Sheldon Sands
Encyclopedia
Sheldon Jeffrey Sands is a fictional character
from Robert Rodriguez
's 2003 film Once Upon a Time in Mexico
. He is portrayed by Johnny Depp
. He is mainly the catalyst of the movie and the movie's anti-hero
.
who will kill without the slightest hesitation; Rodriguez even described him as a "mass murderer". He can be a charming eccentric or a ruthless killer, depending on what the situation demands. He even killed a cook who made puerco pibil "too good" (most likely in a sarcastic way, as El Mariachi, after being asked to try the dish, spit it out immediately after taking a bite). Towards the middle of the movie he is shunned by the CIA and left hanging in Mexico after his mission comes to a sudden halt. He scurries around the city trying to run and hide from the people he felt were following him; signs of paranoia
(although it is likely he was being followed).
Towards the end of the movie, however, Rodriguez reveals Sands as a man not without mercy, during the final standoff between Sands and two of his enemies he tells a little boy (whom he had been using as a guide to lead him around the city after his eyeballs were taken out) "I don't hear you running".
Sands is shown to be quite witty, often engaging in clever wordplay. In the opening scenes of the movie, when he is talking with Belini (Cheech Marin
), he gives him $10,000 for the information he has provided him. When he gives the money to Belini he says "I couldn't find a briefcase small enough for $10,000 in cash." Upon saying this, he hands the money to him in a Clash of the Titans
lunch box in order to make Belini feel foolish for asking for so little money. Sands uses the word "savvy?" to ask El Mariachi if he understands him, much like Depp's Captain Jack Sparrow
in Pirates of the Caribbean
.
In all of the scenes in which he is talking with Belini, Sands is wearing a fake arm with his real arm underneath the table wielding a silenced pistol
trained on Belini. He persuades El Mariachi (Antonio Banderas
) to join his side by alluding to the mysterious drifter's unpleasant past. He also uses his manipulation to persuade a retired FBI agent (Ruben Blades
) to come back to the work force to catch a notorious drug cartel
leader, portrayed by Willem Dafoe
. He does this by reminding Blades' character that his partner was brutally torture
d and murdered by the drug lord.
, Depp was named as one of its "People of the Year," and gave an interview in which he briefly discussed his role as Sands:
Depp also said in an Entertainment Weekly
article that he "imagine[d] this guy wore really cheesy tourist shirts," that he had a "sideline obsession with Broadway
," and that he favored strange, obvious disguises—all three qualities can be observed in the film. It was also revealed in the director's commentary on the DVD that Depp himself came up with the character's first and middle names. He also composed the character's musical theme—the director requested that each of the main actors come up with a few bars of notes for their character, but Depp came up with the entire piece, which can be heard on the soundtrack (although the track is attributed to "Tonto's Giant Nuts," which is not Depp's band, but merely a humorous pseudonym of the actor's invention).
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
from Robert Rodriguez
Robert Rodriguez
Robert Anthony Rodríguez is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer, editor and musician. He shoots and produces many of his films in his native Texas and Mexico. He has directed such films as Desperado, From Dusk till Dawn, The Faculty, Spy Kids, Sin City, Planet...
's 2003 film Once Upon a Time in Mexico
Once Upon a Time in Mexico
Once Upon a Time in Mexico is a 2003 action film written, edited and directed by Robert Rodriguez. It is the final film in the "Mariachi Trilogy", which also includes El Mariachi and Desperado. Antonio Banderas reprises his role as El Mariachi...
. He is portrayed by Johnny Depp
Johnny Depp
John Christopher "Johnny" Depp II is an American actor, producer and musician. He has won the Golden Globe Award and Screen Actors Guild award for Best Actor. Depp rose to prominence on the 1980s television series 21 Jump Street, becoming a teen idol...
. He is mainly the catalyst of the movie and the movie's anti-hero
Anti-hero
In fiction, an antihero is generally considered to be a protagonist whose character is at least in some regards conspicuously contrary to that of the archetypal hero, and is in some instances its antithesis in which the character is generally useless at being a hero or heroine when they're...
.
Personality
Sands is portrayed as a borderline sociopathPsychopathy
Psychopathy is a mental disorder characterized primarily by a lack of empathy and remorse, shallow emotions, egocentricity, and deceptiveness. Psychopaths are highly prone to antisocial behavior and abusive treatment of others, and are very disproportionately responsible for violent crime...
who will kill without the slightest hesitation; Rodriguez even described him as a "mass murderer". He can be a charming eccentric or a ruthless killer, depending on what the situation demands. He even killed a cook who made puerco pibil "too good" (most likely in a sarcastic way, as El Mariachi, after being asked to try the dish, spit it out immediately after taking a bite). Towards the middle of the movie he is shunned by the CIA and left hanging in Mexico after his mission comes to a sudden halt. He scurries around the city trying to run and hide from the people he felt were following him; signs of paranoia
Paranoia
Paranoia [] is a thought process believed to be heavily influenced by anxiety or fear, often to the point of irrationality and delusion. Paranoid thinking typically includes persecutory beliefs, or beliefs of conspiracy concerning a perceived threat towards oneself...
