In one three-minute scene, Clint Eastwood paved the way for him to become a cinematic icon. The moment came in Fistful of Dollars, the first of three Spaghetti Westerns in which he played the now-legendary Man With No Name. Directed by Sergio Leone, Fistful of Dollars was a transformative moment in the history of the Western genre, and one that was even more significant for the career of its star.
The final installment in Sergio Leone’s Dollars Trilogy, The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly stands out as the definitive Clint Eastwood Western and to many, the best movie he ever made. But as influential as it was, it’s important to note that it’s not that film that carved the Man with No Name’s reputation; rather, it just built on what Leone and Eastwood started in Fistful of Dollars.
Fistful of Dollars memorably showed off a new side of Clint Eastwood, who had previously been known only as the likable and heroic Rowdy Yates on the family-friendly Western TV series, Rawhide. His performance in the movie served as a reinvention for the actor, pushed along by an unforgettable scene at the beginning of the film.
Clint Eastwood’s “Get Three Coffins Ready” Scene Explained
It’s The Movie’s Best Scene
Upon entering the town where the movie’s overarching narrative plays out, Clint Eastwood’s Man With No Name character is beset by a small group of rowdy thugs, who mischievously fire bullets near his horse, causing it to bolt. The three men enjoy a laugh at the incident as the Man With No Name rides away, but it doesn’t take long for it to become apparent that he has no intention of letting it pᴀss.
That’s evidenced by the surprising, abrupt order he gives to the local coffinmaker, “Get three coffins ready.” He returns to meet the three ruffians, who are joined by a fourth. In a calm tone, he admonishes them for scaring his mount, and asks for an apology. His request isn’t taken seriously at first, but that changes when Eastwood flips his poncho, revealing his gun.
That, combined with a steely glare, accompanies a monologue where the Man with No Name repeats his request, this time as a not-so-subtle threat.
“My mule don’t like people laughing. He gets the crazy idea you’re laughing at him. Now if you apologize, like I know you’re going to, I might can convince him you didn’t mean it.”
Recognizing the situation but clearly not intimidated enough to back down, the four men reach for their guns, only to be gunned down in rapid succession by the super-fast Man With No Name. The scene comes to a close with the character casually correcting himself to the coffinmaker, “My mistake, four coffins.”
“Get Three Coffins Ready” Set The Tone For The Dollars Trilogy
The scene was arguably the single-most important scene in Fistful of Dollars, as it helped accomplish two key goals for the movie: it set the tone for the film, letting audiences know that Clint Eastwood’s character was not a traditional Western protagonist. He wasn’t the first main character to be portrayed as “the fastest gun in the West,” but this scene justified that perception.
Impressively, this was an image that Fistful of Dollars was able to create in less than three minutes, and all it took was one monologue and some quick shooting, which underscored how effective and imposing Eastwood could be.
There was a fierceness in Eastwood’s gaze when he spoke, one that easily got across the idea that the Man With No Name was not someone to be trifled with. Impressively, this was an image that Fistful of Dollars was able to create in less than three minutes, and all it took was one monologue and some quick shooting, which underscored how effective and imposing Eastwood could be.
There’s an undeniable mystique to the character that can be traced back to this particular scene. Not only does he project strength and the will to back it up, but there’s a sense of coolness to him, which is felt in the nonchalance and confidence that Eastwood brings to the performance. He may seem calm and quiet, but beneath that exterior is something far more menacing.
“Get Three Coffins Ready” Demonstrated How Different The Man With No Name Was From Most Western Heroes
He Was No John Wayne
One of the most compelling aspects of the Man With No Name is the amount of daylight between him and the Western legends that came before him. Before Clint Eastwood, the biggest name in the business was John Wayne, with James Stewart, Glenn Ford, Randolph Scott, and Joel McCrea also being prominent in the genre.
Fistful of Dollars effortlessly separated Clint Eastwood from the pack with its depiction of the Man with No Name, which stood in stark contrast to what – for instance, a John Wayne movie – would do with its hero. The situation itself was not unusual – John Wayne’s characters dealt with non-threatening upstarts on a regular basis – but usually with his fists.
The Man With No Name instead took a no-nonsense approach, killing them quickly for their behavior. It was obvious from that point on in Fistful of Dollars that he was not the heroic Western drifter of the 1950s who would ride into town, save the day, and gallop off into the sunset. Instead, he was the type who would leave a trail of corpses – or coffins – in his wake.
