My Name Is Nobody
Dir: Sergio Leone, Tonino Valerii
1973
****
My Name is Nobody has been often referred, incorrectly, as a spoof of the western genre. This isn't really the case, it is funny and a little tongue in cheek with nods to more famous Westerns, Western directors and even composers but it's no spoof. The gags aren't slapstick, the script is not full of double entendre and it's not in the least bit surreal. Leslie Nelson isn't in it. It is however, a pretty good Western in its own right. The character of Nobody, played brilliantly by Terence Hill is far more interesting than 'The man with no name' or any other Western character. He is playful, dangerous, mysterious and a little quirky, no doubt this is Sergio Leone being influenced by more Eastern characters, Zatoichi springs to mind in regards to the humour. Hill definitely steals the show though, makes you feel bad for Henry Fonda. A great film, worth catching if you haven't already - the bar scene is worth watching it for alone!