A Fistful of Dollars - Characters & Cast

His primary motivation is profit. He explicitly tells Silvanito that there's money to be made by playing the two families against each other. However, a secondary motivation of a personal, albeit vaguely defined, sense of justice emerges as the film progresses, particularly in his actions to save Marisol.

The Man with No Name undergoes a subtle but significant arc. Initially driven purely by monetary gain, his encounter with Marisol and her family reveals a hidden layer of morality. While he never abandons his cynical and self-serving nature, his decision to risk his life for them without financial reward suggests a flicker of humanity beneath his hardened exterior. He enters the town for money but leaves having dispensed a brutal form of justice.

Ramón is motivated by power, control, and a sadistic pleasure in violence. He wishes to maintain his family's dominance over San Miguel and takes what he wants, including Marisol, without remorse. His actions are driven by a sense of entitlement and a belief in his own superiority.

Ramón is a static character who remains sadistic, arrogant, and ruthless throughout the film. His overconfidence in his skills with a rifle ultimately leads to his downfall. He does not experience any growth or change, serving as the primary antagonist whose cruelty highlights the Stranger's more complex morality.

Her sole motivation is the safety and well-being of her son and her husband. She endures her captivity under Ramón to protect them. Her desire for freedom and to be reunited with her family drives her to trust the Stranger.

Marisol's arc is one of liberation from victimhood. Initially a helpless pawn in Ramón's cruel games, she is trapped and separated from her husband and son. Through the Stranger's intervention, she finds the strength and opportunity to escape her captivity and reunite with her family. Her character serves as the catalyst for the Stranger's latent morality to surface.