The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (1966)

In the mid-1960s, Clint Eastwood made three 'spaghetti' westerns in Europe under the direction of Sergio Leone. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (1966) was the third, the last, and the best of them.

The first two films, Fistful of Dollars (1964) and For a Few Dollars More (1965) had established Eastwood's murderous, loner 'Man with No Name' character. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (1966) is apparently a prequel, with the story taking place towards the end of the U.S. Civil War. The budget was greater than that for the first two films combined.

Eastwood's salary was a quarter million dollars, a high figure for that era. He was previously known for his role in the television western "Rawhide", but it was Leone's films that made him a movie star.

Director Leone was famous for his lengthy, slowly-paced dramas. Perhaps only Hitchcock could milk more tension from a scene than Leone, and by using a much different style. Hitchcock used much tighter editing and direction. His titles were shorter, as well (Notorious, Vertigo, Psycho, Frenzy).

Leone was far more deliberate, building tension through the repetition of similar shots. Eastwood agonizingly stumbles through the desert at length. The final showdown between the three protagonists is photographed from every possible viewpoint, including overhead. His titles were much longer: Once Upon a Time in the West was his big western without Eastwood, while Once Upon a Time in America (my personal favorite) was his take on the American gangster genre.

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (1966) begins by introducing the three main characters. Angel Eyes (Lee Van Cleef) is The Bad, a sadistic hitman who changes employers as often as his shirt. The Ugly is Tuco (Eli Wallach), a desperate and dangerous Mexican bandit. The Man with No Name (although Tuco calls him Blondie) is The Good (Clint Eastwood). Blondie is a taciturn gunslinger, and sometime partner of the more loquacious Tuco.

Eventually, all three men receive news about $200,000 in stolen Confederate gold. They form treacherous alliances with each other, and head towards the cemetery where it is buried. In their path are the opposing Union and Confederate armies. The scale of the war's suffering and casualties seems to dwarf the crimes of the three outlaws.

What is the meaning behind the title The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly? It's a great title, and it has been parodied even more often than The Unbearable Lightness of Being. We can understand why Angel Eyes is Bad. He enjoys the suffering of others, whether they are innocent or guilty. I suppose that Tuco is Ugly, but he's Funny more than anything else. He's also surprisingly resourceful, and is easily underestimated.

But Blondie is good? True, he feels sorry for Shorty as he is hanged. Not too sorry, however. Blondie also shows sympathy for wounded, dying soldiers. But he's not exactly good. He enjoys tormenting Tuco, and has no remorse upon killing hired gunmen. Emotionally, he's flat, as is the case with nearly all Clint Eastwood roles. His humor is dry and ironic, and his attitude is cynical and vaguely contemptuous.

While it is Eastwood whose career benefited most from the film, his laconic character is overshadowed by Tuco. Wallach has the best role, and even gets most of the best lines. Leone succeeds in making Tuco sympathetic despite his criminality. He even introduces a long-lost, disapproving brother, a priest who tells Tuco that his parents have died. Another subplot, which has Tuco and Blondie destroying a hated bridge, is not as effective.

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly (1966) did not receive heavy critical praise upon its release, perhaps due to the film's violence and slow pacing. Along with the other Leone westerns, the film was distributed by United Artists in the states, where it did excellent business. Part of its success was the Ennio Morricone score. The film's theme was an international pop hit, and may be playing in your head for days after you have seen the movie. (87/100)