The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

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. (06/04/2007)

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. (07/10/2021)

It’s a high-quality western that leaves most of its competition in the dust. The main trio of actors shines, and I enjoyed their verbal showdowns. It’s also accompanied by the absolutely excellent musical score by Ennio Morricone. However, it still remains somewhat overshadowed by its younger sibling, Once Upon a Time in the West, as I find that film to have added value in its story (don’t stone me... it’s just my opinion). But back to this film. Clint Eastwood is, as always, a guarantee of quality; his gaze was made for these types of roles. And Eli Wallach, alongside him, was equally impressive; I enjoyed watching him try to outwit everyone around him. The setting during the Civil War added an extra layer of interest to the film. So yes, it’s a technically flawless film, but for me, it’s slightly hindered by the more straightforward story of searching for buried treasure. I give it a 7.5/10. (09/12/2023)

The most ambitious in content, the most magnificent in production design and the strongest in characters of the entire Dollar Trilogy. Unfortunately, it's also excruciatingly long, and as iconic as Morricone's music is, it's mostly about its central melody. Eli Wallach is the most interesting and best-acted character. But I would venture to say that Once Upon a Time in the West is qualitatively much higher. (06/04/2024)

I don't know how Leone did it. 160 minutes, each of which could be individually extracted and inserted into a scholarly film encyclopedia explaining the importance of working with mise-en-scène and narrative with a minimum of dialogue, exclusively in symbiosis with the soundtrack, the setting and the characters, who can be expected to do anything and who know things that are supposed to remain hidden from the patient viewer for a long time. Brilliant, stunning perfectionist direction, maintaining sustained tension regardless of the current nature of the scene, thanks in large part to its cold-blooded approach to its "heroes", memorable interactions between the central trio, and of course Morricone's music, as legendary and atmospheric as the film itself. There's no need to dwell on the actors, because it's hard to find anything more iconic – Wallach in particular does something incredible. If you love film and try to read it, as they say, this one must be something of an idol for you. (04/18/2011)