Aldo Giuffre, Angelo Novi, Antonio Casale

A cashbox containing $200,000, that was stolen and hidden in an unmarked grave, is the focus of three men: two criminals and a stranger.

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93% liked it

108,819 ratings

Critics

98% liked it

58 critics

R, 3 hrs.

Directed by: Sergio Leone

Release Date: December 23, 1966

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DVD Release Date: November 18, 1997

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Stats: 11,869 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (11,869)


  • September 23, 2009
    "You see, in this world there's two kinds of people, my friend: Those with loaded guns and those who dig. You dig."

    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.

    ...( read more)ize=+2 face="Century Schoolbook">REVIEW
    Sergio Leone during his three decade career crafted five confirmed masterpieces out of the seven films he made total. His films are always profound, personal and meditative on the subject. The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly is perhaps his greatest achievement along with Once Upon A Time In America and Once Upon A Time In The West. If one is familiar with the western genre, they would recognize a number of signature camera techniques and music. Leone's film singlehandedly changed the way people viewed the western. The gun by the hand camera shot, the juxtaposed sweeping cinematography and sudden closeups. The iconic film score is a piece of music everyone has heard at one point in their lives even if they do not recognize it as being from The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.

    It is poetic in every sense of the word. Leone's clear passion for the subject shines through in the lovingly crafted sets including an absolutely stunning Civil War sequence which is almost a film in itself. The plot is basically a simple treasure hunt which grows into a violent opera of betrayal, revenge, and greed. Clint Eastwood and Eli Wallach share the knowledge of the whereabouts of $200,000 in Civil War blood money. They are partners and friends but they harbor a love/hate relationship and both men would be willing to betray and kill the other if it meant a profit. As a dying Confederate soldier confesses the location of the treasure, through a set of circumstances which I will not reveal, Eastwood (The Good) is given the name of the grave in which the loot is buried and Wallach (The Ugly) finds out where the cemetery is and as such they rely upon each other to be successful in the search. When Lee Van Cleef (The Bad), a ruthless killer and gun for hire, is able to find out where the graveyard containing the treasure is, it turns into a brutal race between the men to reach the treasure.

    It stunningly mixes realism and the mythology of the west into an epic that will stand the test of time for years to come and takes its place among classics such as The Godfather and Raging Bull as one of the greatest films of all time.
  • September 14, 2009
    A spectacular western masterpice. An instant classic. It's loaded with explosive action and breathtaking atmosphere. One of the greatest westerns ever made. Director, Sergio Leone has left his mark with his virtusso style in music, landscape, characters, mood and performances fro...( read more)m the cast. His finest work ever as a filmmaker. One of the best directed movies of all time. Truly unforgettable and sensational. It's wildly entertaining and breathtaking. A trio of great performances. Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef and Eli Wallach are teriffic.
  • July 28, 2009
    This is perhaps the greatest western of all time. Not that I've seen many westerns...just...how could this NOT be?

    Script: 10/10. Spellbinding. Perfect. Simply incredibly structured and awesome in every way.
    Acting: 10/10. Eastwood. Nuff said.
    Directing: 10/10. JUST BA...( read more)LLIN ON EVERY LEVEL

    Perfect Western, perfect movie, holy shit what an accomplishment. Too much fun watching this bad a$$ brotha.
  • July 23, 2009
    The third of the Man With No Name trilogy, though Eastwood is called Blondie in this picture. This spaghetti western doesn't have as much of a variety of international actors in the cast compared to A Fistful of Dollars. In fact, the movie is so focused on the good guy (Eastwoo...( read more)d), the bad guy (Cleef), and the ugly guy (Wallach) that all the other actors are lucky to have more than two lines in one scene. There aren't really any other major characters. And the three title characters are all Americans. The sparse dialog, the panoramas, the music, the suspense all make for an enjoyable movie experience. The DVD I have has the film extended to play like the original Italian premiere instead of with a half hour of footage cut out for the slimmer American run. I don't know exactly what footage was put back in, but it all flowed very well. This story even includes the theme of the futility of war through showing all the lives lost in the American Civil War. Yet, it is still a shoot-em-up western where a good number of people die by the anti-heroes hand. Anyways, there are some epic battle scenes, but all the fighting just gets in the way of Eastwood, Wallach, and Cleef fighting amongst themselves to be the first one to find a buried treasure.

