close-ups—a hallmark of his style—to force the audience to stare into those famous blue eyes while Frank commits atrocities.
Why Frank Is Still the Ultimate Villain
- The Subversion of Myth: For decades, the Western was about good vs. evil with very clear lines. Fonda represented the "Good." Seeing him as the "Evil" felt like the death of the Old West itself.
- The "You Call Me by Name" Scene: It's a masterclass in minimalist acting. One of his subordinates makes the mistake of saying his name in front of the surviving child. Frank spits some tobacco, looks at the kid, and realizes the boy has to die because his identity has been revealed. It's heart-wrenching because Fonda's face barely moves, yet you see the decision being made.
- The Moral Void: Frank isn't seeking revenge like Harmonica (Charles Bronson). He isn't looking for freedom like Cheyenne (Jason Robards). He’s a man who understands power and the lack of it.
Behind the Scenes and Cultural Impact
Filming wasn't all grim shootouts. Believe it or not, Henry Fonda’s first-ever on-screen love scene happened in this movie, with Claudia Cardinale. He was incredibly nervous. Imagine being a Hollywood veteran for thirty years and finally doing a "passionate" scene while your wife is sitting right next to the camera. Cardinale later recalled that he was quite tense, but they eventually found their rhythm.
The movie was a massive hit in Europe, especially in France, where it ran in theaters for years. In the U.S.? Not so much. At least, not at first.
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Paramount Pictures hacked the film up. They cut about 20 minutes, including essential character beats for Jason Robards. This made the plot—which is already a bit of a "ballet of the dead" with slow pacing—harder to follow for American audiences used to fast-paced shoot-em-ups. It took decades for the full-length version to be appreciated in the States as the masterpiece it is.
The Legacy of the "Blue-Eyed Devil"
Fonda reportedly loved the reaction he got from audiences. He once told a story about a man in a theater shouting, "My God, that’s Henry Fonda!" when his face was first revealed. He took pride in the work, and rightfully so. It remains one of his finest performances because it required him to use his greatest asset—his perceived decency—as a weapon against the viewer.
If you haven't watched it recently, pay attention to the final duel between Frank and Harmonica. It’s not just a shootout; it’s a reckoning. Frank realizes he’s a relic. He’s "just a man," caught between a dying wild world and a new corporate one.
The film serves as a eulogy for the Western genre. And Fonda, by playing against everything he stood for, gave that eulogy its power.
How to Revisit the Legend
If you're looking to dive deeper into why this performance changed everything, here are a few things to do:
- Watch the Restored Version: Avoid any "short" cuts. You need the full 165+ minute experience to understand the rhythm Leone intended.
- Listen to the Ennio Morricone Score: Each character has their own theme. Frank’s theme is punctuated by a distorted electric guitar that feels like a jagged blade. It’s perfect.
- Compare it to The Grapes of Wrath: Watch Tom Joad and then watch Frank. It’s the same face, the same eyes, but the soul has been completely replaced.
The impact of Henry Fonda in Once Upon a Time in the West hasn't faded. In an era where "subverting expectations" is a tired trope, Leone and Fonda did it with such precision that it still feels like a punch to the gut today.