Review of The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Warning: Spoilers
I guess I find myself somewhat in the middle on this film, I enjoyed it to a point, but I don't get the sense that this is one of the greatest Westerns ever, and the Western is my favorite movie genre. I much prefer a good psychological Western between complex antagonists, Eastwood's own "Unforgiven" would be an example. This was more a straightforward tale of three desperadoes consumed by greed who attempt to outwit each other on the trail to an unknown grave containing two hundred thousand dollars in gold coin. Each though, earns their respective title credit in the story, even if Eastwood's Blondie might be the 'good' simply based on his classically rugged features.

More on the plus side, it was really cool to hear the title theme music expressed in a handful of different ways throughout the story. The picture also captured the gritty realism of what the 1860's wild west was probably a lot like. You know, the more films I see of cowboys out in the desert days at a time with no access to soap and water, I start to wonder if they'll ever produce a picture that captures the fresh aroma of that experience. It's one thing to hear Tuco accused of smelling like a pig, but to actually get the full flavor of that would really be something. Then again, theater goers would never make it to the end of the picture - oh well for that idea.

As for the film's length, I too side with those that feel it took a long time to get from Point A to Point B. I'm really wondering if it was necessary to bring in the Civil War battle for that bridge, but it did give rise to perhaps the most meaningful scene in the picture for me. Watching Blondie try to ease the soldier's death with his coat and a smoke was a masterful touch.

You know, I could probably go so far as to put this film in the top twenty Westerns of all time, but it's position at #4 in the IMDb top rankings of ALL pictures (as I write this) is just too much of a stretch. That's probably the reason I find myself going to that page less and less, and watching movies of all types more and more.