Sergio Leone's Time Trilogy: Memory, Nostalgia, and the Birth of Postmodern Cinema

Christian Caliandro examines Sergio Leone's 'time trilogy,' which includes Once Upon a Time in the West (1968), Duck, You Sucker! (1971), and Once Upon a Time in America (1984), a span of sixteen years. Initially, Duck, You Sucker! was titled Once Upon a Time in the Revolution. The 'once upon a time' theme, which Leone developed in the 'Dollar Trilogy' (A Fistful of Dollars, 1964; For a Few Dollars More, 1965; The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, 1966), is crucial to his storytelling approach. The narrative structure is non-linear. Flashbacks in Once Upon a Time in the West unveil Harmonica's (Charles Bronson) trauma and Frank's (Henry Fonda) violence. Duck, You Sucker! delves into themes of nostalgia and betrayal, while Once Upon a Time in America features Noodles (Robert De Niro) contemplating his past as time collapses.