For a Few Dollars More - Ending Explained

The central twist of For a Few Dollars More is the revelation of Colonel Mortimer's true motivation for hunting El Indio. For most of the film, he appears to be a rival bounty hunter, competing with Manco for the same prize money. The truth is revealed in the film's climax: the beautiful woman in the photograph inside El Indio's musical pocket watch is Colonel Mortimer's sister. Years ago, Indio murdered her husband and raped her, which led her to take her own life during the assault. El Indio is haunted by this memory, which is triggered by the watch's chime, while Mortimer carries an identical watch, a memento that fuels his cold, calculating quest for revenge.

This revelation re-contextualizes the entire film. Mortimer's professionalism, his specialized weapons, and his intense focus are not for money but for a deeply personal vendetta. The final duel is not about a bounty; it is a ritual of justice. Indio challenges Mortimer to a duel where Mortimer is disarmed, but Manco, having figured out the connection, intervenes. He gives Mortimer his gun belt and produces the second watch, starting its chime and telling them, "Now we start." This makes the duel a fair fight. Mortimer kills Indio, looks down at the watch in the dead man's hand containing his sister's photo, and achieves his life's purpose. He then tells Manco, "The reward is all yours," and rides away, having no interest in the money. Manco, after a moment of reflection, proceeds to load all the bodies, including Indio's, onto a wagon to collect every single bounty, reinforcing his pragmatic nature while also having served as an instrument of justice.

While the film's narrative is relatively straightforward, some interpretations explore the relationship between Manco and Mortimer as more than a simple partnership. One reading views Mortimer as a mentor figure to Manco. The older, more experienced Colonel teaches the younger bounty hunter about motivations beyond money. Manco's final act of ensuring a fair fight for Mortimer can be seen as him having learned a lesson about honor and justice, graduating from a mere killer-for-hire to someone with a more nuanced code. His parting of ways at the end signifies his return to his own path, but as a more developed character.

Another perspective focuses on the idea that Manco and Mortimer represent two sides of the same coin: the new West and the old West. Mortimer, with his formal title, old-world manners, and motivation rooted in family honor, represents a dying era of gentlemen and codes. Manco, nameless and driven by capital, represents the pragmatic, cynical, and forward-looking spirit of a West being built on money rather than tradition. Their temporary alliance is thus a symbolic meeting of these two worlds, with the future (Manco) ultimately riding off with the cash while the past (Mortimer) settles its final accounts before fading away.