Today’s quick review: For a Few Dollars More. Colonel Douglas Mortimer (Lee Van Cleef), a calm, cautious sharpshooter, makes his living as a bounty hunter in the West. When the notorious bank robber El Indio (Gian Maria Volonte) escapes from prison, Mortimer forms a reluctant pact with Monco (Clint Eastwood), a daring rival bounty hunter, to take him down.
For a Few Dollars More is the second in director Sergio Leone’s trilogy of Westerns starring Clint Eastwood. The loose sequel to A Fistful of Dollars, For a Few Dollars More adds Lee Van Cleef to the mix as Colonel Douglas Mortimer, Eastwood’s more mature counterpart. The movie retains Leone’s excellent direction and knack for drama, and it has the cast to back them up. However, slight plot foibles place it a notch below its predecessor.
For a Few Dollars More shares the masterful direction of A Fistful of Dollars. Sergio Leone paints ripe situations in just a few quick strokes, using basic concepts to great dramatic effect. For a Few Dollars More relies on the same toolkit as the rest of the Western genre?ounty hunting, bank robberies, and shootouts?ut they are executed with an uncommon amount of care and vision.
Sergio Leone is aided in his task by a forceful trio of lead actors. Clint Eastwood’s bounty hunter is shrewd, fearless, and mercenary, a mirror of his character in A Fistful of Dollars. Lee Van Cleef balances him well as a bounty hunter who’s just as unflappable but even more reserved. Gian Maria Volonte rounds out the trio as El Indio, a heartless, menacing villain and the equal of the two heroes. All three men have presence in spades.
Where For a Few Dollars More struggles is with its plot. The individual pieces of the plot are quite strong, but the twists along the way keep them from forming a satisfying whole. The twists are too clever for their own good, and tracking what each character knows, suspects, and plans to do quickly becomes a chore. For a Few Dollars More has plenty of excellent moments, but it is less cohesive than its siblings in the trilogy.
Fans of Westerns and fine craftsmanship will find For a Few Dollars More to be a worthy watch. Although its plot is not quite as impressive as A Fistful of Dollars’, For a Few Dollars More more than holds its own. Lee Van Cleef makes for a welcome addition, and the quality of acting, writing, and direction make For a Few Dollars More a Western classic. Skip it if you are looking for modern-style action or a Western that requires less attention.
8.3 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.5 to 8.0 for excellent craftsmanship and a trio of strong leads.