Il buono, il brutto, il cattivo. (1966)

User Rating:

9.0/10   

Director:

Sergio Leone

Writers:

Luciano Vincenzoni (story) &
Sergio Leone (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

29 December 1967 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Western

Tagline:

The Man with No Name Returns !

Plot:

A bounty hunting scam joins two men in an uneasy alliance against a third in a race to find a fortune in gold buried in a remote cemetery.

Plot Keywords:

Gold | Cemetery | Honor | Hitman | Outlaw

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Eli Wallach	...	Tuco
Clint Eastwood	...	Blondie
Lee Van Cleef	...	Sentenza / Angel Eyes
Aldo Giuffrè	...	Alcoholic Union Captain
Luigi Pistilli	...	Father Pablo Ramirez
Rada Rassimov	...	Maria
Enzo Petito	...	Storekeeper
Claudio Scarchilli	...	Mexican peon
John Bartha	...	Sheriff (as John Bartho)
Livio Lorenzon	...	Baker
Antonio Casale	...	Jackson / Bill Carson
Sandro Scarchilli	...	Mexican peon
Benito Stefanelli	...	Member of Angel Eyes' Gang
Angelo Novi	...	Monk
Antonio Casas	...	Stevens
Aldo Sambrell	...	Member of Angel Eyes' Gang
Al Mulock	...	One-armed Bounty Hunter (as Al Mulloch)
Sergio Mendizábal	...	Blonde Bounty Hunter (as Sergio Mendizabal)
Antonio Molino Rojo	...	Capt. Harper (as Molino Rocho)
Lorenzo Robledo	...	Member of Angel Eyes' Gang
Mario Brega	...	Cpl. Wallace
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Chelo Alonso	...	Stevens' Wife (uncredited)
Román Ariznavarreta	...	Bounty Hunter (uncredited)
Frank Braña	...	Bounty Hunter #2 (uncredited)
Saturno Cerra	...	Bounty Hunter (uncredited)
Luigi Ciavarro	...	Member of Angel Eye's Gang (uncredited)
William Conroy	...	Confederate Soldier (uncredited)
Jesús Guzmán	...	Pardue the Hotel Owner (uncredited)
Víctor Israel	...	Sergeant at Confederate Fort (uncredited)
Nazzareno Natale	...	Mexican Bounty Hunter (uncredited)
Ricardo Palacios	...	Bartender in Socorro (uncredited)
Romano Puppo	...	Clem (uncredited)
Antonio Ruiz	...	Stevens' Youngest Son (uncredited)
Aysanoa Runachagua	...	Pistolero recruited by Tuco in the cave (uncredited)
Enrique Santiago	...	Mexican Bounty Hunter (uncredited)
José Terrón	...	Thomas 'Shorty' Larson (uncredited)

Directed by
Sergio Leone

Writing credits
Luciano Vincenzoni		(story) &
Sergio Leone		(story)
Agenore Incrocci		(screenplay) (as Age) &
Furio Scarpelli		(screenplay) (as Scarpelli) &
Luciano Vincenzoni		(screenplay) &
Sergio Leone		(screenplay)

Produced by
Alberto Grimaldi	....	producer

Original Music by
Ennio Morricone

Cinematography by
Tonino Delli Colli		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Eugenio Alabiso
Nino Baragli
Joe D'Augustine		(extended English-language version)

Costume Design by
Carlo Simi

Makeup Department
Rino Carboni	....	makeup artist
Rino Todero	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Fernando Cinquini	....	production manager
Aldo Pomilia	....	production supervisor
Gray Frederickson	....	production manager: USA (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Fabrizio Gianni	....	assistant director
Giancarlo Santi	....	assistant director

Art Department
Carlo Leva	....	assistant art director
Carlo Simi	....	sets
Tani	....	equipment

Sound Department
James Alfaro	....	second engineer (2003 extended English-language version)
Vittorio De Sisti	....	sound engineer
George Haddad	....	sound designer (2003 extended English-language version)
Kent Harrison Hayes	....	audio restoration and remastering services (2003 extended English-language version)
Bob Lacivita	....	re-recording sound mixer (2003 extended English-language version)
Preston Martin	....	second engineer (2003 extended English-language version)
Garry Morris	....	audio restoration and remastering services (2003 extended English-language version)
Elio Pacella	....	sound engineer
Alan Porzio	....	adr editing (2003 extended English-language version)
Alan Porzio	....	adr recordist (2003 extended English-language version)
Nathan Scruggs	....	second engineer (2003 extended English-language version)
Fausto Ancillai	....	sound mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Eros Bacciucchi	....	special effects
Giovanni Corridori	....	special effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Fabio Testi	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Franco Di Giacomo	....	camera operator
Sergio Salvati	....	assistant camera

