Movies

Go Behind the Scenes of an Iconic Western With 18 Rare Photos From the Making of ‘Once Upon a Time in the West’

See how Claudia Cardinale, Charles Bronson, Henry Fonda and Jason Robards made cinematic history with director Sergio Leone

By Abbey Bender October 31, 2025

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The Western may be the most American of cinematic genres, but in the ’60s, Italian directors began to offer their own takes on these films, and the results were nothing short of iconic. The so-called “spaghetti Western” was popularized by filmmaker Sergio Leone, who gave Clint Eastwood his definitive role as “the Man With No Name” in A Fistful of Dollars (1964), For a Few Dollars More (1965) and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966).

Leone’s 1968 epic Once Upon a Time in the West may not star Eastwood (he turned down the lead role, which ultimately went to his tough-guy contemporary Charles Bronson) but it’s considered by many to be one of the greatest Westerns of all time, and has influenced everyone from Martin Scorsese to George Lucas to Quentin Tarantino.

Once Upon a Time in the West features stunning cinematography, an unforgettable score from acclaimed composer Ennio Morricone and an all-star ensemble cast including Charles Bronson, Jason Robards, Henry Fonda and Claudia Cardinale (who sadly passed away this September at 87) and it still feels fresh nearly 60 years after it first hit the screen. Read on to go behind the scenes of Once Upon a Time in the West and see how Sergio Leone and his cast created a Western classic.

1. Charles and Claudia

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The late, great Claudia Cardinale was one of the biggest sex symbols of the ’60s, but in Once Upon a Time in the West she proved she could hold her own as the sole woman in a cast filled with men. Here, she jokes around with Charles Bronson behind the scenes and smiles at the normally stone-faced actor in a candid moment.
2. On location

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Once Upon a Time in the West was filmed in Rome, Spain and Utah, and as you can tell from this photo of Sergio Leone (standing at right in hat and glasses) filming Henry Fonda and Jason Robards in front of the mountains, it must’ve been pretty hot—just check out all those shirtless crew members!
3. A wholesome moment

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Like many Leone films, Once Upon a Time in the West features considerable violence. Despite that, there were moments of sweetness on set, as evidenced by this charming picture of Cardinale gently placing a hat on a little girl’s head.
4. Dinner time

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Here, Cardinale looks happy to finally have a meal break, while Bronson checks her out.
5. Lounging around

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In this candid, Henry Fonda rests on a beach chair between takes. Fonda was known for his everyman roles but Leone’s film marked a major departure, as he played the villain. In his introductory scene, Fonda’s character murders Cardinale’s new husband and his three children while they’re having a picnic, and the actor recalled, “The camera comes around very slowly until you can recognize the killer. Sergio Leone was waiting for the audience to gasp: ‘Jesus Christ, it’s Henry Fonda!’ I loved every bit of it.”
6. Hats off

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Cardinale looks lovely in a cowboy hat on the set of Once Upon a Time in the West. She played a former sex worker who takes over her husband’s ranch after Fonda murders him, and she spoke admiringly of her character, explaining, “In Sergio Leone’s Westerns, the woman was usually like an object—she had a limited space—but in Once Upon a Time in the West the woman was the center. Everything revolved around her.”
7. Making adjustments

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Here, Leone tidies up Fonda’s scarf. The director’s films may have been gritty, but they were also quite fashionable. Leone was honored to work with Fonda, as he’d long been one of his favorite actors and he’d wanted to work with him for years, so of course, he had to make sure his star looked spiffy.
8. At the bar

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Every good Western needs a saloon, and here, Leone directs Cardinale on the film’s bar set. The actress said that she had a “fantastic” relationship with the director.
9. Strike a pose

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In this artfully composed shot, Cardinale poses at the saloon while awaiting Leone’s direction. The filmmaker was aware that women were often objectified in Westerns, and said, “When I used Claudia for example, in Once Upon a Time in the West, she represented the birth of American matriarchy. Because women had enormous weight in America . . . If you take her out, there’s no more film. She’s the central motor of the entire happening.”
10. Harmonica at rest

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Bronson played the protagonist, a mysterious man known only as “Harmonica” for the instrument he constantly carries. Leone originally wanted Bronson to play Clint Eastwood’s role in A Fistful of Dollars, but he turned it down, and in a full-circle moment, he later took the role in Once Upon a Time in the West after Eastwood turned it down.
11. Sitting pretty

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Cardinale is all dolled as she sits patiently on set. In their obituary, The New York Times called the actress “Italy’s girlfriend,” and while the film was set in the 19th century, she brought a modern appeal to it (dig her perfectly '60s eye makeup!)
12. Ready for her close-up

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Here, Leone positions Cardinale for one of his signature dramatic close-up shots. The director frequently used close-ups in his Westerns as a means of creating tension and contrasting against the wide-open landscapes.
13. Time for a trim

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Fonda appears ready for a haircut here, while Leone looks on.
14. A refreshing sip

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Here, Leone pauses for a quick drink while sitting with Cardinale. Asked about his technique for working with actors, the director said, “I work with intuition. With interpreters. I have my own method. I know exactly what I want from actors. Sometimes, I even recite the role to the actor if it’s not clear. And I beg them not to imitate me, because I’m not a good actor. I tell them this is the idea, so they understand exactly what I want. And if they don’t understand, they redo the scene until they understand.”
15. The happy couple

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In this shot, Bronson’s second wife, actress Jill Ireland, pays him a visit on the set. Bronson and Ireland were married from 1968 until her death in 1990, and they appeared in 16 films together.
16. A classic standoff

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Every Western needs a good standoff, and here Leone and Jason Robards point guns at one another on set. Surprisingly, Leone didn’t feel that violence was a key element of his films, as he said, “The truth is that I am not a director of action . . . I’m more a director of gestures and silences.”
17. Director in the shadows

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Leone stands in shadow as he guides Bronson and Cardinale guidance in this evocative shot from the set.
18. Listening to the master

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Here, Cardinale listens intently to Leone’s sage direction. The director praised his female lead for her performance as a “a fairly unusual and violent character.”

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