The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Movie, 1966, Named by the studio, Set in Third in the trilogy
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is #7 of 48 in release order and #33 of 48 in chronological order in the Spiritual Trilogies.
The story
While the Civil War rages on between the Union and the Confederacy, three men – a quiet loner, a ruthless hitman, and a Mexican bandit – comb the American Southwest in search of a strongbox containing $200,000 in stolen gold.
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly recap
During the American Civil War, three gunmen chase a cache of stolen Confederate gold. Angel Eyes, a mercenary, learns of it while carrying out killings for pay. Blondie and the bandit Tuco run a scam in which Blondie turns Tuco in for the reward and then shoots through his hanging rope; when Blondie abandons him, Tuco marches him across a desert for revenge. A dying soldier, Bill Carson, tells Tuco the gold is buried in Sad Hill Cemetery and tells Blondie the name on the grave, so the two must keep each other alive. Captured while wearing Confederate uniforms, they land in a Union prison camp run in part by Angel Eyes, who tortures Tuco and takes Blondie along to find the gold. The rivals reunite, cross a bridge battle between armies, and blow up the bridge. The last of Leone's Dollars Trilogy, it is set earlier than the other two and is often read as a prequel showing how the gunman gets his poncho.
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly ending explained
Blondie wins a three-way duel and leaves Tuco with half the gold and a noose. At Sad Hill, Blondie writes the real grave's name on a stone and sets up a standoff with Tuco and Angel Eyes. Blondie shoots Angel Eyes; Tuco finds his gun was unloaded the night before. The gold lies in the unmarked grave next to Arch Stanton's. Blondie makes Tuco stand on a cross with a noose round his neck, rides away with his share, then shoots the rope from a distance, leaving Tuco to curse him over his bags of gold.
Post-credits scenes
No. There is no post-credits scene.
Where to watch The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is streaming on fuboTV, Philo, MGM Plus, and YouTube (free) in the US. You can rent or buy it on Amazon, Apple TV, and Google Play.
Ratings
IMDb 8.8/10, Rotten Tomatoes 97%
Where it fits
- Release order: after For a Few Dollars More, before Rosemary's Baby.
- Chronological order: after For a Few Dollars More, before The Rock.
Cast
- Clint Eastwood as Blondie
- Eli Wallach as Tuco Ramirez
- Lee Van Cleef as Sentenza / Angel Eyes
- Aldo Giuffrè as Alcoholic Union Captain
- Luigi Pistilli as Father Pablo Ramirez
- Rada Rassimov as Maria
- Enzo Petito as Storekeeper
- Claudio Scarchilli as Tuco Henchman
- Antonio Casale as Bill Carson / Jackson
- Livio Lorenzon as Baker
- Sandro Scarchilli as Tuco Henchman
- Benito Stefanelli as Member of Angel Eyes' Gang
Directed by Sergio Leone.