The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is a 1966 western film directed by Sergio Leone, starring Clint Eastwood, Eli Wallach, Lee Van Cleef. It drew a wide audience and shaped its genre.
Plot
In the American Southwest during the Civil War, a mercenary known as "Angel Eyes" interrogates a former Confederate soldier to learn the alias of a man who stole a stash of Confederate gold. The soldier, Stevens, reveals the man's alias, Bill Carson, and attempts to bribe Angel Eyes to kill his employer before drawing on him. Angel Eyes kills him and, returning to his employer, kills him as well. Mexican bandit Tuco Ramírez, fleeing from bounty hunters, is captured by an unnamed drifter he nicknames "Blondie" who delivers him to a sheriff and collects the bounty. As Tuco is about to be hanged, Blondie severs the noose with a rifle bullet and the two escape to split the bounty.
Production
Written by Luciano Vincenzoni and Sergio Leone, the film was produced by United Artists. Ennio Morricone composed the score. Tonino Delli Colli handled the cinematography. The film runs 161 minutes. The crew and editing refined every shot.
Reception
On a budget of $1,200,000, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly grossed $38,900,000 worldwide at the box office. A critic consensus praised its screenplay and score.
Legacy
Its legacy endures through a remake, a sequel and a lasting franchise; later cinema cites its influence and symbolism.
See also
References
- "The 100 Greatest Films of All Time". topfilms100. Retrieved 30 June 2026.
- Ebert, Roger. The Great Movies. Broadway Books.
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