    Eastwood has good chemistry with Wallach! They share most of the movie. I loved Eli Wallach's character Tuco in this movie! He's so funny, energetic, resourceful, dirty, and sympathetic (you care for him more because of a couple of the scenes that I'm guessing were added back in from Leone's Italian cut).
  • July 18, 2009
    What can I say, truely the best western ever made. So many classic show stopping scenes its amazing. The gun fights, the characters, the landscapes, action and the soundtrack is haunting. The ending sequence is outstanding.
  • November 6, 2009
    ADORO TODOS OS FILMES FEITOS POR ESTA GRANDE ARTISTA
  • November 5, 2009
    Awsome old school Clint Eastwood flick..
  • November 3, 2009
    The best spaghetti Western of Sergio Leone!!
  • November 3, 2009
    one of the best western
    every time i see one of the masterpieces of Clint Eastwood, i ask myself why hasn't he won a best actor Oscar!!!
  • November 1, 2009
    I'd pay for Eastwood sleeping.
    Or reading the periodic table. Do you feel lucky, hydrogen?

Critic Reviews


September 11, 2003
Colin Covert, The Minneapolis Star Tribune

Leone's blockbuster is balanced on the razor's edge between popular entertainment and art film. It took classic American themes and turned them inside out. full review

August 5, 2003
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Art it is, summoned out of the imagination of Leone and painted on the wide screen so vividly that we forget what marginal productions these films were. full review

August 1, 2003
Ty Burr, Boston Globe

The uncut new print reclaims the widescreen majesty of Tonino Delli Colli's cinematography, allowing you to see every iconic wart and furrow on every bad guy's face. full review

View more Il Buono, il Brutto, il Cattivo. (The Good, the Bad and the Ugly) reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments


  • NicoA18
    October 16, 2008
    Ah, try this personlity test
    http://www.flixster.com/personalities/which-of-these-westerns-would-you-like-the-most?retake=true

    Which of these westerns would you like the most
  • VilaVila
    August 16, 2007
    My favorite western, I loved it. Perfect actors, plot, costumes. And the music is amazing!!! And the end is unforgettable!!! My God, he deserved an Academy Award, if not for this, for any other!! He was one of the greatest.
    But this is, and will always be, my fav.
  • kronicmama
    June 11, 2007
    I have watched this movie like thirty times and I never get sick of it!!
  • paentra
    January 26, 2007
    That's the best western of cinema.that's really perfect. everything in film makes me crazy
  • ramsis12
    January 25, 2007
    one of the greatest western movies,i don't know where to start,i like evrything in the movie,cast,directing,music all are perfect.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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Il Buono, il Brutto, il Cattivo. (The Good, the Bad and the Ugly) Trivia

Il Buono, il Brutto, il Cattivo. ... Trivia


  • Arch Stanton is dead before the action begins in a classic film but he has a crucial role in the denouement of the plot. Which film?  Answer »
  • -"When it's time to shoot, shoot don't talk" -"There's two kinds of people in this world: those who have guns, and those who dig. You dig." -"name of the cemetery is....Sand Hill. -the name on the grave is.....Arch Stanton. -eh?Arch Stan-ton?" Are quotes from which classic western film?  Answer »
  • Name this movie for which this music belongs.  Answer »
  • Figure out the movie title using the missing words. ___ Day After Tomorrow The ____ Girl A Night At ___ Roxburry ___ Santa Me, Myself, ___ Irene ___ Italian Job Cayote ____  Answer »

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