The Union Soldiers didn't cover their uniform with dust to look like Confederates, they went through an area of alkali that covered them. This is a tremendous detail that showed that the directors knew their history and geography of America.
Honestly, people still don't take what Tuco says seriously. That line is almost proof of satire because to this day people still do 5 hour villain monologues.
When I was a child I asked my father 'why are there so many jokes about Chuck Norris but none about Clint Eastwood?' He leant forward look me straight in the eyes and said 'because Clint Eastwood is no joke'.
I found Tuco's scene with his brother was among the strongest in painting his character. His brther was a cleric, and yet he had to say "sorry" to Tuco for leaving him to look after his mother while the brother took the easy route to work for the church. I never made the link with Blondie only injuring Angel Eyes, killing him only after he was forced to. Interesting!
same here, the apolgies of the brother to Tuco make the scene perfect. It always touches me, and I remember seeing Tuco as a different person after this scene.
I do find it remarkable how Blondie could aim for a non lethal spot on Angel Eyes’ body, at the range they were at from one another, while shooting from the hip on the spur of the moment, having no time to aim, and with a gun that is very inaccurate. What a guy?
@@gilgamesh310 Seen the opening to Fistful of Dollars from presumably the same character? Get three coffins ready, sorry, my mistake, four. He was a confident gunman
@@rakshithm1257 yes he is, people said his nearly death experience in the desert change him to that non lethal mindset,and maybe the war that he view in the trench change him too
I'm right with this guy! I've always loved this film, but this review made me really think more deeply about certain aspects of it (and it's been quite a while since I watched it last, so this is like a breath of fresh air, like I'm seeing parts of it again for the first time, or at least in a new light - especially practically everything about the Civil War, I always thought of that as more of a backdrop to give the movie more realism and life, instead of part of the film's interwoven life itself - maybe I should've paid more attention to those parts to begin with) and now I really want to re-watch it, when I actually have about 3 hours to spare, haha.
@@JacksMovieReviews the length of a movie should have nothing to do with the quality. When i first saw this movie it was over before i knew it. It takes true talent to make a 3 hour movie fast paced and entertaining. Great retrospect by the way
I watched this movie so many times and have the theme as a ringtone. My son came in the house one day, 2 years old, heard the, “duh dunna nuuuuh,” and I heard my son say, “wah wah wah.” I’ve never been so proud of that boy as I was that day.
Critics reaction to this movie on its time is proof of two things: 1- You have to wait 20 years to see if a movie is actually good, and 2-Critics actually know jack shit.
Hands down the greatest western ever. That it didn't win every single Academy Award available that year is contemptible. Absolute contender for greatest film ever made. Pure perfection.
This film was NOT a Hollywood picture. A movie THIS phenomenal can NEVER come from a money, pop culture media factory like the self- important "academy" that rewards itself and celebrates its own achievements regardless of Audience Opinion. I'm just grateful that this film was made Back In The Day when Independent filmmakers had Real GUTS and IMAGINATION. I ONLY watch old flicks now.
Just for explanation: Inspite all its three main stars being Americans and delivering their dialogue in English the movie itself was entirely an Italian production and therefore wasn't allowed to compete in the annual oscars ceremony at the time. A movie must at least partially be co-produced by an American production company to be eligible for any regular Oscars. The AMPAS and the Academy Awards were originally created to point out and honor outstanding achievements of the American movie industry exclusively, thus the Oscars from their origins are actually NOT an international and open film festival like Cannes, Berlin or Venice for instance. Therefore it was simply formally impossible for Morricone to win an Oscar for this iconic score or even get a nomination, even if the soundtrack went to become a megaseller in the USA too after the release of the movie there. In fact only a few years after WW2 and to compete with these international film festivals the AMPAS introduced the 'Best Foreign Language Picture'-category (today: 'Best International Picture') in order to open the Oscar event also for foreign movies a little bit.
What is it about this movie that never gets old? I've must have seen it a dozen times or more and I still get mesmerized by it. The soundtrack is out of this world.
I watch this movie at least 3 times a year... especially in snowy dark winter days.. i feel warm just watching it!! and every time i watch it is like i am watching it for the very first time!
I watch it once a year but same as you in winter time. Recently the whole trilogy was at the local old fashioned cinema here and that is, my friend, a real pleasure to watch. I am very happy that my daughters adore the trilogy as well.
Not only the greatest western... one of the greatest moments in cinematic history, in my opinion. Has some of the most instantly recognisable scenes, some of the best characters ever cast, and a music score that is iconic. I still love this film today, and is one of the few I can watch over and over and still not tire of it. And Sergio Leone was a true visionary. I think For A Few Dollars More was also an exceptional western, with Eastwood and Van Cleef acting as partners against the Indio gang... and that had an equally iconic music score with the watch chimes.
The last 10 minutes of this movie is pure cinema ecstasy. Incredibly beautiful cinematography and musical score all ending in a crescendo of Blondie’s pistol shot. I remember as kid being at the edge of my seat for those last 10 minutes.
I'm a little mystified at one thing. "Joe" is apparently the same character, but he obtains the trade-mark serape in the last movie and "Angel Eyes"/Colonel is at least two if not three different people in the three films. I can live with "Blondie" not being a blond. I think in Italian the word means "whitey" which would sound too racist even in 1967.
It's definitely up there, for a little while after all three were released, Leone was adamantly against calling it a trilogy, after he came to America, he started calling it a trilogy, that could be for marketing or something else, but either way, a truly great series of movies!
Arian Serrano The Stoic Philosophy promotes 4 virtues. Courage, Justice, Wisdom and Temperance. All of these virtues are on full display throughout the film. Blondie shows that there's an appropriate time to be ruthless and an appropriate to be good. He becomes kinder throughout the film as he's sees more and more death and gives the dying soldier a drag. He even initially shoots to wound Angel Eyes and only kills him when he has to. Also Tuco is an extremely Unlikely character but as we learn more about his background and family he is revealed to have traits most necessary to surviving his harsh environment. Just my two cents.
Wonderful, insightful analysis as always - of what I consider a flawless movie! Love Eli Wallach! For those interested in the technical aspects: It was fantastic what Sergio Leone was able to do with the Techniscope format, sometimes referred to as "the poor man's CinemaScope". The cinematography is simply outstanding! This format was meant as a low cost alternative to the expensive CinemaScope/anamorphic Panavision, since it uses only half of the height of a full 35mm frame (Academy 3.75:1), the claw mechanism (together with a smaller gate) of modified Mitchell and Arriflex cameras pulling down two perforations for each frame instead of four. This not only cuts film cost in half but you also can get twice the time out of a single film mag (22 minutes instead of 11 from a standard 1000 ft roll). The huge advantage of Techniscope was that it allowed for a wide choice of readily available, much more affordable, sharp spherical lenses, including very wide angles which enabled Leone to get those iconic deep focus shots where faces and landscapes become one. The format slowly ceased to be used during the 1970s, because of one extra step in the production pipeline which became increasingly expensive: a transfer to anamorphic 35mm for theatrical release prints. American Graffiti (1973) by George Lucas was entirely shot in Techniscope. Recently the format has been rediscovered (modern 35mm film cameras easily allow for that format among others) since the extra step is eliminated through scanning the camera originals directly. That is also the reason why the restored Leone westerns look so stunningly sharp and rich. Recent examples of movies shot in Techniscope include: Shame (2011), parts of Argo (2012) and American Hustle (2013).
