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In 1964, a low-budget western quietly changed the course of cinema. A Fistful of Dollars, directed by Sergio Leone and starring Clint Eastwood, sparked the spaghetti western phenomenon and transformed several Spanish landscapes into enduring symbols of the genre.
Spain became the vast outdoor set where the ‘Man with No Name’ was born. Here’s where A Fistful of Dollars was filmed.
Where was A Fistful of Dollars filmed?
Filming took place mainly in Spain, with locations in the Community of Madrid and the province of Almería. These were the key settings:
- Golden City (Hoyo de Manzanares, Madrid): This western-style set, built in 1962, was used to recreate the fictional town of San Miguel. Many of the central scenes were shot here, including duels and night sequences such as the cemetery scenes. It was one of Spain’s first permanent film sets.
- Casa de Campo (Madrid): The former Pabellón or Casa de Toledo, part of what was then the Feria del Campo exhibition grounds, stood in for interiors including the Rojo family residence.
- River Alberche (Aldea del Fresno, Madrid): The scene in which Ramón Rojo’s gang ambushes and massacres a group of Mexican soldiers was filmed along the banks of this river.
- Colmenar Viejo (Madrid): Parts of the local film infrastructure were used during production and would later serve in subsequent instalments of the so-called Dollar Trilogy.
- Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park (Almería): Several exterior scenes were shot in the arid landscapes of Almería, whose desert terrain matched the Mexican border atmosphere Leone was looking for.
What to see in Hoyo de Manzanares
Around 37 kilometres from Madrid, Hoyo de Manzanares sits within the Parque Regional de la Cuenca Alta del Manzanares. It’s the place that most clearly retains its connection to the filming of A Fistful of Dollars. There are a few spots worth noting:
- Plaza Mayor and the Church of Nuestra Señora del Rosario: The historic centre preserves its traditional mountain architecture. The church, modest in origin and remodelled in the 20th century, remains one of the town’s landmarks.
- Golden City: The former film sets used in many westerns can still be visited today through guided tours organised by the local council.
- Parque Regional de la Cuenca Alta del Manzanares: Walking routes towards La Berzosa and the paths linking up with La Pedriza take you through granite landscapes and Mediterranean scrubland typical of the area.
- La Cabilda archaeological site: The remains of a Visigoth settlement discovered in 2014.
Explore property for sale and long-term rentals in Hoyo de Manzanares
Where to watch A Fistful of Dollars
In Spain, A Fistful of Dollars is available on Movistar Plus+. It can also be found on Apple TV as a digital rental, depending on availability at the time.
Cast of A Fistful of Dollars
The film featured an international cast led by actors who would go on to shape the direction of the genre:
- Clint Eastwood as the Man with No Name (Joe)
- Gian Maria Volonté as Ramón Rojo
- Marianne Koch as Marisol
- José Calvo as Silvanito, the innkeeper
- Antonio Prieto as Benito Rojo
- Sieghardt Rupp as Esteban Rojo
How old was Clint Eastwood in A Fistful of Dollars?
Clint Eastwood was born on 31 May 1930, and filming took place in 1964. He was 34 years old when he first played the Man with No Name, the role that firmly established his international career.
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