The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

An absolute pinnacle of filmmaking. And probably one of the works that had the biggest influence on me early on in my film development. I remember back then being hypnotized by the overlong images, the minimalist dialogue, the stylistic mannerisms on the small TV at my parents' cottage. I for the most part didn't know much about what any scene was about until now, and it didn't matter at all. Even a few minutes after watching it, the film feels a bit like a dream. Leone wasn't just rewriting western canons, he was writing general formal laws of the genre that are still in use to this day. And not just in film, but in comics and video games as well. The work with character attributes (Eastwood's casual attitude compared to Wallach's neurotic approach, Tuco's signature custom gun), the purely superficial building of iconic shots (the gunslingers slowly disappearing into the dust after the explosion), the naturalistic cynicism ("Sorry Shorty. "), or, for example, the seemingly pointless battle sequence, which in its perfectionist handling of extras and set pieces faithfully recalls wartime illustrations of the American Civil War. Superficial Mannerist cinematography at its finest. Coppola's attention to detail, Tarkovsky's patience, a pulp story. Plus some purely music video passages, of which this is the leader, quite understandably. (10/07/2021)

Leone's typically boundless western genius is imbued with a unique composition of shots, a phenomenal soundtrack and completely filigree work with dynamics and tension, which culminates in the final triple duel. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly has all the essential features of a spaghetti western, including the occasional drag and epic breadth that borders on madness. But this gold digger road movie also enchants through its slow pace, with the gourmet care through which it clings to detail, and the delicate mosaic. In my opinion, one of the best directed and set-to-music films of all time. A magical affair. (04/06/2007)

You see, in this world, there are two kinds of people, my friend. Those with loaded guns and those who dig. So dig. Three gunslingers, one treasure and maybe the best western that I’ve ever seen. This time it’s the ugly Eli Wallach, who accidentally gets involved with the American Civil War, who holds the story together. Lee Van Cleef’s Angel Eyes stands a little aside from the main story line, but he makes up for it with almost textbook villainy. And there’s Blondie Clint who, with Leone, thought up the climax to this dollar trilogy. Including the surreptitious return of the scruffy poncho to the game and the breathtaking three-way duel in the finale. (09/09/2009)

An interesting story, straightforward and perfectly resolved. Morricene's catchy melody got under my skin again, Clint had charisma to spare in his younger days and Eli Wallach as the bad guy you actually root for is great. But it lacked something, something very little, to be perfect and I couldn't help comparing it to the brilliant Once Upon a Time in the West. The latter is a flawless five-star affair, this one has a few lapses in logic and especially a strange plot insert with armies fighting over a bridge, where Eastwood and Wallach went about as if they could not die. Otherwise, no complaints. (30/08/2004)

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is not only a perfect conclusion to The Dollars Trilogy, but it is also an absolute gem of film history. Every aspect of this epic film is phenomenal, with each viewing as unique to me as the first and you just can’t argue with the claim that it is perhaps the best movie of all time. (17/10/2018)