Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)
There were three men in her life. One to take her… one to love her —and one to kill her.
As the railroad builders advance unstoppably through the Arizona desert on their way to the sea, Jill arrives in the small town of Flagstone with the intention of starting a new life.
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| Type | Movie |
|---|---|
| Released | 21 December 1968 |
| Genre | Drama, Western |
| Director | Sergio Leone |
| Starring | Claudia Cardinale, Henry Fonda and Jason Robards |
| Runtime | 166 min |
| Rated | PG-13 |
| Scores | Rotten Tomatoes (average) 9.1/10 · Rotten Tomatoes 96% · Metacritic 82/100 · IMDb 8.5/10 · TMDB users 8.3/10 |
| Budget | $5 million |
| Box office | $5 million worldwide |
Where to watch Once Upon a Time in the West
Once Upon a Time in the West is streaming on Tubi in the US.
We check availability daily. Page last updated 1 November 2026. Prices are standard monthly plans and change often, so check with the service before you sign up.
Rent or buy
You can rent Once Upon a Time in the West on Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube, Fandango at Home and Spectrum On Demand. It is also for sale on Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube and Fandango at Home.
Where to watch Once Upon a Time in the West in 2 other countries
| Country | Streaming on (price a month) |
|---|---|
| Italy | Skygo, Now TV, Max €11.99 |
| Japan | U-NEXT ¥2189 JPY |
Subscription, free and ad-supported services we track; prices where Binge Boss has a price list for the country. "About" marks a price the service bills in another currency, converted at the day's rate. All countries as data.
What kind of watch this is
Sergio Leone directs a 166-minute drama where the railroad builds its way through the Arizona desert, and Jill arrives in Flagstone to start over. The tagline promises three men: one to take her, one to love her, and one to kill her. Henry Fonda plays Frank, while Jason Robards is Cheyenne. The film moves at the pace of a slow fuse. It is not a quick fix.
What the critics said
Rotten Tomatoes lists a 96% approval rating, paired with a 9.1 average score as of January 2026. Metacritic sits at 82 out of 100, which it defines as universal acclaim. IMDb users land on 8.5. The consensus calls it a landmark Sergio Leone masterpiece featuring a classic Morricone score. Roger Ebert initially found it good fun but grumbled about the length. He later called it an unquestioned masterpiece. That pivot is the quiet core of its reputation.
How it did with audiences
The budget was $5 million, and the worldwide gross matched it at $5 million. In film accounting, that is a break-even event; in any other industry, it is a loss. Yet the audience data tells a different story. On TMDB, users rate it 8.3 out of 10. IMDb reported an 8.5/10 weighted average as of February 2026. The numbers suggest the studio counted dollars, while the public counted hours.
What came next for the cast
Charles Bronson traded The Great Escape and The Magnificent Seven for Death Wish, then two sequels. Henry Fonda went from 12 Angry Men and The Grapes of Wrath to My Name Is Nobody and On Golden Pond. Claudia Cardinale drifted from 8½ and The Pink Panther to Fitzcarraldo and Rogue City. The credits show a drift, not a cause.
If you liked this
TMDB's recommendations for people who watched Once Upon a Time in the West.
Sources
- Once Upon a Time in the West on TMDB — synopsis, cast, ratings and recommendations
- Wikidata Q168154 — review scores, box office and awards (CC0)
- “Once Upon a Time in the West” on Wikipedia, by its contributors (history) — reception, audience figures and legacy, summarised and adapted here under CC BY-SA 4.0
- Where to watch and prices: Binge Boss, from TMDB watch-provider data (powered by JustWatch) and our own provider list
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