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Cowboys and Italians

By: Eileen Jones

In the 1960s, Italian filmmakers took the cowboy out of America. They gave the western a wild, blood-soaked makeover that revived the genre for global audiences and imbued it with new political relevance.

(Silver Screen Collection / Getty Images)

Even as the American appetite for westerns began to wane after a half century of popularity, the Europeans still couldn’t get enough of our cowboys and Indians. Thus, in the early 1960s, the spaghetti western was born in all its lurid, Technicolor glory. Many film genres reflect the narrowly defined cultural concerns of single nations […]

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Even as the American appetite for westerns began to wane after a half century of popularity, the Europeans still couldn’t get enough of our cowboys and Indians. Thus, in the early 1960s, the spaghetti western was born in all its lurid, Technicolor glory. Many film genres reflect the narrowly defined cultural concerns of single nations […]

Medium

Even as the American appetite for westerns began to wane after a half century of popularity, the Europeans still couldn’t get enough of our cowboys and Indians. Thus, in the early 1960s, the spaghetti western was born in all its lurid, Technicolor glory. Many film genres reflect the narrowly defined cultural concerns of single nations […]

Large

Even as the American appetite for westerns began to wane after a half century of popularity, the Europeans still couldn’t get enough of our cowboys and Indians. Thus, in the early 1960s, the spaghetti western was born in all its lurid, Technicolor glory. Many film genres reflect the narrowly defined cultural concerns of single nations […]

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