Sergio Leone (January 3, 1929 – April 30, 1989) was an Italian film director, producer and screenwriter, credited as the inventor of the Spaghetti Western genre and widely regarded as one of the most influential directors in the history of cinema. His film-making style includes juxtaposing extreme close-up shots with lengthy long shots. He began his as an assistant to Vittorio De Sica during the production for the movie Bicycle Thieves (1948). He began writing screenplays during the 1950s, primarily for the “sword and sandal” (or peplum) historical epics, popular at the time. He also worked as an assistant director on several large-scale international productions shot at the Cinecittà Studios in Rome, notably Fred Zinnermann Quo Vadis (1951) and William Wyler’s Ben-Hur (1959), financially backed by the American studios.
When director Mario Bonnard fell ill during the production of the epic The Last Days of Pompeii (1959), starring Steve Reeves, Leone was asked to step in and complete the film. He made his full directorial debut on The Colossus of Rhodes (1961), with Rory Calhoun, Lea Massari, Georges Marchal, Conrado San Martín, and Ángel Aranda.
He gained international attention with three spaghetti westerns starring Clint Eastwood: A Fistful of Dollars (1964), with Gian Maria Volonté, Marianne Koch, Wolfgang Lukschy, Sieghardt Rupp, José Calvo, Antonio Prieto, and Joseph Egger; For a Few Dollars More (1965), with Lee Van Cleef, Volonté, Mara Krup, Luigi Pistilli, Klaus Kinski, Egger, Panos Papadopulos, Benito Stefanelli, Robert Camardiel, Aldo Sambrell, Luis Rodríguez, and Mario Brega; and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966), with Eli Wallach and Van Cleef.
His other notable films as director include Once Upon a Time in the West (1968), with Claudia Cardinale, Henry Fonda, Jason Robards, Charles Bronson, Gabriele Ferzetti, Woody Strode, Jack Elam, Lionel Stander, Paolo Stoppa, Frank Wolff, and Keenan Wynn; Duck, You Sucker! (1971), with Rod Steiger, James Coburn, Romolo Valli, Maria Monti, Rick Battaglia, and Franco Graziosi; and Once Upon a Time in America (1984), with Robert De Niro, James Woods, Elizabeth McGovern, Joe Pesci. Burt Young, Tuesday Weld, Treat Williams, Daniel Aiello, Richard Bright, James Hayden, William Forsyhthe, and Jennifer Connelly.
Each review will be linked to the title below.
(*seen originally in theaters)
(**seen rereleased in theaters)
Director/Co-writer
- The Last Days of Pompeii (1959) – directed by Mario Bonnard – Leone served was assistant director and reportedly took over completion of the film when Bonnard became severely ill during production
- The Colossus of Rhodes (1961)
- A Fistful of Dollars (1964)
- For a Few Dollars More (1965)
- The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)
- Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)
- Duck, You Sucker! (1971)
- Once Upon a Time in America (1984)
Writer/Co-Writer/Story
- Aphrodite, Goddess of Love (1958) – directs by Mario Bonnard
- Sheba and the Gladiator (1959) – directed by Guido Brignone & Michelangelo Antonioni – also uncredited 2nd unit director
- The Seven Revenges (1961) – directed by Primo Zeglio
- Duel of the Titans (1961) – directed by Sergio Corbucci
- Slave Girls of Sheba (1964) – directed by Giacomo Gentilomo & Guido Zurli
- My Name Is Nobody (1973) – directed by Tonino Valerii – idea, uncredited executive producer
- A Genius, Two Partners and Dupe (1975) – directed by Damiano Damiani – uncredited idea, uncredited executive producer
- Too Much (1986) – directed by Carlo Verdone – also uncredited executive producer
Other Credits
- Rigoletto (1946) – directed by Carmine Malone – assistant director
- Bicycle Thieves (1948) – directed by Vittorio De Sica – uncredited assistant director
- Fabiola (1949) – directed by Alessandro Blasetti – uncredited assistant director
- Il trovatore (1949) – directed by Carmine Gallone – uncredited assistant director
- Faust and the Devil (1949) – directed by Carmine Gallone – uncredited assistant director
- The Force of Destiny (1949) – directed by Carmine Gallone – uncredited assistant director
- Night Taxi (1950) – directed by Carmine Gallone – uncredited assistant director
- The Vow (1950) – directed by Mario Bonnard – uncredited assistant director
- The Brigand Musolino (1950) – directed by Mario Camerini – uncredited assistant director
- Il folle di Marechiaro (1950) – directed by Roberto Roberti – uncredited assistant director
- Quo Vadis (1951) – directed by Mervyn LeRoy – uncredited 2nd unit director
- The Three Pirates (1952) -directed by Mario Soldati – 2nd unit director
- Jolanda, the Daughter of the Black Corsair (1952) – directed by Mario Soldati – 2nd unit director
- The Mad Marechiaro (1952) – directed by Roberto Roberti – assistant director
- Girls Marked Danger (1952) – directed by Luigi Comencini – assistant director
- Man, Beast and Virtue (1953) – directed by Steno – 2nd unit director
- Frine, Courtesan of Orient (1953) – directed by Mario Bonnard – 2nd unit director
- Tradita (1954) – directed by Mario Bonnard – 2nd unit director
- Of Life and Love (1954) – directed by Aldo Fabrizi, Giorgio Pastina, Mario Soldati, & Luigi Zampa – 2nd unit director
- They Stole a Tram (1954) – directed by Aldo Fabrizi – 2nd unit director
- La ladra (1955) – directed by Mario Bonnard – 2nd unit director
- Helen of Troy (1956) – uncredited, directed by Robert Wise
- Allow Me, Daddy! (1956) – directed by Mario Bonnard – 2nd unit director
- The Teacher and the Miracle (1957) – directed by Aldo Fabrizi – 2nd unit director
- The Nun’s Story (1959) – directed by Fred Zinnermann – uncredited 2nd unit director
- Son of the Red Corsair (1959) – directed by Primo Zeglio – uncredited 2nd unit director
- Helen of Troy (1956) – directed by Robert Wise – uncredited
- Quai des illusions (1959) – directed by Émile Couzinet – uncredited 2nd unit director
- Ben-Hur (1959) – directed by William Wyler – uncredited 2nd unit director
- Sodom and Gomorrah (1962) – directed by Robert Aldrich – uncredited
- Cemetery Without Crosses (1969) – directed by Robert Hossein – uncredited
- The Cat (1977) – directed by Luigi Comencini – producer
- A Dangerous Toy (1979) – directed by Giuliano Montaldo- uncredited executive producer
- Fun Is Beautiful (1980) – directed by Carlo Verdone – uncredited producer
- Bianco, rosso e Verdone (1981) – directed by Carlo Verdone – uncredited executive producer
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