Just 2 flaws in this movie: both involve Tuco, when him and Blondie get out of town and when Tuco hops onto the train scenes. Both are ran too fast, so bad editing on Leone's behalf. Other than that, this movie is a masterpiece. 4.5 stars, with 1 star given to the music score alone.
Actually, from a technical standpoint the Techniscope is a better format. In respect to the CinemaScope since you could use simple spherical lenses, you didn't loose anything in horizontal resolution (you gain something actually) and you did loose very little in the vertical one. More, you don't have the "CinemaScope mumps" effect that plagued the CinemaScope movies. Leone's typical close-ups would have been ridicolous with CinemaScope, not by chance he directed in Techniscope "Once Upon a Time in the West" too, even if he had all the money he wanted for that movie. The problem was that Cinemascope was only a shooting tecnique, not a reproduction one. There were not Cinemascope projectors, so the film, shot in 9.47X22mm, had to be converted in 18.6X22mm, using anamorfic lenses, to be projected by standard CinemaScope projectors (so passing another time through anamorfic lenses), and that worsened the quality of the image once seen in cinemas. But, if you see the restored "For a Few Dollars More" copy (digitalised from the original 9.47X22mm film), the quality is outstanding.
I really remember watching this movie when I was 4 years old.. so that means Ive probably watch this movie 50 times give or take five. This movie never fails to take me to a different time a different place a different circumstance. People talk about the seven wonders of the world, to me this movie fits right into that category. I feel this movie is a masterpiece a great accomplishment of human imagination and direction.
This movie received mixed reviews back in 1966 because although being a "genre" movie, has a strong political point of view and depicts the USA for what they really are: a nation based on violence, death and greed. And Leone did all this with accuracy and love for history. Worth to mention he gave the american public a hint of what happened with concentration camps during Civil War, 80 years before Nazi Germany.
To quote you, "one of the best movies ever made" ... the acting (especially the three central), the photography, the actors (including all the casting) and the incredible music (a genius composer) ... made perfect by the incredibly complex moral undertones of the script!
I remember being under the age of 8 and seeing the scene where Clint finds the dying solider in the church and he give him a couple hits of his cigar I remember asking my dad why he did that and my dad said “To give him one of his last pleasures” now rewatching the movie the first time as a 20 yr old that scene had me tearing up. In a world with no morals especially in an era of war a little good can go such a long way. To give a man one last pleasure before death after seeing what all those young men went through. And also Clint seeing Tucos situation with his brother and Tuco just hearing about his mom being passed for quite a while. Then tuco just going on and on about how things were fine then Clint saying “theres nothing like a cigar after a good meal” and giving tuco a cigar just really showed so much on how he cared. I love this movie and idk just that response my dad said to me just kinda stuck with me. I love it
I never understood, years ago, why i liked this movie so much more than other westerns, especially John wayne westerns. Everyone acts like hes such a legend and such an amazing actor, but i find him appallingly stereotypical of your imagination of a "hero" ... hes always so uninteresting and has the same tone all the time. But this movie the feeling is so incredible. Such flawlessness. Not to mention clint eastwood plays the badass so perfectly.
Well he definitely reflected his personality in his movies there is a reason y John Wayne was triggered by Westerns like High Noon and The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, not just because they were real threats to him and his niche that he was successful with but also they de-glamorize certain lifestyles that occurred in the Western era and what not. John Wayne would literally love to stick around and play that typically "hero" stereotype to portray stereotypical masculinity. Only reason y "The Searchers" and "The Quiet Man" are so good is because director John Ford was an extremely talented director that could sneak in many different other elements to exemplify certain real life problems though. John Wayne IMO is the most overrated actor ever. Even more overrated than Harrison Ford and Tom Cruise tbh
The best scene is tuco and his brother exchange. If paying close attention to detail. The callback at the opening solidified tuco nature and the world he lived in. When angel eyes kills the father and son. The ret. Outlaw and his family. Tuco said "you gone to the path of priest while I walk to the life of bandit" telling that there family or most likely tuco's father may be an outlaw and died such a way living there mother all the responsibility leading her to the grave. Man this film is such God tier story writing
Could be wrong, but I never thought Blondie took Tuco's bullets out because he was worried he turned on him. Always seemed to me it was simply so he could take one person out of the equation and simply focus his attention on Angel Eyes without the presence of Tuco being a distraction.
@@kurtvonfricken6829 very true. He didnt expect Angel Eyes to show up . You can tell he was suprised when Angel Eyes threw the shovel at their feet. He didnt expect him. He just didnt trust Tuco but still seen cared about him in a way. He left him a bag of money afterall
Angel eyes did know what grave yard, but not witch grave, of coarse he's going to show up, the question was when. Blondie may have emptied Tuco's gun getting to the point were most turn on each other. and we know their alliance wasn't really all that strong. at least it did have a "history" .
Blondie didnt expect angel eyes to turn up at the graveyard. He took the bullets out so tuco couldnt shoot him in the back when they got the loot. Blondie didnt trust tuco at all.
I remember watching the trilogy for the first time 2 years ago and thinking wow Sergio Leone will never top this. Then I watched Once Upon a Time in the West and Once Upon a Time in America. And was floored beyond belief
Wow! This is the most concise and comprehensive review of this great movie I've ever come across. That the critics of the time, when this movie first came out, completely missed everything you pointed out, blows my mind. And it says something about the genius of Sergio Leone, that he was able to take these cliches of the western, and make of them something new and exciting, and enduring. And, of course, we can never forget that classic score by Ennio Morricone (RIP). 😔
One of the best indeed. One thing I would add is a comment on the second-last scene,Tuco’s mad run around the graveyard. That plus the last scene are, in my opinion, the best use of music in Cinema.
I loved this film the first time I watched it, which was a while back, but I didnt take in how big of an impact the war had on the story in the film. Thank you for this insightful analysis
First off, I don't think the Union soldiers intentionally covered themselves in dust. It rather seems to have accumulated from the long march. Secondly, I disagree with the reasoning you give for Blondie unloading Tuco's gun. I agree it was to ensure he wouldn't shoot Blondie, but to not shoot Angel Eyes seems like a stretch. Blondie even by the end was no paradigm of justice, he just wanted what was coming his way and was more than willing to kill both if it came to it. He also knowingly spared Tuco by removing the bullets. Blondie and Tuco needed each other equally to get to the gold, even without the exchange of information, and Blondie knew it. They were even, Blondie owed Tuco one last good turn after a series of mistreatment. Great review of a great movie btw.
