My Example of a Perfect Scene

What do i class as a perfect scene? Well i would say it is a scene which has everything a movie is about done to perfection. This would include Story, Acting, Progression, Music, Camera Angles, Action, Suspense.



Story - for a scene which is basically classed as a duel, it gives so much about the progression of the story and in a way changes everything. Throughout the whole movie you are led to beleive that Mortimer is trying to take out this wanted man for money, but the scene changed it all by letting the audience know that this way a hunt for revenge...it even lets us know that Monco had an idea about this revenge all along with the stealing of the stopwatch identical to Indio's watch. They are also able to do this in a way that doesent smell of a twist...it doesent spoon-feed the information or have a big 'Oh My God' moment, it all just happens in a natural way which i prefer.

Acting - Very few lines are said, and the ones that you do hear are overdubbed, but powerfully delivered at the same time. Most of the acting is told through the faces. Lee Van Cleef clearly showing look of extreme anger but mixed with his knowledge that he is about to get shot and he cannot do much about it quickly transforms into someone who is in control, but still knows the seriousness of the situation and how he can get killed. Eastwood proving yet again he is just mellow and cool, no matter what happens in this situation he will come out the winner and the character knows it. The delivery of the line "NOW we start" sends chills down my spine. And of course lets not forget Gian Maria Volonte, through the film we know him as a broken human being emotionally and it shows, when he looks at the watch you can beleive the character is still hurting about his experience, also when the tables are turned on him he perfectly captures nerves and fear in his face, making movements that look like the character is holding back throwing up because of his fear.

Music - Ennio Moriconne always delivers, and his pocket watch melody helps in capturing the creepy suspense in the scene. When the song transforms into La Resa Dei Conti, that is when it really has effect, it uses each camera angle and shot to its advantage without coming across as cartoonish and when the climax of the scene and music combine after the 'Now We Start' line it honestly gives me goosebumps every time i watch it.

Camera Angles - Probably the main part in what makes this my favourite scene from all time. Almost every single shot is perfect whether it be the Duel camera angle over one persons shoulder, Eastwood walking from Mortimer to let them duel or the famous Sergio Leone shot of the eyes, it just looks fantastic, the setting is perfect as are all the colours. I have already mentioned the scene to music, how not only the music compliments the scene but the camera angles really compliment the music, a combination of Sergio Leone and Moriconne that i have yet to see matched.

Some would argue that the three-way duel at the end of The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is better but i would have to respectfully disagree...as much as i love both duels i think even by Leones standards the duel in GBA just lasted far too long and i prefer the idea of a revenge duel, turning it into just three men fighting over money i felt made the duel less powerful than For a Few Dollars More, but this is only my opinion.