Sergio Corbucci's westerns are generally darker than those of Sergio Leone, but even the violence and amorality of Corbucci classics are usually tempered by fast-paced action, humorous dialogue, and stylish shots. In The Great Silence, Corbucci keeps many of the same devices - as well as the revenge plot - but distinguishes it from his other films and most Westerns through an unforgettably harsh setting, darker characters, and an unblinking finale.
The film's backdrop - "Snow Hill," Utah in the winter of 1899 - is a frigid place that feels incredibly far away from the muddy town in Django or the hills of Navajo Joe. Corbucci makes the snow and wind omnipresent, with one of Ennio Morricone's finest scores contributing to the icy setting. The little details, such as the need for guns to be protected from the frozen climate, add to the gloom that pervades the film. It may just be shaving cream and fogged lenses, but the set designer creates a fitting environment for the darkness that transpires.