Sergio Leone's The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly elevates the "western" to a level of art that I don't think John Ford could have even predicted. Not to take anything away from John Ford, but Leone brought a style to audiences in his "spaghetti westerns" that no one else could have thought possible. He stays true to the rugged, gritty feel of American westerns, but his obvious inspiration from Kurosawa's samurai films, and Leone's own personal style come together in a fascinating way that I feel is too individualistic for anyone else to have created. The characters in The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly seem so alive, so rich and developed. It all seems so real that watching this can make you feel like you have stumbled upon another world, and certainly, another way of life, that has been going on forever, and will continue on long after you have left. Clint Eastwood's iconic performance as Blondie is brilliant. His unflinching confidence in every move he makes tells you right away that this is not a man to be trifled with. He never cracks under pressure, and he seems to have such a tight grasp of every situation that one would be a fool NOT to side with him. Blondie is every bit as cool, calm, and collected as Humphrey Bogart's Sam Spade in the Maltese Falcon, and also every bit as rewarding to watch! Lee Van Cleef is menacing as Angel Eyes, a bounty hunter who gives the impression that he never met a man who could come close to making him feel threatened. Then, there is Tuco, played by Eli Wallach. Tuco, as dastardly as he is, serves as the comic relief, which is important in a film like this that is filled with tension (the montage in the cemetery is classic!). This movie has action, suspense, drama, and humor, all of which are flavored with Ennio Morricone's famous score and the brilliant cinematography of Tonino Delli Colli. I have not seen enough of Leone's films to say that this is his best, but I can say that this is an excellent film, worthy of all of the praise it has received since its release!
