MovieChat Forums > Per qualche dollaro in più (1967) Discussion > Shooting at the apples

Shooting at the apples

posted 13 years ago by atarimaster
17 replies | jump to latest

I've watched FAFDM, well, maybe about 10 times and there's a scene that I still don't understand:
When Monco and Mortimer try to take away the money and Monco is caught by Indio, Indio says: "You shouldn't have shot the apples off that tree", handing over Monco's leather wrist guard.
So WHY is he saying this? Does he mean something like: "When you shot the apples off the tree, I saw that your right hand isn't injured after all, and anyone who is pretending to have an injured hand by wearing a wrist guard can only be an enemy"?
Or is he trying to point out that somebody who shoots at apples rather than at people is a good guy and thus, an enemy?
Or is it something completely different?

[–] Jeremy6100 13 years ago

because when he shot the apples off the tree he ran out of ammo El Indio stated he knew The man with no name was a bounty hunter the moment he saw him so shooting the apples couldn't have been a giveaway

[–] atarimaster 13 years ago

because when he shot the apples off the tree he ran out of ammo

I see, this does make sense. Thank you.

El Indio stated he knew The man with no name was a bounty hunter the moment he saw him so shooting the apples couldn't have been a giveaway

Yes, that's what he says to Nino but we can't be sure that this is the truth: Regarding El Indios's personality I wouldn't be surprised if he was just showing off when he declared that he always knew… ;-)

[–] christomacin 11 years ago

I've watched the film many times and it still makes no sense to me if taken at face value.

I mean, the tree was in the same place where the gold was kept. So was Clint signalling to Van Cleef that was where the money was being kept? That's hardly credible, because how would Clint have none where the money would be kept? Indio and his band hadn't even entered the town yet, let alone place the money any where. Indio would have little or no reason to tell Clint where he planned to deposit the loot.

So the only other thing I can come up with is Catholic Symbolism. According to critic Sir Christopher Frayling (and others), Christian symbolism appears in most of Leone's films. For instance, in Fistful, the woman in distress is named "Maria" (read Mary), Clint has the name Joe (read Joseph) and her son is named Jesus. The Man With No Name is an avenging God, but in an act of mercy he rescues a boy named Jesus and his mother Maria.

As for Fistful, remember that when Nino betrays the gang on Indio's orders, we hear a cock crowing three times, just as when Peter denied Jesus in the Bible. The betrayal is over the gold, and the gold is kept in the small hut. Right net to the hut is an apple tree. Taking a wild stab, is it possible that the apple tree represents the apple in the garden of Eden, the eating of which was the original sin that lead to Man's downfall? Indio says to Clint, "You shouldn't have shot (read "eaten") the apples off of that tree."

I don't know, if that's not right then honestly I have no idea what Leone was trying to do with that line of dialogue.

[–] buddyboy28 11 years ago

I think the OP is right.I think Indio was implying that by shooting at the apples it proved that Manco wasn't someone who killed people unless absolutely nescessary.Also,Manco always takes his wrist guard off whenever he's with the gang (except the three at Santa Cruz,but he knew he was going to kill all of them there).Manco must've had a reputation around the west for been a bounty killer with the wrist guard that's why Indio pulls his poncho to the side,finds it and tells him to put it on.Maybe Indio did know all along who he was.

[–] Nosferatu_Lover 11 years ago

hmmmm - I always thought it showed off Manco's true skill-set which was obviously waaaay greater than your average gun fighter (meaning he is a Bounty Hunter)...but I never picked up on the wrist guard before - and I have seen this movie a million times! lol

"He will bring them DEATH and they will love him for it...."

[–] buddyboy28 11 years ago

Christopher Frayling talks about the wrist guard a little on the DVD commentary.About how alot of people must know about this bounty hunter with the leather gauntlet because Clint doesn't wear it when he's with the gang.Look out for it when Indio and the gang rob the bank and Clint gets on his horse to go after them,he removes it as he rides off.

[–] walshb 9 years ago

Exactly how I interpreted it. Indio saw some real gun skill in Manco, and it was then he put 2+2 together and maybe figured that Manco was a hired gun, or a bounty killer with gun skills.

[–] FlamRatamacues 9 years ago

That's also how I interpreted it.

Of course, Indio said he knew Manco was a bounty killer from the beginning, but his expert shooting skills probably settled any remaining doubt he still had.

[–] Petit88 8 years ago

I realizes this just today and I watched it about million times :)
But helping the little boy instead of antagonizing village by killing challengers seems like logical decision when you want to lay low after big bank robbery.

[–] MetalWorks 9 years ago

He was sent to the town for testing his shooting abilities
But instead of killing the tree guys, he helps the kid, wrong decision... if you really are thug

[–] willjohn 8 years ago

Funny! The fruit he shot off the trees looked like oranges.

[–] benth04 9 years ago

The shooting of apples was - at least at first hand - to warn off those three (Mexican) gunmen that had made a road block.
Maybe they were not very smart - but smart enough to see who were the faster gun. So off they went. Very fast

[–] MonteCarloMan 8 years ago

He had to show those three mex's that he was a great shot otherwise he might have been a dead man walking..

[–] LongCarbine 7 years ago

He shoots 7 bullets at the tree when revolvers only had 6. Indio knew that Mortimer must have fired some of the shots. That, along with some of the other things that were said here gave Indio a feeling about Monco.

[–] S_Leone 7 years ago

even though eastwood wore distinct clothing he was known by his wrist guard for some reason

[–] bigmal (93) 6 years ago

My opinion is that the three locals told Indio and his men that Clint and Lee both shot the apples donating that they knew each other.