The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (Italian: Il buono, il brutto, il cattivo) is a 1966 Italian epic spaghetti Western film directed by Sergio Leone. Leone's characteristic use of long shots and close-up cinematography, as well as his trademark use of violence, tension, and highly stylized gunfights, are all included in the film. The story follows three gunslingers as they compete for a fortune in a buried cache of Confederate gold in the midst of the American Civil War's violent chaos (specifically, the Battle of Glorieta Pass of the New Mexico Campaign in 1862), while engaging in numerous battles, confrontations, and duels along the way.

Following A Fistful of Dollars and For a Few Dollars More, The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly was advertised as the third and final episode of the Dollars Trilogy. The film was commercially successful, collecting more than $25 million at the box office, and is credited with launching Eastwood's career. Due to widespread dislike of the spaghetti Western genre at the time, the film received mixed reviews at its first release, but it gradually acquired popularity and became recognized as the "definitive spaghetti Western."

Detailed Information:

Directed by: Sergio Leone

Starring: Clint Eastwood, Eli Wallach, Lee Van Cleef, Aldo Giuffrè

Release date: 23 December 1966
Running time: 177 minutes