“Jesus Christ! That’s Henry Fonda!”

A great post from one of my new favorite blogs (I spent a good two hours the other day scrolling through the damn thing – it’s RICH) about Henry Fonda, typecasting, and Sergio Leone’s casting of Fonda as the heavy in Once Upon a Time in the West. There are two clips included: one of Fonda’s entrance in that film (a great entrance, with a flashy “look at me, Ma” camera move) and the second a clip of Fonda talking about that entrance on a 1975 talk show. I suggest watching the second clip first, of Fonda describing the entrance, and then go back to watch the entrance itself. Notice Fonda’s technical memory of each shot, each POV in that opening sequence. That’s a pro.

And of course. Leone was right. You’ll see what I mean after you watch the clip of Fonda on the talk show.

Great stuff.

Go read the whole thing. And scroll through that incredible site. He’s got a great eye.