I agree with your assessment. However, Blondie emptied Tuco's gun so that the three way dual was, in effect, a dual between Blondie and Angel Eyes. Blondie new he only had to worry about Angel Eyes, thus gaining an advantage in the stand-off. Further, you will note that right after Blondie wounded Angel Eyes, he looked to see at whom Tuco was pointing his empty gun, and it was towards Angel Eyes. This act of Tuco's redeemed him in Blondie's eyes, thus Blondie ultimately spared Tuco's life when he rode away into the distance.
I thought it was ambiguous at first. But after watching it again and again. It's very clear that Tuco aimed at Angel Eyes. You can see this at 8:20. Tuco and Blondie are both aiming at Angel Eyes.
Sergio Leone, an Italian, defined the American West. His movies were a benchmark in film as well as the Western genre. I still enjoy his movies to this day. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
crazy7chameleon you share the opinion of most people, including me. once upon a time in the west had great scenes and moments but fall flat when compared to the entirity of this film
I really like both, The Good The Bad and The Ugly is definitely much more accessible and more of an adventure, whereas Once Upon A Time in The West is much more of a drama.
Same here. I have given Once Upon a Time in the West a chance several times but I just don't like it very much, although it has some very good scenes. But I liked The Good, The Bad And The Ugly the first time I saw it 25 years ago and today I love it.
Me too and I think it's because of the lead actors. The guy from the OUTW can't act for jack and doesn't really live up to Clint and his badassary to me.
One of the greatest movie moments of my life. I had seen GBU on TV- but it wasnt til seeing it on the big screen that I trully saw its' magnificence. In a world of trilogies, only one ends with a masterpiece...
"If you what to shoot ,shoot don't talk" "When that rope starts to pull tight you can feel the devil bite your ass." There two kinds of Spurs my friend those coming through the door and those coming by the window." This was a cinematic masterpiece
Good analysis and great topic. My one quibble is that the North soldiers don't specifically cover themselves in dust. They've just ridden through the desert and have been covered in dust. Great scene because of this.
Just watched this for the 3rd time this weekend.. Can't get enough of it. The music, the scenery, the script. The legendary actors . You can't go wrong.
I can't remember exactly how many times I have watched this wonderful movie. I believe the first time I took it in was in 1967 in the Aztec movie house in San Antonio.
American westerns are just staged tales about the West. Sergio Leone's westerns, on the other hand, are a dramatic depiction of real life on the frontier, a place where there is no law and people fight like wild animals for a small chunk of meat. Leone's characters are violent, smart, pragmatic, and always in the balance between good and evil, just like real humans. We don't have nasty Indians, just a bunch of European settlers demonstrating how dangerous things are in this wild and dangerous place called America. Leone's films are terrifying, humorous, realistic, brutal, and violent, but they are also epic, brilliant, and, in a nutshell, PURE GENIUS. Watching all of Sergio Leone's films is one of the most rewarding experiences a person can have if they enjoy cinema. Watch all of his films, not just the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, because he deserves it. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Good, Bad & Ugly and Once A-upon a Time In The West are hands down the greatest two Westerns ever made, period. Eli Wallic should have won an Oscar for his performance as Tuco , I think it should have won Oscars for best supporting actor, best cinematography and original score soundtrack or what ever they call it, I think back then because it was considered a foreign film it never got any consideration , I think in this day in time it would have a least been nominated for a few, what a shame for a timeless classic movie
This a film where the good kills more people than the bad who kills out of self defense. Sergio Leone, Clin Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef, Eli Wallache and Ennio Moricone. This is a film that belongs to the podium of the greatest films ever made
One of my favourite westerns ever. Great analysis video and getting closer to 20k subs. Can't wait for your next video. Also I totally agree that the stand off is one of the best scene in cinema history, just pure excitement and the music with the camera work and editing is brilliant.
Tank you and it really is something special. This was one of the first great movies I ever saw, and a big part in my love of film that has lasted through today!
I watched this all the time with my pops when i was a kid, tuco was his favorite!! Pops passed 13 years ago but whenever i watch this film or High Plains Drifter, another of his favorites i remember sitting on the floor in front of him and his chair, enjoying a great movie with a great man! Fond memories..
Blondie: "There are two categories of people my friend. One have loaded guns. The others dig." Looks at Tuco. "You dig!" - What a fantastic ride this movie is.
I have watched this movie, a countless amount of times. It is my favorite, of all time. Your summary is excellent; and gave me, even more; perspective.....on this masterpiece.
I would have liked a little more focus on Ennio Morricone's contribution of the score as it elevates so many of the scenes to perfection (especially the final standoff)... still, excellent review of one of my favorite films !!!
The only thing this review didn't touch on was the classic musical scores by Ennio Morricone who was a true genius in his own right, every time I hear Morricone's "The Ecstasy of Gold" it literally stays in my head for days, hell I am already hearing it again now, Morricone's music went PERFECTLY with this epic film, and brother what a film it is.
Great video, Jack. A fine dissection of morality against the backdrop of its time & context. We need more Western-related video essays, so this is a good start! Really cool insight into the title, by the way! I liked that a lot.
Thank you, there really aren't a lot of great ones covering Westerns. I'm a huge fan of the genre personally, but this is only the 5th or 6th Western I've covered. Film titles can say a lot, especially when translated from another language, I was honestly shocked that such a big change had happened with the title, I guess some of it is the flow of speaking, but I think I prefer the original title. You can even see in some of the modern promotional titles (like the one I used in the thumbnail) the artists kind of put both the ugly and the bad in the middle depending on which angle you're looking at it from!
I agree completely with the title. Have you watched H. Perry Horton's Drive video, SANG-FROID? It's one of my favourites regarding the topic. As for not many great Westerns, I agree. But the ones that are of the upper-echelon in regards to quality are wholly worth dissecting. That's why this video was needed! I might do something on Shane soon - perhaps when Logan reaches blu-ray; maybe do some type of crossover with the two!
Very well done, Jack. I thought I'd heard enough analyses, so put off watching yours. I'm glad I finally did see it. All three stars created memorable characters. I think Tuco had the most facets and depth. RIP Eli and Lee. Oh, and Ennio and Sergio, too! Now I'll go watch the UA-cam clip of Susanna Rigacci singing to Ennio's orchestra rendition of "The Ecstasy of Gold."
truly is one of the very best. Once you've SEEN a Sergio Leone film, you will never SEE films the same way again. You'll be wanting more. You'll be less impressed by any other films. It's weird how he does it, but also, just the way the whole package is delivered.. it is really good.
the movie always reminds me of Mr. Eli. I saw him first through this movie and he conquered my heart with his extraordinary performance...! where ever you are dear Eli, stay in peace...😥😥😥
I first watched this movie when I was 12 or something. Naturally at that age, you don’t appreciate some movies as much as you do when you’re older especially slow paced movies like this because you have shorter attention spans at that age However, even though I didn’t care as much for the Civil War stuff, I would say that I LOVED this film as a young’un And now, 6 years later, I rewatched the film yesterday. Now I would happily call it the BEST movie I have ever seen. Whilst it may not be my absolute favourite as it doesn’t speak to me personally when compared to some other films, it is nonetheless the objective best
Excellent take on one of the greatest movies of all time. I enjoyed your narration and described meanings of what took place among the main cast of characters. Thanks for the show.
