Sunday 16 April 2017

Franchise Reviews - The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

The third and final film in Sergio Leone's trilogy plays like a cross between a Western and a war film - technically making it a prequel. And a prequel that's actually good.

Clint Eastwood plays the bounty hunter known only as 'Blondie', who carries out a lucrative get-rich-quick scheme with Tuco, a foul-mouthed bandit played by Eli Wallach. However, their partnership sours and the two are soon at each other's throats until they learn about a hidden treasure buried in a cemetery. Tuco knows the name of the cemetery while Blondie knows the name of the grave, but neither of them are willing to share their information. This forces them to look out for each other, especially when they come into conflict with Angel Eyes, a ruthless and sociopathic gunfighter played by Lee Van Cleef - who also wants the treasure.

It's a pretty long film at almost 3 hours, and I have to admit that I'm not particularly keen on the slow pace. Nonetheless, it's a great story with a great payoff, and the Civil War setting does add some truly poignant moments to the savage world being depicted. On top of that, the soundtrack features some of Ennio Morricone's best work - especially the piece titled The Ecstasy of Gold, played when Tuco is running through the cemetery. I've heard that Metallica use the same piece to open their gigs.

Well, that's about it. While The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is a great film, I still think that For a Few Dollars More is my personal favourite of the trilogy.

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