Blondie's Beard!

[The Firecracker]

Anybody ever notice that Blondie's beard grows throughout the film? When he is introduced he looks like a fresh young pup with a bit of facial hair. By the end showdown he has a thick beard on his mug!


Leone paid very close attention to time in this film. The characters age with the passing of time. amazing!

If anyvbody can provide screenshots of Blondie's hair growth that would be much obliged!

[The Peacemaker]

Anybody ever notice that Blondie's beard grows throughout the film? When he is introduced he looks like a fresh young pup with a bit of facial hair. By the end showdown he has a thick beard on his mug!


Leone payed very close attention to time in this film. The characters age with the passing of time. amazing!

If anyvbody can provide screenshots of Blondie's hair growth that would be much obliged!

That's interesting. I never noticed that before but you're right.

[The Firecracker]

changed the title of the thread.

[The Peacemaker]

I changed mine.

[The Firecracker]

also notice Blondie's face after  him and Tuco leave the Mission.

his face slowly heals from the damage the sun gave him.
He still has some red specks during the bombed town gunfight but his face is cleared up by the time they get to the Bridge battle(probably to signify that he is in his element. Nothing harms him now and he shows no sign of damage to his body).

[Le Bon]

Yes i had noticed this too. Probably first of all looking at my stills collection. He has just a stubble at the start and a full beard by the end. I believe the first town scene was the first  shot at Elios studios in Rome.

Have you seen Harmonicas scar by his eye from the deleted scene where he is beaten up by the sheriff's men. You can see it best during the night scene with Jill .

[Cusser]

Remember, GBU takes place over the course of approximately a year (remember what Al Mulloch says to Eli in the bathtub: "I've been looking for you for nine months...").

[sadhill]

click for larger

[Jordan Krug]

Very cool - never noticed that before!

[cigar joe]

Thanks for the comparison shots.

[The Firecracker]

"I've been looking for you for nine months...").

correction Cusser...


8 months

not 9.


And thanks for the comparision shots Sadhill!

[The Firecracker]

Have you seen Harmonicas scar by his eye from the deleted scene where he is beaten up by the sheriff's men. You can see it best during the night scene with Jill .

yes Ive seen it. Its very suttle though.

Blondie's beard got me thinking...I wonder why Leone didnt opt to have the other two primary characters age?

Perhaps the beard growth was Clints idea and not Leone's? That would explain why Angel Eyes has the same facial hair throughout the film. Same Goes for Eli.
Or perhaps it is lead to assume that Angel eyes had a few shaves throughout the nine months.


As for GBU taking place throughout a year...well I dont know about that. The only way to tell is by how much time has gone by AFTER Al Muloch was killed.

[noodles_leone]

Another thing about Blondie: during the whole movie, he collects things that are part of his classic costume: First, he has the gun with the little snake on it, seconde, Angel Eyes gives im the regular clothes, then he takes the Poncho after the bridge scene... And during the whole movie, the beard keeps growing.

[dave jenkins]

The beard observation is interesting, especially as it indicates that SL shot the film pretty much in screenplay order. Not the usual method.

[Cusser]

And shooting "out of order" is also commonly used when a film returns to an "already-used" location, as well as for scheduling and logistic reasons.  I think Leone took a lot of this into account, which now takes us all years to realize.