For me, one of the best scenes of the movie is when Blondie catches Tuco trying to dig up the first grave. Mostly because of how he finally wears the poncho outfit, as sort of a sendoff to the previous movies.
After they blow up the bridge, artillery barrage begins and in the next scene you can see both of them sleeping at the place where they took cover (Blondie kicks Tuco to wake him up). I think that implies that since the previous scene a night passed, during which Blondie emptied Tuco's gun and the two armies left the site of the destroyed bridge making the heroes possible to swim across the river safely.
Eli Wallach’s “Tuco” and Heath Ledger’s “Joker” are my favorite movie characters of all time, and to my mind they are actually very similar to each other.
Once Upon a Time in the West is also a masterpiece from Leone who offered it to Eastwood only to have him say 'no'. The Good, Bad, Ugly has a bit broader plot, and I always enjoyed its civil war involvement. Once Upon a Time in the West was Charles Bronson's best work in my opinion. Both films are magnificent.
I saw this on TV as a kid back in the '70s. One of the best movies ever. It got me into the Western genre much more so than most of that mass-produced stuff from the '50s (though, to be fair, there were some good Westerns from that decade). I think some of your critiques are stretching it a bit, but I enjoyed your moral analysis of the three titular characters. It seems to me that the best movies are always those that speak to something the audience didn't know it was hungry for. A morally realistic Western in this case, or a fairy tale in the case of Star Wars, or where men were real men as in the case of Gladiator... or a superhero movie where the character is actually compassionate and heroic such as in Wonder Woman.
I originally saw this as a Silent Film on a big-screen outdoor drive-in movie theater when I was about 4 years old: at the time, my aunt lived directly across from Fairyland Drive-In Theater in Kansas City, Missouri, USA. I watched the whole movie without being able to hear any of it because the sound didn't carry that far, but it still made a huge impression on me. It wasn't until some years later when I saw the film on TV as a Sunday Night Movie selection that I actually got the whole film as intended. But in many ways and in many scenes, it actually works as a Silent Film.
The Dollar trilogy easily ascended into some of my favorite movies and film series when I saw them for the first time and while I don't think I've watched the entire series more often then once. The fact that I constantly listen to the soundtrack is fact enough to explain how much it means to me.
The great thing about The Good The Bad and The Ugly is that it can be viewed as the final film in the Dollars trilogy, the first in the trilogy, or as its own self contained story.
The Union Soldiers didn't cover their uniform with dust to look like Confederates, they went through an area of alkali that covered them. This is a tremendous detail that showed that the directors knew their history and geography of America.
The director. An Italian man who taught American history to americans.
Damn! Good catch thanks for the info bro
@Todd Pruett why the hell u wake up and choose violence
Concur
Similar to the origins of the Doughboy
*"When you have to shoot, shoot. Don't talk..."*
(Eli Wallach as 'Tuco' is my favorite Movie character of all time)
You are clearly a man of culture.
I wanted to name my son Tuco. My wife shot that down, even while she was doped up in the OR.
@@JakeNaughtFromStateFarm Hahahaha I hear you. I told my wife I wanted to name our son Khan from Star Trek TOS
Honestly, people still don't take what Tuco says seriously. That line is almost proof of satire because to this day people still do 5 hour villain monologues.
The actor improvised the line and made the set people laugh due the delivery at first 😅
When I was a child I asked my father 'why are there so many jokes about Chuck Norris but none about Clint Eastwood?'
He leant forward look me straight in the eyes and said 'because Clint Eastwood is no joke'.
:D
Chuck Norris was a true fighter … Clint Eastwood was nothing but a actor, and that's no joke.
@@michaeltorres638 ooooh we got ourselves a fanboy
True - yet one kept doing what he knew, the other went to become a joke.
Neither is his donkey.
I found Tuco's scene with his brother was among the strongest in painting his character. His brther was a cleric, and yet he had to say "sorry" to Tuco for leaving him to look after his mother while the brother took the easy route to work for the church.
I never made the link with Blondie only injuring Angel Eyes, killing him only after he was forced to. Interesting!
same here, the apolgies of the brother to Tuco make the scene perfect. It always touches me, and I remember seeing Tuco as a different person after this scene.
I do find it remarkable how Blondie could aim for a non lethal spot on Angel Eyes’ body, at the range they were at from one another, while shooting from the hip on the spur of the moment, having no time to aim, and with a gun that is very inaccurate. What a guy?
@@gilgamesh310 Seen the opening to Fistful of Dollars from presumably the same character? Get three coffins ready, sorry, my mistake, four. He was a confident gunman
but blondie mercilessly killed many men for no reason at all
@@rakshithm1257 yes he is, people said his nearly death experience in the desert change him to that non lethal mindset,and maybe the war that he view in the trench change him too
One of the best movies of all time
I already loved this movie, but man, you made me love it even more
Awesome! That's always my goal!
I'm right with this guy! I've always loved this film, but this review made me really think more deeply about certain aspects of it (and it's been quite a while since I watched it last, so this is like a breath of fresh air, like I'm seeing parts of it again for the first time, or at least in a new light - especially practically everything about the Civil War, I always thought of that as more of a backdrop to give the movie more realism and life, instead of part of the film's interwoven life itself - maybe I should've paid more attention to those parts to begin with) and now I really want to re-watch it, when I actually have about 3 hours to spare, haha.
I can feel it, it's definitely a long movie, but is totally worth it!
@@JacksMovieReviews the length of a movie should have nothing to do with the quality. When i first saw this movie it was over before i knew it. It takes true talent to make a 3 hour movie fast paced and entertaining. Great retrospect by the way
you're correct. One of the best movies ever made.
In a world without morals, a little good goes a long way
I watched this movie so many times and have the theme as a ringtone. My son came in the house one day, 2 years old, heard the, “duh dunna nuuuuh,” and I heard my son say, “wah wah wah.” I’ve never been so proud of that boy as I was that day.
IF I EVER GET A CELLPHONE THAT'S GONNA BE MY RINGTONE U COPYCAT ! I THOUGHT OF IT A LONG TIME AGO. LOL
HA me too!
Critics reaction to this movie on its time is proof of two things: 1- You have to wait 20 years to see if a movie is actually good, and 2-Critics actually know jack shit.
I completely agree, particularly with your second point, have you ever seen two of the distateful people ever appeared on television: Siskel & Ebert.
"This is not a work that many adults will read through more than once".
Original review of what book?
Tolkien's Lord of The Rings.
Nuff said.
lol the critics also hated Kubrick's The Shining
Absolutely my ftiend that's what I always say to my friends and that's why I also prefer Imdb over other review sites.
Everyone's a critic
Hands down the greatest western ever. That it didn't win every single Academy Award available that year is contemptible. Absolute contender for greatest film ever made. Pure perfection.
