Once Upon a Time in the West poster

Once Upon a Time in the West

1968165 minutesPG-13
4.3
Arcplot Score
📝 Unconventional
Unverified
8.5IMDb
🍅 96%Rotten Tomatoes
Ⓜ️ 82/100Metacritic
🎬 8.3TMDb
📊 6.6Popularity
🏆6 wins & 5 nominations total
Genre: Drama, Western
Directed by: Sergio Leone
Jill McBain travels to the wild frontier, Utah, where she and her new husband planned to settle down, but upon arrival, she finds him and his children dead. There's a lot of land, and potential, but there are also those who want to take it--at any cost. Even if it means killing a man and his kids.

Box Office

Budget:$5.0M
Revenue:$5.4M
Profit:$0.4M

Arcplot Score Breakdown

Beat Timing Precision4.9/10
Emotional Arc Impact3/10
Thematic Consistency5/10
Overall Score4.3/10

Beat Sheet

15 plot points

Once Upon a Time in the West Arcplot
1
Opening Image
1 min
2
Theme Stated
10 min
3
Set-Up
25 min
4
Catalyst
40 min
5
Debate
55 min
6
Break Into Two
70 min
7
B Story
85 min
8
Fun and Games
100 min
9
Midpoint
115 min
10
Bad Guys Close In
130 min
11
All Is Lost
140 min
12
Dark Night of the Soul
150 min
13
Break Into Three
155 min
14
Finale
160 min
15
Final Image
165 min

Emotional Arc

+100-10

Plot Points

#1

Opening Image

1 min

Harmonica arrives at deserted train station. Tension and mystery set.

#2

Theme Stated

10 min

Theme of revenge, greed, and the changing West introduced.

#3

Set-Up

25 min

Frank and his gang kill Brett McBain. Family stakes and lawlessness established.

#4

Catalyst

40 min

Jill McBain arrives from New Orleans, unaware of danger. New character thrust into peril.

#5

Debate

55 min

Jill struggles with fear and uncertainty. Harmonica begins revealing his motives.

#6

Break Into Two

70 min

Harmonica allies with Cheyenne. Journey into confrontation with Frank begins.

#7

B Story

85 min

Jill and Cheyenne develop tentative trust. Emotional stakes deepen.

#8

Fun and Games

100 min

Preparation for showdown. Alliances and traps set. Suspense escalates.

#9

Midpoint

115 min

Frank kills members of McBain family. Stakes rise; true danger apparent.

#10

Bad Guys Close In

130 min

Frank confronts Harmonica. Tension peaks. Survival at risk.

#11

All Is Lost

140 min

Harmonica alone, facing Frank. Apparent hopelessness.

#12

Dark Night of the Soul

150 min

Harmonica reflects on vengeance and past loss. Emotional intensity at peak.

#13

Break Into Three

155 min

Harmonica sets final plan in motion. Allies ready. Confrontation inevitable.

#14

Finale

160 min

Harmonica confronts Frank in duel. Frank killed. Justice and revenge achieved.

#15

Final Image

165 min

Harmonica walks away. Jill free. Change and closure realized.