The Great Silence (1968) ****

The best and one of multiple westerns that Sergio Corbucci directed, The Great Silence (1968) is also one of the bleakest and best Italian Westerns. Jean-Louis Trintignant delivers a strong, completely mute performance and Klaus Kinski gives us one of his best—intense and nihilistic. Given that women's roles in Italian westerns tend to be pretty thankless, Vonetta McGee has one of the better ones, where she emotes heavily with her striking eyes and takes a stand against tyranny. Though less iconic than his work with that other, more famous, Sergio (Leone), Ennio Morricone still composed a memorable and rousing score. And that ending is chill-inducing, no matter how many times you see the film.