100% agree. One of the best movies ever made. A masterpiece!
I think it contends on a par with "Once Upon a Time in the West" and "The Searchers" for the best film of this genre.
This film was NOT a Hollywood picture. A movie THIS phenomenal can NEVER come from a money, pop culture media factory like the self- important "academy" that rewards itself and celebrates its own achievements regardless of Audience Opinion. I'm just grateful that this film was made Back In The Day when Independent filmmakers had Real GUTS and IMAGINATION. I ONLY watch old flicks now.
Just for explanation:
Inspite all its three main stars being Americans and delivering their dialogue in English the movie itself was entirely an Italian production and therefore wasn't allowed to compete in the annual oscars ceremony at the time.
A movie must at least partially be co-produced by an American production company to be eligible for any regular Oscars.
The AMPAS and the Academy Awards were originally created to point out and honor outstanding achievements of the American movie industry exclusively, thus the Oscars from their origins are actually NOT an international and open film festival like Cannes, Berlin or Venice for instance.
Therefore it was simply formally impossible for Morricone to win an Oscar for this iconic score or even get a nomination, even if the soundtrack went to become a megaseller in the USA too after the release of the movie there.
In fact only a few years after WW2 and to compete with these international film festivals the AMPAS introduced the 'Best Foreign Language Picture'-category (today: 'Best International Picture') in order to open the Oscar event also for foreign movies a little bit.
@@gunterangel thx for pointing that out - had not occurred to me
What is it about this movie that never gets old? I've must have seen it a dozen times or more and I still get mesmerized by it. The soundtrack is out of this world.
I watch this movie at least 3 times a year... especially in snowy dark winter days.. i feel warm just watching it!! and every time i watch it is like i am watching it for the very first time!
Amen, you bro!
I watch it once a year but same as you in winter time. Recently the whole trilogy was at the local old fashioned cinema here and that is, my friend, a real pleasure to watch. I am very happy that my daughters adore the trilogy as well.
Agree love this movie this reminds me of my dad and childhood.
Not only the greatest western... one of the greatest moments in cinematic history, in my opinion. Has some of the most instantly recognisable scenes, some of the best characters ever cast, and a music score that is iconic. I still love this film today, and is one of the few I can watch over and over and still not tire of it. And Sergio Leone was a true visionary. I think For A Few Dollars More was also an exceptional western, with Eastwood and Van Cleef acting as partners against the Indio gang... and that had an equally iconic music score with the watch chimes.
The last 10 minutes of this movie is pure cinema ecstasy. Incredibly beautiful cinematography and musical score all ending in a crescendo of Blondie’s pistol shot. I remember as kid being at the edge of my seat for those last 10 minutes.
dare i say the dollars trilogy is one of the best, if not the best trilogy of all time?
It's definitely up there!
Its up there alright defintley best western movies ever
I'm a little mystified at one thing. "Joe" is apparently the same character, but he obtains the trade-mark serape in the last movie and "Angel Eyes"/Colonel is at least two if not three different people in the three films.
I can live with "Blondie" not being a blond. I think in Italian the word means "whitey" which would sound too racist even in 1967.
Youre not wrong
After lotr , it is
Greatest trilogy ever.
It's definitely up there, for a little while after all three were released, Leone was adamantly against calling it a trilogy, after he came to America, he started calling it a trilogy, that could be for marketing or something else, but either way, a truly great series of movies!
theory is before Lucas Leone showed his trilogy backwards so gbu is no names origin hence the serape at the end
DarkPrimaryX *anthology
kieslowski's three colours trilogy is quite a bit better
TGTBATU takes place before Fistful of Dollars and For a Few Dollars More!
I didn't get the impression that the Union soldiers intentionally covered themselves in dust; it was just a result of a hard ride through the dessert.
The greatest film ever made
Totally agree
I came to the conclusion years ago, the greatest and most philosophical films ever made were westerns.
Justin Larsen No offense, I LOVE this movie. But what’s philosophical about it??
Arian Serrano The Stoic Philosophy promotes 4 virtues. Courage, Justice, Wisdom and Temperance. All of these virtues are on full display throughout the film. Blondie shows that there's an appropriate time to be ruthless and an appropriate to be good. He becomes kinder throughout the film as he's sees more and more death and gives the dying soldier a drag. He even initially shoots to wound Angel Eyes and only kills him when he has to. Also Tuco is an extremely Unlikely character but as we learn more about his background and family he is revealed to have traits most necessary to surviving his harsh environment. Just my two cents.
Justin Larsen That’s just adding depth to the movie. It’s not really philosophical. Have you seen any other movies?
Absolutely one of the greatest movies ever made. This and Apocalypse Now.
Literally my 2 favorite movies
I just realized the movie came out 101 years after the civil war ended
absolutely goddamn right!
agreeeed
Terminate with extreme prejudice.
Wonderful, insightful analysis as always - of what I consider a flawless movie! Love Eli Wallach!
For those interested in the technical aspects:
It was fantastic what Sergio Leone was able to do with the Techniscope format, sometimes referred to as "the poor man's CinemaScope". The cinematography is simply outstanding! This format was meant as a low cost alternative to the expensive CinemaScope/anamorphic Panavision, since it uses only half of the height of a full 35mm frame (Academy 3.75:1), the claw mechanism (together with a smaller gate) of modified Mitchell and Arriflex cameras pulling down two perforations for each frame instead of four. This not only cuts film cost in half but you also can get twice the time out of a single film mag (22 minutes instead of 11 from a standard 1000 ft roll). The huge advantage of Techniscope was that it allowed for a wide choice of readily available, much more affordable, sharp spherical lenses, including very wide angles which enabled Leone to get those iconic deep focus shots where faces and landscapes become one. The format slowly ceased to be used during the 1970s, because of one extra step in the production pipeline which became increasingly expensive: a transfer to anamorphic 35mm for theatrical release prints. American Graffiti (1973) by George Lucas was entirely shot in Techniscope.
Recently the format has been rediscovered (modern 35mm film cameras easily allow for that format among others) since the extra step is eliminated through scanning the camera originals directly. That is also the reason why the restored Leone westerns look so stunningly sharp and rich. Recent examples of movies shot in Techniscope include: Shame (2011), parts of Argo (2012) and American Hustle (2013).
Thank you! Eli Wallasch is great, Tuco is the character who really makes the movie what it is!
Just 2 flaws in this movie: both involve Tuco, when him and Blondie get out of town and when Tuco hops onto the train scenes. Both are ran too fast, so bad editing on Leone's behalf. Other than that, this movie is a masterpiece. 4.5 stars, with 1 star given to the music score alone.
truefilm man I really thought blondie was gonna leave tuco but so relieved at the end how he actually split the gold and left him alive. Wow
Actually, from a technical standpoint the Techniscope is a better format. In respect to the CinemaScope since you could use simple spherical lenses, you didn't loose anything in horizontal resolution (you gain something actually) and you did loose very little in the vertical one. More, you don't have the "CinemaScope mumps" effect that plagued the CinemaScope movies. Leone's typical close-ups would have been ridicolous with CinemaScope, not by chance he directed in Techniscope "Once Upon a Time in the West" too, even if he had all the money he wanted for that movie.