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Antonelli	....	costumes

Editorial Department
Neri Nazzareno	....	final colorist

Music Department
Giuseppe Mastroianni	....	music recordist
Bruno Nicolai	....	musical director

Other crew
Carlo Bartolini	....	production assistant
Serena Canevari	....	script girl
Luigi Corbo	....	production secretary
Jack DeLeon	....	adr talent (extended English-language version) (as Christopher Weeks)
Mickey Knox	....	dubbing director (english language version)
Eugenio Lardani	....	title designer (as Lardani)
Antonio Palombi	....	production secretary
André Sogliuzzo	....	adr talent (extended English-language version) (as Andre Sogliuzzo)
Federico Tofi	....	production assistant
Emilio Cigoli	....	voice dubbing: Lee Van Cleef (uncredited)
Nando Gazzolo	....	voice dubbing: Luigi Pistilli (uncredited)
Pino Locchi	....	voice dubbing: Aldo Giuffrè (uncredited)
Glauco Onorato	....	voice dubbing: Al Mulock (uncredited)
Luigi Pavese	....	voice dubbing: Antonio Casas (uncredited)
Nino Pavese	....	voice dubbing: John Bartha (uncredited)
Bruno Persa	....	voice dubbing: Victor Israel (uncredited)
Mario Pisu	....	voice dubbing: Livio Lorenzon (uncredited)
Carlo Romano	....	voice dubbing: Eli Wallach (uncredited)
Enrico Maria Salerno	....	voice dubbing: Clint Eastwood (uncredited)
Rita Savagnone	....	voice dubbing: Rada Rassimov (uncredited)
Renato Turi	....	voice dubbing: Mario Brega (uncredited)

Thanks
Clint Eastwood	....	special thanks (2003 extended English-language version)
Alberto Grimaldi	....	special thanks (2003 extended English-language version)
Eli Wallach	....	special thanks (2003 extended English-language version)

Production Companies

• Arturo González Producciones Cinematográficas, S.A
• Constantin Film Produktion
• Produzioni Europee Associati (PEA)

Distributors

• United Artists (1967) (USA) (theatrical) (dubbed)
• United Artists (1968) (France) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1967) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• United Artists Films (1968) (Finland) (theatrical) (cut version)
• United Films Finland (1984) (Finland) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1974) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere) (pan/scan)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Cinema Mondo (2003) (Finland) (theatrical) (restored version)
• Gloria Film A/S (2002) (Denmark) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (2003) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Park Circus (2008) (UK) (theatrical) (re-issue)
• United Artists (1968) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment Japan (2000-2005) (Japan) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment Japan (2007) (Japan) (DVD)
• FS Film Oy (2004) (Finland) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (Europe) (2000) (UK) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2000) (Germany) (VHS)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2004) (Germany) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2003) (France) (VHS)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2004) (France) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (199?) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Pioneer LDC (1993) (Japan) (video) (laserdisc)
• Sony Pictures Entertainment (2006) (Japan) (DVD)
• Svensk Filmindustri (SF) (2004) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Svensk Filmindustri (SF) (2009) (Sweden) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Warner Home Video (1999) (Germany) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1999) (Japan) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1994) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Vidéo (1996) (France) (VHS)

Other Companies

• American Movie Classics (AMC)  special thanks (as AMC) (2003 extended English-language version)
• Cantonri Moderni of Allessandroni  choir
• Cineteca Nazionale C.S.C  special thanks (as Cineteca Nazionale, Italy) (2003 extended English-language version)
• Dolby Laboratories  special thanks (2003 extended English-language version)
• Elios Film  interiors
• Eureka Edizioni Musicali  music publishing
• Film Foundation, The  special thanks (2003 extended English-language version)
• Hollywood Title  end titles by (2003 extended English-language version)
• Intersound  audio restoration and remastering services (2003 extended English-language version)
• Orchestra Cinefonica Italiana  orchestra
• Technicolor Rome  special thanks (2003 extended English-language version)
• The Studios of International Recording  score recording facility
• Western Costume Company  costumes

Also Known As:

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (UK) (USA)
El bo, el lleig i el dolent (Spain: Catalan title)
El bueno, el feo y el malo (Spain)
I due magnifici straccioni (Italy) (working title)
The Good, the Ugly, the Bad (USA) (literal English title)
The Magnificent Rogues (UK)
Zwei glorreiche Halunken (West Germany)

Runtime:

161 min | France:186 min (dubbed version) | Spain:182 min | UK:180 min (re-release) | 179 min (2005 DVD Special Edition) | Finland:142 min (1984) (cut version)

Country:

