This was an important film on a number of fronts. Released in 1964, it was the movie that turned Clint Eastwood into a star, bringing him centre stage as the laconic Man With No Name (pictured) - a tough gunslinger who gets caught up in the feud between two rival families fighting over a small frontier town. It was also the first "spaghetti" western to find a mainstream audience, and was a high point in a long line of similar movies.
Director Sergio Leone pulled out all the stops, restyling the western with tremendous photography, unflinching close-ups and, for the time, strong violence. Eastwood also insisted that the dialogue be cut back dramatically to ensure that the film had an eerie feel to it. To add icing to the cake, Ennio Morricone produced a haunting score.
Inspired by the Samurai film Yojimbo, by Japanese director Akira Kurosawa, it's an out-and-out must-see.
A Fistful of Dollars is a Film programme that first aired in 1964 and has been classified a 15 certificate.