The problem was that Cinemascope was only a shooting tecnique, not a reproduction one. There were not Cinemascope projectors, so the film, shot in 9.47X22mm, had to be converted in 18.6X22mm, using anamorfic lenses, to be projected by standard CinemaScope projectors (so passing another time through anamorfic lenses), and that worsened the quality of the image once seen in cinemas. But, if you see the restored "For a Few Dollars More" copy (digitalised from the original 9.47X22mm film), the quality is outstanding.
I didn't know that and thank you I just assumed it was anamorphic.
I really remember watching this movie when I was 4 years old.. so that means Ive probably watch this movie 50 times give or take five. This movie never fails to take me to a different time a different place a different circumstance. People talk about the seven wonders of the world, to me this movie fits right into that category. I feel this movie is a masterpiece a great accomplishment of human imagination and direction.
This movie received mixed reviews back in 1966 because although being a "genre" movie, has a strong political point of view and depicts the USA for what they really are: a nation based on violence, death and greed. And Leone did all this with accuracy and love for history. Worth to mention he gave the american public a hint of what happened with concentration camps during Civil War, 80 years before Nazi Germany.
To quote you, "one of the best movies ever made" ... the acting (especially the three central), the photography, the actors (including all the casting) and the incredible music (a genius composer) ... made perfect by the incredibly complex moral undertones of the script!
I remember being under the age of 8 and seeing the scene where Clint finds the dying solider in the church and he give him a couple hits of his cigar I remember asking my dad why he did that and my dad said “To give him one of his last pleasures” now rewatching the movie the first time as a 20 yr old that scene had me tearing up. In a world with no morals especially in an era of war a little good can go such a long way. To give a man one last pleasure before death after seeing what all those young men went through. And also Clint seeing Tucos situation with his brother and Tuco just hearing about his mom being passed for quite a while. Then tuco just going on and on about how things were fine then Clint saying “theres nothing like a cigar after a good meal” and giving tuco a cigar just really showed so much on how he cared. I love this movie and idk just that response my dad said to me just kinda stuck with me. I love it
This has been one of my favorite moves, ever since I first saw it in the theaters in 1966!!
Billy Smith what I would do to have experienced this in theaters, even the 60s.
I saw all 3 it at the Drive-In. I was really young. But the torture scene from the Union soldiers beating Tuco really scared me then. Lol
You lucky sod
makes me want to watch it again for the hundredth time. lol
William Smith If I chose to watch it 10,000 times I would never feel bored
I never understood, years ago, why i liked this movie so much more than other westerns, especially John wayne westerns. Everyone acts like hes such a legend and such an amazing actor, but i find him appallingly stereotypical of your imagination of a "hero" ... hes always so uninteresting and has the same tone all the time. But this movie the feeling is so incredible. Such flawlessness. Not to mention clint eastwood plays the badass so perfectly.
John Wayne, though popular, played the John Wayne character. does not change who he is.
He did a great ghengis Khan though...... Lol
@@davidjones272 John Wayne terribe actor if you want to call it that
Well he definitely reflected his personality in his movies there is a reason y John Wayne was triggered by Westerns like High Noon and The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, not just because they were real threats to him and his niche that he was successful with but also they de-glamorize certain lifestyles that occurred in the Western era and what not. John Wayne would literally love to stick around and play that typically "hero" stereotype to portray stereotypical masculinity. Only reason y "The Searchers" and "The Quiet Man" are so good is because director John Ford was an extremely talented director that could sneak in many different other elements to exemplify certain real life problems though. John Wayne IMO is the most overrated actor ever. Even more overrated than Harrison Ford and Tom Cruise tbh
"I'm not gonna shoot some guy in the back. If you want to shoot someone in the back, get Clint Eastwood."
My favourite film of all time. Brilliant music, story & characters. It's just perfect in every way.
I knew about this movie for many years, newer seen it. Finally - I saw it and I'm speechless. It is one of the best movies EVER.
Absolute masterpiece
One of my favourite movies of all time with the most evocative soundtrack ever written
The best scene is tuco and his brother exchange. If paying close attention to detail. The callback at the opening solidified tuco nature and the world he lived in. When angel eyes kills the father and son. The ret. Outlaw and his family. Tuco said "you gone to the path of priest while I walk to the life of bandit" telling that there family or most likely tuco's father may be an outlaw and died such a way living there mother all the responsibility leading her to the grave. Man this film is such God tier story writing
Could be wrong, but I never thought Blondie took Tuco's bullets out because he was worried he turned on him. Always seemed to me it was simply so he could take one person out of the equation and simply focus his attention on Angel Eyes without the presence of Tuco being a distraction.
It's ambiguous, that was always my interpretation.
How would he know the night before angel eyes would return to threaten them? Obviously they weren't expecting him...
@@kurtvonfricken6829 very true. He didnt expect Angel Eyes to show up . You can tell he was suprised when Angel Eyes threw the shovel at their feet. He didnt expect him. He just didnt trust Tuco but still seen cared about him in a way. He left him a bag of money afterall
Angel eyes did know what grave yard, but not witch grave, of coarse he's going to show up, the question was when. Blondie may have emptied Tuco's gun getting to the point were most turn on each other. and we know their alliance wasn't really all that strong. at least it did have a "history" .
Blondie didnt expect angel eyes to turn up at the graveyard. He took the bullets out so tuco couldnt shoot him in the back when they got the loot. Blondie didnt trust tuco at all.
I remember watching the trilogy for the first time 2 years ago and thinking wow Sergio Leone will never top this. Then I watched Once Upon a Time in the West and Once Upon a Time in America. And was floored beyond belief
Adriano Vazquez Once Upon a Time in America is easily up there with gangster films such as The Godfather and Goodfellas :D
This movie will always have a special place in my heart, and I think it is a great movie, but I really love his Once Upon series!
Jack's Movie Reviews You seen, Duck You Sucker?
Cinemaspire I watch it the other day, it is also a great film
Adriano Vazquez aye the good the bad, for a few dollars more, and finally a fistful,
Wow! This is the most concise and comprehensive review of this great movie I've ever come across. That the critics of the time, when this movie first came out, completely missed everything you pointed out, blows my mind. And it says something about the genius of Sergio Leone, that he was able to take these cliches of the western, and make of them something new and exciting, and enduring. And, of course, we can never forget that classic score by Ennio Morricone (RIP). 😔
One of the best indeed. One thing I would add is a comment on the second-last scene,Tuco’s mad run around the graveyard. That plus the last scene are, in my opinion, the best use of music in Cinema.
I loved this film the first time I watched it, which was a while back, but I didnt take in how big of an impact the war had on the story in the film. Thank you for this insightful analysis
I've seen this movie many times and that final shootout still makes my heart race every time!
