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Jean-Louis Trintignant, Klaus Kinski, Frank Wolff, Luigi Pistilli, Vonetta McGee

Italian filmmaker Sergio Corbucci directed this serious-minded populist spin on the spaghetti western, starring Jean-Louis Trintignant as Silence, whose vocal cords have been slashed by sadistic bount... read more read more...y-hunters. Silence joins with local hillfolk in fighting the corrupt and tyrannical authorities in the town of Snow Mill. Corbucci's sympathies are clearly with his bandit heroes, who are only doing what they must to survive, while the law is represented by a corrupt sheriff, who lets his wealthy patrons run wild, and sadistic scum like Klaus Kinski, who kills the poor because he enjoys it. Politically charged in a way that only a film of its time could be, Il Grande Silenzio's themes of class struggle and violent revolution were a bit too hot for an American release in 1968. Vonetta McGee co-starred with genre regulars Frank Wolff, Luigi Pistilli, and Raf Baldassare. ~ Robert Firsching, Rovi

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85% liked it

6,242 ratings

Unrated, 1 hr. 45 min.

Directed by: Sergio Corbucci

Release Date: January 1, 1968

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DVD Release Date: January 27, 2004

Stats: 288 reviews

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Trintignant as Silence Tigrero Trintignant and Vonetta McGee Silence Klaus Kinski Pauline & Silence make love tragedy The Great Silence as Pauline Middleton in 'The Great Silence' Loco Tigrero The Great Silence Loco Loco & his bounty killers Loco vs. the Sheriff
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Flixster Reviews (288)

  • axadntpron
    May 22, 2011
    axadntpron
    Certainly the most bleak spaghetti western. If you think about it, that is saying a lot.
  • DragonEyeMorrison
    May 8, 2010
    DragonEyeMorrison
    The beauty of Il Grande Silenzio is that it tells such a dark tale in the most straighfoward manner possible. It forgets about the western myths and goes for the crude aspects of this world. Silenzio is not a hero, just a man defending himself, Loco is not a cartoonish "bad guy",... read more just somebody doing his job. With bountys over the heads of poor people trying to survive private property becomes more valuable than human beings. When the ending arrives it never feels forced or out of logic. It was the only way in which this story could be finished. There are no heroes here, just another pile of nameless corpses, and somebody with more money in the pocket.
  • ythelastman89
    February 27, 2010
    ythelastman89
    A really drawn out Spaghetti Western epic and completely different from anything else the genre produced. It has a great snow-covered backdrop set at the end of the old west, where the bounty killers rule. Klaus Kinski plays an amazing villian, essentially a more devious and smar... read moreter version of his hunchback character from For A Few Dollars More. I really do think this was made way ahead of its time because in many ways it marks the end of the genre. It's very similar to Unforgiven.
  • DrBenway
    January 21, 2010
    DrBenway
    One of the most cynical and grim westerns ever. Instead of the usual hot, dusty deserts, we get snowy emptiness and a central character who is able to convey so much without ever speaking a word. Although director Corbucci made a name for himself with "Django", Il Grande Silenz... read moreio is the far more impressive work. Some of the rough edits and camera angles distinguish it from Hollywood films and for me, add to the underbelly of human nature portrayed in the film.

    Klaus Kinski creates one of the most chilling villains with the coldest blue-eyed stare. Although from time to time he seems practical, as much as one can during hard times as this, he's out of his mind. Maestro Ennio Morricone serves up one of his best scores with the main theme measuring up to his accomplishments with Sergio Leone. Do not miss this film.

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  • bbcfloridabound
    July 3, 2009
    bbcfloridabound
    The Great Silence aka : Il grande silenzio Made in 1968 A Spaghetti Western Directed by Sergio Corbucci . Thus is the second movie I have watch made by Corbucci, first being Companeros. Both are excellent movies for a Saturday Night. In the Great Silence we have Jean-Louis Trint... read moreignant who plays Silence a mute gun slinger who is hired by Pauline (Vonetta McGee) a very beautiful lady. At on point Pauline and Silence develops a interracial romance, a relationship seldom seen in Westerns, Italian or Western back in the day, this added to the final scene with Pauline has the making of something well hidden over the years in the US Theater. Klaus Kinski who plays the very bad guy named Loco (its always keen how Italian Directors think up such cool name for Bad Guys). The ending of this film is like no other Spaghetti Western and I will not give it away. This is one that is unique and a must see. 4 1/2 stars the highest I have given to an Italian Western.
  • pier007
    May 2, 2009
    pier007
    Two gunslingers, Silenzio and Loco, meet in Utah in 1899's blizzard, where the snowy landscapes will be inevitably splattered with blood.
    A bleak western with some atypical patterns, the presence of two great european actors, and a powerful conclusion.
  • harrycaul
    August 9, 2008
    harrycaul
    This has to be the most downbeat and depressing western I have ever seen. Corbucci's other decent spaghetti western, "Django", was set in a sea of mud; "The Big Silence" is also strikingly set, against a backdrop of heavy snow drifts. If you're looking for a happy ending, don't b... read moreother; if you like mountain scenery and bad dubbing, jump right in.
  • cosmo313
    March 27, 2008
    cosmo313
    I'm no expert on the genre of Spaghetti Westerns, but this ranks, I feel, as an excellent example. The cinematography is absolutely brilliant-bleak, stark, and quite stunning- a true visual delight.

    Jean Louis Trintignant and Klaus Kinski are superb in their respective roles ... read moreof a mute gunfighter who stands up for what's right and the sadistic bounty hunter he goes up against.

    Another highlight to the film is Ennio Morricone's score. It's not as good as the scores he did for Sergio Leone's Spaghetti Westerns, butit's still pretty awesome.

    This is a very off-beat and different film, even for a Spaghetti Western. Go check it out.
  • mjgildea
    June 14, 2007
    mjgildea
    An incredibly well-done spaghetti western. Completely dismal and depressing although it's absolutely beautiful. It takes a little while to get off the ground, but once it gets going it's totally worthwhile. This has easily got to be one of the darkest endings I've ever seen in a ... read moremovie and it left me almost completely speechless.
  • gator681
    August 20, 2010
    gator681
    In "The Great Silence," a group of outlaws is holding out in the hills of Utah in 1898. Some of them are getting impatient with promises of amnesty and go back to Snow Hill, ruled by the villainous Pollicut(Luigi Pistilli), and are gunned down by Loco(Klaus Kinski), a bounty kil... read moreler. In fact, the governor(Carlo D'Angelo) is greatly considering the amnesty, appointing Burnett(Frank Wolff) to be sheriff in the meantime to cut down on the bloodshed. Along comes Silence(Jean-Louis Trintignant), a mute avenger, to aid those who cannot protect themselves.

    "The Great Silence" is an entertaining spaghetti western that is raised a notch, not only because of its wintry setting and an absolutely stunning ending, but also its being grounded in a politcal reality, and was quite daring for its time. Set in a period when the frontier was closing and lawmen like Burnett were no longer just referees and started to take an active role in protecting the citizens. This was needed to not only stop the killing by the bounty killers(the movie gets tantalizingly close to bringing up the death penalty) but also Silence who uses the law to his advantage by provoking gunmen into a fight they cannot win. Of course, it is easy to goad a sociopath.

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Critic Reviews

Fernando F. Croce
February 7, 2010
Fernando F. Croce, CinePassion

The frozen setting heightens Corbucci's severity Full Review

Dennis Schwartz
January 24, 2007
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews

It's in the same pasta bowl as the Sergio Leone films, only with even more red sauce. Full Review

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