The Great Silence

The Great Silence

Year: 2021

Runtime: 106 mins

Language: Italian

Director: Alessandro Gassmann

DramaComedy

Villa Primic, a once-grand estate, now stands in disrepair and is being sold by its owner, Rose, and her heirs, Massimiliano and Adele. The family patriarch, Valerio, strongly objects to the sale, creating a tense and complicated reunion as they confront the estate's history and each other's intentions. The sale threatens to unearth long-held secrets and family conflicts.

Warning: spoilers below!

Haven’t seen The Great Silence yet? This summary contains major spoilers. Bookmark the page, watch the movie, and come back for the full breakdown. If you're ready, scroll on and relive the story!

Timeline – The Great Silence (2021)

Trace every key event in The Great Silence (2021) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Gordon's murder and the mute heir

Henry Pollicut and two bounty killers ambush Gordon and his wife, killing them in their home. To prevent Gordon's son from betraying them, one killer slices the boy's throat, rendering him permanently mute. The brutal act establishes Pollicut's ruthlessness and seeds a cycle of corruption in Snow Hill.

Late 19th century (before 1898) Gordon's home
2

Pollicut's rise to power

Pollicut rises to power as a corrupt Utah banker and judge of peace, using his offices to profit from fear and crime. His ascent corrupts the town's institutions and foreshadows the exploitation that follows. Snow Hill begins to pay a heavy price for his manipulation.

Late 19th century (before 1898) Snow Hill, Utah
3

Silence becomes a bounty hunter

Years later, Gordon's son—known as Silence—becomes a bounty killer who provokes enemies into drawing first, then kills them in self-defense with his Mauser C96. He operates in Snow Hill, a frontier town beset by a brutal winter and hard choices. His code makes him feared as much as his ruthlessness.

1898 Snow Hill
4

Blizzard and a killer's market

A severe blizzard blankets the frontier, driving the town into privation and theft. Pollicut places bounties on the thieves’ heads to profit from the misery, drawing a bounty killer gang to Snow Hill led by Loco. Silence begins to work with the bandits and their allies to resist the killers.

1898 Snow Hill
5

Middleton's defection and death

Outlaw James Middleton leaves the group to be with his wife Pauline. He is killed by Loco after Loco takes Pauline hostage, escalating the vendetta between Silence and Loco. The tragedy forces Pauline and Silence to confront Loco directly.

1898 Snow Hill
6

Pauline's plea and Pollicut's demand

Pauline writes to Silence asking him to kill Loco, hoping to end the threat. Meanwhile Pollicut tries to force Pauline to become his mistress as a condition for safety and her property. The two pressures pull Pauline deeper into Silence's orbit and the town's conflict.

1898 Snow Hill
7

Sheriff Burnett enters Snow Hill

Gideon Burnett, newly appointed sheriff, arrives in Snow Hill with a mission to restore order. On his first patrol, he encounters the outlaws who steal his horse for food and leave him stranded in the blizzard. He pushes on toward Snow Hill, carrying the town's fragile peace in the balance.

1898 Snow Hill and surrounding roads
8

Stagecoach meeting: Silence and Loco

Burnett reaches a stagecoach bound for Snow Hill and meets Silence, beginning a tense encounter. He later encounters Loco as the tension between Silence and the bounty killers grows. The meetings on the road fuse Silence’s fate with the town’s turmoil.

1898 Stagecoach road to Snow Hill
9

Pauline and Silence's growing closeness

Pauline tends Silence's wounds and their relationship deepens under the strain of the winter. Their bond becomes a human counterpoint to the town's brutality. The romance adds personal stakes to the looming confrontation with Loco.

1898 Snow Hill
10

Burnett's death at the frozen lake

Burnett and Loco stop by a frozen lake to relieve themselves, but Loco sets a trap that fractures the ice and leaves Burnett to die in the freezing water. The sheriff's death marks a turning point as law and order collapses in Snow Hill.

1898 Frozen lake near Snow Hill
11

Loco's trap and Pauline's capture

Loco and his gang circle back to draw Silence out, using provisions to lure him and the town’s outlaws into the saloon. They herd the bandits into the saloon and capture Pauline, forcing Silence toward a deadly duel. The town becomes a trap as Silence faces the perilous showdown.

1898 Snow Hill saloon
12

Duel, death, and memorial

The duel outside the saloon turns fatal: Silence's left hand is wounded, slowing his speed, and Loco's shot claims Silence’s life. Pauline dies soon after, and the bounty killers massacre the captured outlaws. A memorial is erected in Snow Hill to condemn bounty killing and honor those who died.

Post-1898 Snow Hill

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 16:26

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The Great Silence Summary

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Characters, Settings & Themes in The Great Silence

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Characters, Settings & Themes in The Great Silence

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The Great Silence Spoiler-Free Summary

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