Italy | Spain | West Germany

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #21520) | Canada:18 (Nova Scotia) (extended version) (2003) | Canada:A (Nova Scotia) (original rating) | Italy:VM14 | Spain:13 | Finland:K-16 (cut) (1968) | Norway:16 (1982) | Australia:MA (re-rating) (2003) | South Korea:12 | Brazil:14 | Germany:16 (DVD release) | West Germany:16 (nf) (re-rating) | West Germany:18 (nf) (original rating) | Portugal:M/12 (DVD rating) | UK:15 (2008) | USA:TV-14 (cable rating) | Argentina:16 | Australia:R (original rating) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) (original rating) | Canada:G (Quebec) (re-rating) (2003) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | Chile:18 | France:-16 (original rating) | France:U (re-rating) | Iceland:16 | Ireland:15 (re-rating) | Ireland:18 (original rating) | New Zealand:M (video rating) | New Zealand:R13 (Special Edition DVD) | Norway:15 | Singapore:PG | Sweden:15 | UK:18 (video rating) (1986) | UK:X (original rating) (cut) | USA:M (re-rating) (1969) | USA:R (re-rating) (1989) | Netherlands:12 (DVD rating)

Filming Locations:

Almería, Andalucía, Spain

Company:

Arturo González Producciones Cinematográficas, S.A

Trivia:

Sergio Leone first had Gian Maria Volontè in mind as "The Ugly".

Goofs:

Anachronisms: In the opening, when Eli Wallach is shown in close-up, he has an obvious cap or crown on a tooth.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Stevens: You're... from Baker... Tell Baker that I told him all that I know already. Tell him I want to live in peace, understand? That it's no use to go on tormenting me! I know nothing at all about that case of coins. Now that gold has disappeared, but if he'd listened, we could have avoided this altogether. I went to the Army court; there were no witnesses. They couldn't uncover any more. I can't tell Baker what happened to the money; go back and tell him that!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Mist (2007)

Soundtrack:

The Good, The Bad And The Ugly

Sergio Leone's penultimate Italian-western; a film that gets better with each passing year...

...and though those last several words could also be attributed to Leone's "Once Upon a Time" films (West and America) as well as the other pieces in his trilogy of films with Clint Eastwood- Fistful of Dollars and For a Few More Dollars- arguably this is the most ambitious and spellbinding one of the bunch, and one that has inspired (i.e. Quentin Tarantino, Sam Raimi, Robert Rodriguez) and will most likely continue to inspire filmmakers and fans into the 21st century. There's something in The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly that's nearly (or perhaps is) mythical in it's craft, certain scenes come off as being more than relevant and exquisite for that scene/sequence- it transcends into aspects of humanity.

For example, in the first part of the film (this is after the extraordinary introductions to Tuco, played by Eli Wallach, Sentenza or 'Angel Eyes', played by Lee Van Cleef, and as Blondie by a 35/36 year old Clint), Joe gets Tuco out of a hanging, which is something of a regular practice for them, but Joe decides to leave his 'buddy' out in the desert to walk the rest of the way back into town. A little later, the situation gets reversed, as Tuco has a horse and water and Joe doesn't, and they both go to cross the desert. Leone decides to not follow Tuco coming back to town as much as he follows in earnest Tuco and Joe going across that desert, as Joe starts to burn and dry up, going towards a story that will soon unfold. There is something to these scenes that I can barely describe, that they're executed in the mind-set of a Western, but in the abstract Leone lets the audience know this is a story that is bold and bigger than life.

What makes much of the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly such a huge success is the trust Leone had in his own style he spun into his own after the first two westerns, his trust in his collaborators, and in his leading players as well. I, for one, had to mistakenly figure out that it is near depressing to watch this film on a regular VCR tape due to the pan & scan process. There is such a clear, distinct visual scope that Leone and camera director Tonino Delli Colli achieve that it's practically a must to get the DVD (preferably the extended version, which was Leone's original cut more or less). The editing, too, is unique in many sequences (the climax is the most noted and memorable). The score, with usual collaborator Ennio Morricone, is one of the landmark movie scores, and themes, of not just in the western genre but in all movie history. And the three main players who take on the screen have their own chops to show off: Eastwood, technically, was playing a Joe that took place before Fistful of Dollars, yet by this film had it down to a T (it's still my favorite performance from him, despite having few words and reactions); Cleef's cold, cunning Angel Eyes steals the scenes he's in; ditto for Wallach, who gets under the skin of his co-patriots as much as he sometimes does under the viewer's.

Overall, The Good, the Bad and Ugly, is an entirely satisfying western, at least one of my five favorites ever made, and it's an endearing bravo to all who were involved. A++