First off, I don't think the Union soldiers intentionally covered themselves in dust. It rather seems to have accumulated from the long march. Secondly, I disagree with the reasoning you give for Blondie unloading Tuco's gun. I agree it was to ensure he wouldn't shoot Blondie, but to not shoot Angel Eyes seems like a stretch. Blondie even by the end was no paradigm of justice, he just wanted what was coming his way and was more than willing to kill both if it came to it. He also knowingly spared Tuco by removing the bullets. Blondie and Tuco needed each other equally to get to the gold, even without the exchange of information, and Blondie knew it. They were even, Blondie owed Tuco one last good turn after a series of mistreatment. Great review of a great movie btw.
I agree with your assessment. However, Blondie emptied Tuco's gun so that the three way dual was, in effect, a dual between Blondie and Angel Eyes. Blondie new he only had to worry about Angel Eyes, thus gaining an advantage in the stand-off. Further, you will note that right after Blondie wounded Angel Eyes, he looked to see at whom Tuco was pointing his empty gun, and it was towards Angel Eyes. This act of Tuco's redeemed him in Blondie's eyes, thus Blondie ultimately spared Tuco's life when he rode away into the distance.
I think it's ambiguous as to who Tuco was trying to shoot......
I thought it was ambiguous at first. But after watching it again and again. It's very clear that Tuco aimed at Angel Eyes. You can see this at 8:20. Tuco and Blondie are both aiming at Angel Eyes.
Of course Tuco was shooting at Angel Eyes. Neither Tuco or Angel Eyes would shoot at Blondi. Blondi was the only one who knew where the gold was.
Angel Eyes was under the impression that Blondie wrote the name of the grave on a stone. So Angel Eyes shooting Blondie is still plausible.
Sergio Leone, an Italian, defined the American West. His movies were a benchmark in film as well as the Western genre. I still enjoy his movies to this day. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
For some reason I didn't like Once Upon a Time in the West very much and I preferred The Good, The Bad and The Ugly far more
crazy7chameleon you share the opinion of most people, including me. once upon a time in the west had great scenes and moments but fall flat when compared to the entirity of this film
I really like both, The Good The Bad and The Ugly is definitely much more accessible and more of an adventure, whereas Once Upon A Time in The West is much more of a drama.
Same here. I have given Once Upon a Time in the West a chance several times but I just don't like it very much, although it has some very good scenes. But I liked The Good, The Bad And The Ugly the first time I saw it 25 years ago and today I love it.
same here.the only better thing about once upon is claudia,she was stunning hot
Me too and I think it's because of the lead actors. The guy from the OUTW can't act for jack and doesn't really live up to Clint and his badassary to me.
One of the greatest movie moments of my life.
I had seen GBU on TV- but it wasnt til seeing it on the big screen that I trully saw its' magnificence.
In a world of trilogies, only one ends with a masterpiece...
There are two kinds of trilogies in this world...
"If you what to shoot ,shoot don't talk"
"When that rope starts to pull tight you can feel the devil bite your ass."
There two kinds of Spurs my friend those coming through the door and those coming by the window."
This was a cinematic masterpiece
Good analysis and great topic. My one quibble is that the North soldiers don't specifically cover themselves in dust. They've just ridden through the desert and have been covered in dust. Great scene because of this.
Amazing video and tribute to Sergio Leone's spaghetti western. Thank you from Italy
Just watched this for the 3rd time this weekend.. Can't get enough of it. The music, the scenery, the script. The legendary actors . You can't go wrong.
This guy os the greatest youtuber. He responds and reads his fans comments. He tries hard and analyzes the movies and adds great commentary.
Thanks Jack! (Great name by the way!)
These are timeless films that pass through all generations... simply an immortal masterpiece
I can't remember exactly how many times I have watched this wonderful movie. I believe the first time I took it in was in 1967 in the Aztec movie house in San Antonio.
seen a million times, and every time, it's a fresh look to it. music, acting, scenery, and the shots.
The scene in which Tuco is beaten badly by Angel Eyes' Enforcer at the prison camp while the sad music plays is unforgettable.
5:31 my man, this transition is beautiful
The best movie ever. No hands down, I have some reservations on your interpatation, but it doesn't matter, that is what makes it so great!
American westerns are just staged tales about the West. Sergio Leone's westerns, on the other hand, are a dramatic depiction of real life on the frontier, a place where there is no law and people fight like wild animals for a small chunk of meat. Leone's characters are violent, smart, pragmatic, and always in the balance between good and evil, just like real humans. We don't have nasty Indians, just a bunch of European settlers demonstrating how dangerous things are in this wild and dangerous place called America. Leone's films are terrifying, humorous, realistic, brutal, and violent, but they are also epic, brilliant, and, in a nutshell, PURE GENIUS. Watching all of Sergio Leone's films is one of the most rewarding experiences a person can have if they enjoy cinema. Watch all of his films, not just the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, because he deserves it.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Good, Bad & Ugly and Once A-upon a Time In The West are hands down the greatest two Westerns ever made, period. Eli Wallic should have won an Oscar for his performance as Tuco , I think it should have won Oscars for best supporting actor, best cinematography and original score soundtrack or what ever they call it, I think back then because it was considered a foreign film it never got any consideration , I think in this day in time it would have a least been nominated for a few, what a shame for a timeless classic movie
The man with no name is still the greatest character in cinema history in my opinion...
One of the very few movies to bring together story, characters, cinematography and soundtrack to the highest level. My favourite movie.
This a film where the good kills more people than the bad who kills out of self defense. Sergio Leone, Clin Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef, Eli Wallache and Ennio Moricone. This is a film that belongs to the podium of the greatest films ever made
One of my favourite westerns ever. Great analysis video and getting closer to 20k subs. Can't wait for your next video. Also I totally agree that the stand off is one of the best scene in cinema history, just pure excitement and the music with the camera work and editing is brilliant.
Tank you and it really is something special. This was one of the first great movies I ever saw, and a big part in my love of film that has lasted through today!
I watched this all the time with my pops when i was a kid, tuco was his favorite!! Pops passed 13 years ago but whenever i watch this film or High Plains Drifter, another of his favorites i remember sitting on the floor in front of him and his chair, enjoying a great movie with a great man! Fond memories..
I literally just watched it yesterday, so this comes in just at the right time
Perfect timing!
Blondie: "There are two categories of people my friend. One have loaded guns. The others dig." Looks at Tuco. "You dig!" - What a fantastic ride this movie is.
Once upon a time in west analysis Please
it's my favourite western of all time
I'm not sure when I'll talk about another Leone, but I do love Once Upon A Time in the West!
Thanks friend and love ur work
Much appreciated!
I have watched this movie, a countless amount of times. It is my favorite, of all time. Your summary is excellent; and gave me, even more; perspective.....on this masterpiece.
I would have liked a little more focus on Ennio Morricone's contribution of the score as it elevates so many of the scenes to perfection (especially the final standoff)... still, excellent review of one of my favorite films !!!
Este filme possui perfeição em um único movimento de cada ator. Leone adicionou um tempero- catalizador perfeito em tudo.
