Profit slinging

I have to agree with Kenneth Turan that the current Autry Center Museum of the American West’s showing on the westerns of Sergio Leone is a successful and rare museum film exhibition [“The Rare Film Exhibit That Works,” Aug. 7]. The movie props and costumes on display, plus the audio of all the Ennio Morricone compositions and the videos of insightful interviews are superb.

But Turan did not see the price tags on the items in the Autry’s museum shop when he commented on how that shop was “getting right into the spirit of things.” Consider the outrageous prices for the Man With No Name knockoff poncho ($500), and the vest imitating one Eastwood wore underneath ($325).

The exhibition was good, but I think Leone would think the museum shop’s exploitation of the work he created was bad and ugly as well as expensive.

STEVE ROTHMAN

Los Angeles