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A Fistful of Dynamite

Play trailer Poster for A Fistful of Dynamite PG 1971 2h 19m Western Play Trailer Watchlist
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92% Tomatometer 26 Reviews 83% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
At the beginning of the Mexican Revolution in 1913, greedy bandit Juan Miranda and idealist John H. Mallory, an Irish Republican Army explosives expert on the lam from the British, fall in with a band of revolutionaries plotting to strike a national bank. When it turns out that the government has been using the bank as a hiding place for illegally detained political prisoners, who are freed by the blast, Miranda becomes a revolutionary hero against his will.
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A Fistful of Dynamite

A Fistful of Dynamite

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Critics Consensus

Duck, You Sucker is a saucy helping of spaghetti western, with James Coburn and Rod Steiger's chemistry igniting the screen and Sergio Leone's bravura style on full display.

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Critics Reviews

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Budd Wilkins Slant Magazine Mar 18, 2024
Sergio Leone’s acerbic revolutionary epic A Fistful of Dynamite posits the notion that, when the bullets start flying, rather than turn rashly heroic, it’s best to keep your head down. Go to Full Review Vincent Canby New York Times Sep 4, 2007
2.5/5
The idiosyncrasies are there, all right, but they have never seemed less interesting. Go to Full Review Time Out Jan 26, 2006
The most wry of the political spaghettis, and wholly wonderful. Go to Full Review Sean Axmaker Stream on Demand May 4, 2024
Ultimately [Sergio] Leone’s epic of the Mexican revolution is a portrait in disillusion grounded in ambiguity and contradictions and the most eccentric and touching friendships in Leone’s cinema. Go to Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy Aug 31, 2021
3/4
As with most Leone works, A Fistful of Dynamite (which also made the rounds under the monikers Duck, You Sucker and Once Upon a Time ... the Revolution) is full of sly humor and startling camerawork. Go to Full Review Mike Massie Gone With The Twins Aug 29, 2020
6/10
The film is overlooked, missing big name stars, and released with numerous different titles since its premiere, but it's still a memorable entry in Leone's Western pantheon. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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T M @RT55749265 May 17, 2026 Leone is fantastic. This is not his best but still it enchants with great performances, lovely humour and creative music by the maestro Morricone. It is too long but the company of Coburn Steiger and Morricone is sweet. See more Manuel P @RT29331666 Apr 24, 2026 I don't understand how Leone is not in the pantheon of the greatest film makers of all time. The attention to detail, the historic accurtacy... there is even class conciousness in his stories. I've seen his films many times and they still surprise me. See more Beto C. @Beto_Carvalho Mar 30, 2026 In any story, you need to empathize with a character, even when they are evil, in order to care for the outcome. Neither Juan Miranda nor John Mallory are people worth caring about. Additionally, the story is full of holes and half told tales. The first film by Sergio Leone that is unwatchable. See more Nicholas t @nicktalbert2025 Sep 20, 2025 Bad western movie ever See more C S @RT23254707 Aug 22, 2025 Once Upon a time... the Revolution, the films actual title, is part of Leone's Once Upon a time film series. Mistakenly called a Spaghetti Western actually part of another sub-genre altogether, the Zapata Western. It is an excellent film and easily one of the best ever made. A must watch even if only for the beauty of a Leone film, the Morricone score, or its ridiculous. See more Stephen C @bob25009 Jul 20, 2025 Success in 2 hours and 19 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! See more Read all reviews
A Fistful of Dynamite

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Cast & Crew

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Sergio Leone

Director

Rod Steiger

Juan Miranda

James Coburn

John H. Mallory

Romolo Valli

Dr. Villega

Maria Monti

Adelita

Rik Battaglia

Santerna

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A Fistful of Dynamite

A Fistful of Dynamite (1971) A Fistful of Dynamite (1971) A Fistful of Dynamite (1971) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis At the beginning of the Mexican Revolution in 1913, greedy bandit Juan Miranda and idealist John H. Mallory, an Irish Republican Army explosives expert on the lam from the British, fall in with a band of revolutionaries plotting to strike a national bank. When it turns out that the government has been using the bank as a hiding place for illegally detained political prisoners, who are freed by the blast, Miranda becomes a revolutionary hero against his will.
Director
Sergio Leone
Producer
Fulvio Morsella
Screenwriter
Luciano Vincenzoni, Sergio Donati, Sergio Leone
Production Co
Euro International Film (EIA) S.p.A.
Rating
PG
Genre
Western
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Oct 1, 2016
Runtime
2h 19m
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