WRITERS: A. Bonzzoni, Victor Andres Catena, Jaime Comas Gil, Sergio Leone, Fernando Di Leo (uncredited), Clint Eastwood (uncredited) and Duccio Tessari (uncredited), and based on the screenplay "Yojimbo" by Ryuzo Kikushima and Akira Kurosawa (uncredited).
PRODUCERS: Arrigo Colombo and Giorgio Papi.
ASSISTANT PRODUCER: Peter Saint.
ORIGINAL MUSIC: Ennio Morricone.
DISTRIBUTOR: MGM / UA
BUDGET: $200,000
- Clint Eastwood 's role was first offered to Henry Fonda and Charles Bronson.
- Eastwood helped in creating his character's distinctive visual style. He bought the black jeans from a sport shop on Hollywood Boulevard, the hat came from a Santa Monica wardrobe firm, and the trademark black cigars came from a Beverly Hills' store.
- Because this was an Italian/German/Spanish co-production, there was a significant language barrier on the set. Eastwood communicated with Leone and the Italian crew mostly through stuntman Benito Stefanelli, who also acted as an unofficial interpreter for the production.
- When the film was shown on American television station ABC in the early 70s, additional footage was shot to give the "Man with no Name" character a motive for going to the town (San Miguel) featured in the film. Neither Eastwood nor Leone were involved in the shooting of this additional footage. Harry Dean Stanton (uncredited) played an unidentified lawman or politician who orders Eastwood to get rid of the gangs of San Miguel in return for a pardon. Stock footage of Eastwood was used. This footage apparantly no longer exists, although a copy of Dean's script did survive.
- The film's US release was delayed by Kurosawa suing Leone for breach of copyright. Kurosawa won.
- Eastwood's trademark squint was caused by the combination of the sun and high-wattage arc lamps on the set.
- The trailers and promo material in the U.S. list the title for this film was "A Fistful of Dollars". The on-screen title on the film itself gives teh title as simply "Fistful of Dollars".
- Sergio Leone was not keen on using composer Ennio Morricone for this film. He simply had not been impressed with the scores that Morricone had done in the past for other directors. The initial scoring made Leone quickly set aside any reservations. Leone and Morricone would develop a close working relationship that would last through all of Leone's future films.
- This has been described as the first "spagehetti western". When this film was made, there had already been about 25 such westerns produced in Italy. This was the first to receive a major international release.
- Followed by two sequels: For a Few Dollars More (1965) and The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (1966).
Joe: My mistake. Four coffins...
Joe: I get the wrong idea only when it suits me.
Ramon Rojo: You are well informed, eh?
Joe: A man's life in these parts often depends on a mere scrap of information. Your brother's own words.
Ramon Rojo: Tell me. Why are you doing this for us?
Joe: [Holds out his hand with a response that is almost a question] Five hundred dollars.
[Ramone fires off two shots, but Joe stands right back up.]
Joe: The heart, Ramone. Don't forget the heart. Aim for the heart, or you'll never stop me.