When compared with the conventions found in classical Hollywood westerns like The

Searchers (John Ford, 1956), Sergio Leones A Fistful of Dollars can clearly be seen
as a vastly differing film. The overall outer form and aesthetic of the film feels and
appears to be the same, however, when analysis of the inner semantic form is
achieved, major differences can be drawn. A Fistful of Dollars approaches violence,
cinematography and character traits in a way that was not evident in The Searchers.
The films use of violence is harsh and frequent, remaining an obvious and incredibly
important element through out the entirety of the film. Clint Eastwoods character,
The Stranger, is immediately met with hostility within the opening scene, an
introduction that contrasts with the hospitality shown in the beginning of The
Searchers. This intimidating and unfriendly introduction sets the films tone, forcing
violence to be a crucial and driving element of the story. One of the first shots shown
to audiences is of a noose hanging from a dead tree, a haunting image that is almost
immediately followed by the stranger gunning down four men in cold blood. Another
example of the films use of violence can be seen during the house fire scene. In
contrast to the massacre of the Jorgenson family in The Searchers, viewers are
actually shown the physical and brutal deaths of 30 troops in A Fistful of Dollars.
Nothing is left to the imagination, the shot durations linger on screen and the cuts are
repetitive and reoccurring, constantly reinforcing the violence and brutality. The west
in A Fistful of Dollars is treacherous and unsafe, its characters are violent and their
actions are fierce. This environment is in complete contrast to the one shown in The
Searchers.
The west is shown as a baron wasteland in A Fistful of Dollars, its harsh and
unforgiving. Leone is not interested in showing the beauty of the west, the films story
and characters are very grim and subsequently so is the landscape. The landscape is
utilised in a different way, Ford placed a focus on the beauty and colours of the west,
Leone doesnt bother to place an emphasise, the landscape is simply unenhanced and
is shown in its raw form.
Extreme close-ups, and the haunting music of Ennio Morricone differentiate A Fistful
of Dollars from The Searchers. An emphasis is being placed on stylistic shots and
framing, for example, the intense and extremely close framing of characters eyes
during moments of drama. This type of shot dramatizes the action and the characters
mood in a way that is not seen in The Searchers. Leone also accompanies his vision
with Ennio Morricones beautifully crafted score. Grand orchestral compositions were
crafted for The Searchers, where distinctive themes are played through out A Fistful
of Dollars.
The characters in A Fistful of Dollars appear to be more complex then the ones in The
Searchers. The main protagonist, The Stranger is someone the audience knows
nothing about. His character is intentionally shown in this ambiguous way. It forces
audiences to perceive his actions as sole dictations of his personality, he begins the
film as a blank slate and ends as something completely different. In comparison, in
The Searchers, Ethan is given a backstory and very specific characteristics, as an
audience we are able to assume certain things about his character type. The Stranger is
a little less easy to understand and is far more vague. He is presented as cunning and
resourceful, but is also shown as a purposeful murderer who will kill for money. As
opposed to assuming things about him, an audience is forced to take on a what we

see is what we get approach when deciphering his character type.

The portrayals of the antagonistic cultures within both films are also vastly different.
Within The Searchers, the Native Americans are shown as animalistic villains,
holding little human qualities or characteristics. This is not the case for A Fistful of
Dollars, the antagonists in this case are Mexican, and are presented in a more
respectful and sensitive way. Ramon the main antagonist has genuine motives in this
film, he is capable of expressing love and although is presented as the villain, he still
appears human, unlike Scar.
The character of Silvantino is another great example when analysing the thoughtful
approach Leone took, when portraying non-white characters. He is loyal, courageous
and kind, but more importantly is presented as a noble, Mexican man. He shares the
same culture as the main villain but is presented in a completely different way, this
was not the case in The Searchers. Any character that was associated with the Native
American culture in The Searchers was portrayed as a lesser human. The character
portrayal of Martin is an example of this, as he is utilised as more of a comic relief
type character more then he is as the films hero. The character traits and portrayals
presented in A Fistful of Dollars are far less obvious and clean cut yet appear to have
more realistic human qualities then the ones presented in The Searchers.
In summary, both films identify as westerns, sharing a similar aesthetic, costumes,
sets and even elements of story. However when a viewer looks beyond the physical
feel and look of the film, many differences can be drawn.