Clint Eastwood western. I grew up when Sunday afternoons all that was on were old westerns--and as a kid, I generally went and did something else. Now as I continue my exploration of films, it seems too weird to try watching an old western at any other time than in the afternoon.
What strikes me about this one--'64, is that early?--is the question of music. One of the versions of My Darling Clementine simply plays the song "Oh, My Darling Clementine"--which might be obvious from the title, but does harken back to cowboy folk songs. A Fistful of Dollars seems to try addressing the question "How do you say 'Western' and 'Modern' at the same time?" You have whistles and chorus--perhaps connecting to cowboy ballads which were both sung and whistled to--, but the whistles are made using modern sounds--as if just a little more push to 'em and they'd be only electronic sounds--which would be all wrong for an "old western".
As for watching a western in the afternoon--that bright sunlight outside seems to help counterbalance all the violent shoot out stuff. The western ends, you look outside, and that ol' sun reminds you that that story is done, that that isn't here and now, and you have a chance to reflect that the story was woven well enough together that you enjoyed it--and the good guy won.
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