Great review...now only il Biondo/ il Buono is alive
R.i.p Maestro...grazie Mr Ennio Morricone...we will never forget you...grazie 😪🇮🇹
Brilliant film!
Brilliant analysis!
It really is one of the best movies out there and thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed!
The only thing this review didn't touch on was the classic musical scores by Ennio Morricone who was a true genius in his own right, every time I hear Morricone's "The Ecstasy of Gold" it literally stays in my head for days, hell I am already hearing it again now, Morricone's music went PERFECTLY with this epic film, and brother what a film it is.
You really touched upon subjects that flied right above my head. Stellar Video!
Thanks Cam!
Great video, Jack. A fine dissection of morality against the backdrop of its time & context. We need more Western-related video essays, so this is a good start! Really cool insight into the title, by the way! I liked that a lot.
Thank you, there really aren't a lot of great ones covering Westerns. I'm a huge fan of the genre personally, but this is only the 5th or 6th Western I've covered.
Film titles can say a lot, especially when translated from another language, I was honestly shocked that such a big change had happened with the title, I guess some of it is the flow of speaking, but I think I prefer the original title. You can even see in some of the modern promotional titles (like the one I used in the thumbnail) the artists kind of put both the ugly and the bad in the middle depending on which angle you're looking at it from!
I agree completely with the title. Have you watched H. Perry Horton's Drive video, SANG-FROID? It's one of my favourites regarding the topic. As for not many great Westerns, I agree. But the ones that are of the upper-echelon in regards to quality are wholly worth dissecting. That's why this video was needed! I might do something on Shane soon - perhaps when Logan reaches blu-ray; maybe do some type of crossover with the two!
Very well done, Jack.
I thought I'd heard enough analyses, so put off watching yours. I'm glad I finally did see it.
All three stars created memorable characters. I think Tuco had the most facets and depth.
RIP Eli and Lee. Oh, and Ennio and Sergio, too!
Now I'll go watch the UA-cam clip of Susanna Rigacci singing to Ennio's orchestra rendition of "The Ecstasy of Gold."
truly is one of the very best. Once you've SEEN a Sergio Leone film, you will never SEE films the same way again. You'll be wanting more. You'll be less impressed by any other films. It's weird how he does it, but also, just the way the whole package is delivered.. it is really good.
the movie always reminds me of Mr. Eli. I saw him first through this movie and he conquered my heart with his extraordinary performance...! where ever you are dear Eli, stay in peace...😥😥😥
I first watched this movie when I was 12 or something. Naturally at that age, you don’t appreciate some movies as much as you do when you’re older especially slow paced movies like this because you have shorter attention spans at that age
However, even though I didn’t care as much for the Civil War stuff, I would say that I LOVED this film as a young’un
And now, 6 years later, I rewatched the film yesterday. Now I would happily call it the BEST movie I have ever seen. Whilst it may not be my absolute favourite as it doesn’t speak to me personally when compared to some other films, it is nonetheless the objective best
DAMN THE MUSIC IS SOOO GREAT IN THIS MOVIE.. This has to be the best movie of all time!!!!
Excellent take on one of the greatest movies of all time. I enjoyed your narration and described meanings of what took place among the main cast of characters. Thanks for the show.
For me, one of the best scenes of the movie is when Blondie catches Tuco trying to dig up the first grave. Mostly because of how he finally wears the poncho outfit, as sort of a sendoff to the previous movies.
This is a timeless movie.. Great job.
classic flick but when did he empty tuco's gun?
It is never shown but implied he did it the night before!
After they blow up the bridge, artillery barrage begins and in the next scene you can see both of them sleeping at the place where they took cover (Blondie kicks Tuco to wake him up). I think that implies that since the previous scene a night passed, during which Blondie emptied Tuco's gun and the two armies left the site of the destroyed bridge making the heroes possible to swim across the river safely.
Márk Mezei
Exactly correct.
Jack Roberts
But.....
How did blondie know there would be a shootout?????
Go watch the 3 hours full movie, where a couple of scenes are added to explain the plot
You're **SO RIGHT**. I'm only around 25-30 viewings. Time to watch again!!
Thanks for the reminder 👍
try a coupla thousand.............j.
The mark of a great film is the renewed desire to watch it again just from a watching a great review...
Once Upon A Time In The West has the best opening scene I’ve ever seen on any movie. Sergio Leone out did himself on that one.
Just discovered your channel and I'm really enjoying it. Thanks for your work!
This movie means a lot, especially that prizes like "Noble" , "Pulitzer", "Oscars" etc. mean nothing.
Eli Wallach’s “Tuco” and Heath Ledger’s “Joker” are my favorite movie characters of all time, and to my mind they are actually very similar to each other.
Wow great review. Wish you well my friend.
Once Upon a Time in the West is also a masterpiece from Leone who offered it to Eastwood only to have him say 'no'. The Good, Bad, Ugly has a bit broader plot, and I always enjoyed its civil war involvement. Once Upon a Time in the West was Charles Bronson's best work in my opinion. Both films are magnificent.
In an immoral world, a little good can go long way. You nailed it.
THE ECSTASY OF GOLD is one of the greatest movie sequences EVER !!!
Extremely underrated analysis! Loved it
my favorite western, also greatest soundtrack. in my top 10 of all movies ever.
I saw this on TV as a kid back in the '70s. One of the best movies ever. It got me into the Western genre much more so than most of that mass-produced stuff from the '50s (though, to be fair, there were some good Westerns from that decade). I think some of your critiques are stretching it a bit, but I enjoyed your moral analysis of the three titular characters. It seems to me that the best movies are always those that speak to something the audience didn't know it was hungry for. A morally realistic Western in this case, or a fairy tale in the case of Star Wars, or where men were real men as in the case of Gladiator... or a superhero movie where the character is actually compassionate and heroic such as in Wonder Woman.
I originally saw this as a Silent Film on a big-screen outdoor drive-in movie theater when I was about 4 years old: at the time, my aunt lived directly across from Fairyland Drive-In Theater in Kansas City, Missouri, USA. I watched the whole movie without being able to hear any of it because the sound didn't carry that far, but it still made a huge impression on me. It wasn't until some years later when I saw the film on TV as a Sunday Night Movie selection that I actually got the whole film as intended. But in many ways and in many scenes, it actually works as a Silent Film.
This is probably the best analysis on this movie I've seen so far.
The Dollar trilogy easily ascended into some of my favorite movies and film series when I saw them for the first time and while I don't think I've watched the entire series more often then once. The fact that I constantly listen to the soundtrack is fact enough to explain how much it means to me.
The theme music is one of the most recognizable in movie history.
It was big and remember it from the age of 9
The dollar’s trilogy was and is my dad’s personal favorite. I now see why. Thank you for sharing your commentary and review.
I recently watched this movie for the first time and I loved every minute of it.
The great thing about The Good The Bad and The Ugly is that it can be viewed as the final film in the Dollars trilogy, the first in the trilogy, or as its own self contained story.
Clint Eastwood, Sergio Lione and Ennio Morricone a match made in movies western heaven