Review of The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966) by Jeff B — 02 Jun 2016

I may be a bit biased, for this is one of my all-time top ten films. From the outset, one is captured by the panoramic shots, close ups, and hunting sound track. And even though the story meanders a bit, nearly three hours in length, it is still a captivating story of what is good, bad, and ugly in all of us.

Some may say the film is unnecessarily brutal, but it's a reflection of one of the most brutal times in American history, the Civil War where more death and carnage occurred than any time previous or since.

Clint Eastwood is his usual cool, cold self, but it is Eli Wallach who steals the show. His character, Tuco, has got to be one of the most selfish, mean, nasty, evil men in film history. Yet at the same time, he's so silly, so pathetic, so idiotic, you can't but find a place in your heart for this villain.

And whether Blondie is Good, Blue Eyes Evil, and Tuco Ugly is questionable. They're all about as evil as can be, so maybe Blondie is only good comparatively. The relationship between Blondie and Tuco is an odd one, to say the least.

It is one that is mutually beneficially and mutually abusive, yet at the same time they appear to seek it out. In the end, the bad guy gets it, but even though good and ugly escape with a fortune, the only reason they both escape is the perverse connection they've built over time.

Moral of the story? Well, there really is none. It's just good, clean, masochistic, shoot 'em up, evil and mayhem with a very little taste of the good thrown in for, as one would say, good measure.