(although it is likely he was being followed).
Towards the end of the movie, however, Rodriguez reveals Sands as a man not without mercy, during the final standoff between Sands and two of his enemies he tells a little boy (whom he had been using as a guide to lead him around the city after his eyeballs were taken out) "I don't hear you running".
Sands is shown to be quite witty, often engaging in clever wordplay. In the opening scenes of the movie, when he is talking with Belini (Cheech Marin
Cheech Marin
Richard Anthony "Cheech" Marin is an American comedian, actor and writer who gained recognition as part of the comedy act Cheech & Chong during the 1970s and early 1980s, and as Don Johnson's partner, Insp. Joe Dominguez on Nash Bridges...
), he gives him $10,000 for the information he has provided him. When he gives the money to Belini he says "I couldn't find a briefcase small enough for $10,000 in cash." Upon saying this, he hands the money to him in a Clash of the Titans
Clash of the Titans
Clash of the Titans is an American 1981 fantasy–adventure film involving the Greek hero Perseus. It was released on June 12, 1981 and earned a gross profit of $41 million domestically, on a $15 million budget , by which it was the 11th highest grossing film of the year. A novelization of the film...
lunch box in order to make Belini feel foolish for asking for so little money. Sands uses the word "savvy?" to ask El Mariachi if he understands him, much like Depp's Captain Jack Sparrow
Captain Jack Sparrow
Jack Sparrow is a fictional character and the central protagonist in the Pirates of the Caribbean film series created by screenwriters Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio, portrayed by Johnny Depp. He is first introduced in the film Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl...
in Pirates of the Caribbean
Pirates of the Caribbean (film series)
Pirates of the Caribbean is a series of fantasy-adventure films directed by Gore Verbinski and Rob Marshall , written by Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer...
.
In all of the scenes in which he is talking with Belini, Sands is wearing a fake arm with his real arm underneath the table wielding a silenced pistol
Pistol
When distinguished as a subset of handguns, a pistol is a handgun with a chamber that is integral with the barrel, as opposed to a revolver, wherein the chamber is separate from the barrel as a revolving cylinder. Typically, pistols have an effective range of about 100 feet.-History:The pistol...
trained on Belini. He persuades El Mariachi (Antonio Banderas
Antonio Banderas
José Antonio Domínguez Banderas , better known as Antonio Banderas, is a Spanish film actor, film director, film producer and singer...
) to join his side by alluding to the mysterious drifter's unpleasant past. He also uses his manipulation to persuade a retired FBI agent (Ruben Blades
Rubén Blades
Rubén Blades Bellido de Luna is a Panamanian salsa singer, songwriter, lawyer, actor, Latin jazz musician, and politician, performing musically most often in the Afro-Cuban and Latin jazz genres...
) to come back to the work force to catch a notorious drug cartel
Drug cartel
Drug cartels are criminal organizations developed with the primary purpose of promoting and controlling drug trafficking operations. They range from loosely managed agreements among various drug traffickers to formalized commercial enterprises. The term was applied when the largest trafficking...
leader, portrayed by Willem Dafoe
Willem Dafoe
Willem Dafoe is an American film, stage, and voice actor, and a founding member of the experimental theatre company The Wooster Group...
. He does this by reminding Blades' character that his partner was brutally torture
Torture
Torture is the act of inflicting severe pain as a means of punishment, revenge, forcing information or a confession, or simply as an act of cruelty. Throughout history, torture has often been used as a method of political re-education, interrogation, punishment, and coercion...
d and murdered by the drug lord.
Characterization
In a 2003 issue of Rolling StoneRolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
, Depp was named as one of its "People of the Year," and gave an interview in which he briefly discussed his role as Sands:
The idea behind him is there was this guy I used to know in Hollywood, in the business, who on the outside was very charming – soft-spoken and almost hypnotic in the rhythm he used to speak. He refused to call me Johnny – always called me John. You knew this guy was aiming to fuck you over, but somehow you stuck around because he was just so fascinating to watch.
Depp also said in an Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
article that he "imagine[d] this guy wore really cheesy tourist shirts," that he had a "sideline obsession with Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
," and that he favored strange, obvious disguises—all three qualities can be observed in the film. It was also revealed in the director's commentary on the DVD that Depp himself came up with the character's first and middle names. He also composed the character's musical theme—the director requested that each of the main actors come up with a few bars of notes for their character, but Depp came up with the entire piece, which can be heard on the soundtrack (although the track is attributed to "Tonto's Giant Nuts," which is not Depp's band, but merely a humorous pseudonym of the actor's invention).