For a Few Dollars More poster

For a Few Dollars More

1965132 minutesR
6.4
Arcplot Score
📊 Solid
Unverified
⭐ 8.2IMDb
🍅 92%Rotten Tomatoes
Ⓜ️ 74/100Metacritic
🎬 8.0TMDb
📊 5.5Popularity
🏆3 nominations total
Genre: Drama, Western
Directed by: Sergio Leone
Drifting from town to town, the poncho-clad Man with No Name and the lightning-fast right hand rides into the town of El Paso in search of maniacal escaped convict El Indio. It's been 18 short months since the deadly confrontation in Per un pugno di dollari (1964), and this time, the solitary stranger, now a professional bounty hunter, must go against his beliefs and do the unthinkable: join forces with hawk-eyed marksman Colonel Douglas Mortimer to collect the hefty reward. Now, as El Indio and his cut-throats have already set their sights on robbing the crammed-with-cash Bank of El Paso, the stage is set for a bloody showdown at high noon, against the backdrop of silent double-crosses and fragile allegiances. But, is it worth dicing with death for a few dollars more?

Box Office

Budget:$0.6M
Revenue:$15.0M
Profit:$14.4M

Arcplot Score Breakdown

Beat Timing Precision3.7/10
Emotional Arc Impact5.5/10
Thematic Consistency10/10
Overall Score6.4/10

Beat Sheet

15 plot points

For a Few Dollars More Arcplot
1
Opening Image
1 min
2
Theme Stated
10 min
3
Set-Up
20 min
4
Catalyst
35 min
5
Debate
50 min
6
Break Into Two
60 min
7
B Story
70 min
8
Fun and Games
80 min
9
Midpoint
95 min
10
Bad Guys Close In
110 min
11
All Is Lost
120 min
12
Dark Night of the Soul
125 min
13
Break Into Three
128 min
14
Finale
130 min
15
Final Image
132 min

Emotional Arc

+100-10

Plot Points

#1

Opening Image

1 min

Dusty desert town. Stranger (Manco) rides in. Gunfights in saloons, tense standoffs. Harsh western world established. Tone: gritty, suspenseful, stylized.

#2

Theme Stated

10 min

Manco: "A man has to do what a man has to do." Theme of revenge, justice, and moral ambiguity introduced. Lone gunslinger code versus lawless world.

#3

Set-Up

20 min

Manco tracks bounty and encounters Colonel Mortimer. Introductions of outlaws El Indio gang. Stakes established: bounty hunting, personal revenge, high tension between characters.

#4

Catalyst

35 min

El Indio kills woman in town. Personal stakes: vengeance enters. Manco and Mortimer both motivated by past wounds. Conflict escalates.

#5

Debate

50 min

Should Manco trust Mortimer? How to take down El Indio gang? Debate over strategy, loyalty, and moral code. Uncertainty increases suspense.

#6

Break Into Two

60 min

Manco and Mortimer form uneasy alliance. Plan to infiltrate gang and capture El Indio. Entering world of danger and deception.

#7

B Story

70 min

Mortimer flashbacks: revenge for brother’s death. Emotional stakes deepen. Parallel revenge arcs between Manco and Mortimer. Emotional resonance amid violence.

#8

Fun and Games

80 min

Gunfights, confrontations, bounty collection. Stylized duels. Tension and suspense escalate. Signature Leone visuals and Ennio Morricone score enhance experience.

#9

Midpoint

95 min

El Indio captures and kills Mortimer’s target. False victory: villains still strong. Stakes heightened. Manco and Mortimer realize El Indio’s ruthlessness.

#10

Bad Guys Close In

110 min

Gang suspects alliance. Manco in danger. Mortimer tension grows. Threats converge. The plan risks failure. Violence imminent.

#11

All Is Lost

120 min

El Indio escapes initial ambush. Manco and Mortimer’s plan seems doomed. Emotional low point. Fear and despair hit.

#12

Dark Night of the Soul

125 min

Reflection on past losses, vengeance, and morality. Mortimer and Manco question choices. Tension before final confrontation.

#13

Break Into Three

128 min

Manco executes precise plan to lure El Indio. Mortimer ready for final confrontation. Strategy converges. Action climaxes.

#14

Finale

130 min

Showdown at El Indio hideout. Duel sequences. Justice and revenge delivered. Villain defeated. Resolution for heroes.

#15

Final Image

132 min

Manco rides off into desert sunset. Mortimer satisfied with revenge. Lone gunslinger silhouette. Closure achieved. Iconic western final image.