The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Play trailer

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

R

Released Dec 29, 1967

2h 41m

Western

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

97%

Tomatometer

77 Reviews

97%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

In the Southwest during the Civil War, a mysterious stranger, Joe (Clint Eastwood), and a Mexican outlaw, Tuco (Eli Wallach), form an uneasy partnership -- Joe turns in the bandit for the reward money, then rescues him just as he is being hanged. When Joe's shot at the noose goes awry during one escapade, a furious Tuco tries to have him murdered. The men re-team abruptly, however, to beat out a sadistic criminal and the Union army and find $20,000 that a soldier has buried in the desert.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Buy Now

Critics Consensus

Arguably the greatest of the spaghetti westerns, this epic features a compelling story, memorable performances, breathtaking landscapes, and a haunting score.

Read Critics Reviews

Ed Potton

The Times (UK)

Ennio Morricone’s soundtrack is widely regarded as the best of his career, with the moody, two-note flute melody... an instantly recognisable refrain that is folksy and avant-garde at the same time.

Apr 22, 2024

Full Review

TIME Magazine

All three arrive at the cache at the same time. Who gets it? Director Leone doesn't seem to care very much, and after 161 minutes of mayhem, audiences aren't likely to either.

Aug 11, 2008

Full Review

Derek Malcolm

London Evening Standard

It still looks a treat and a bold and largely successful attempt to recast the traditions of the genre in a new, sometimes critical, almost operatic way.

Rated: 4/5

Aug 1, 2008

Full Review

Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

…a revisionist Western, and a rare genre entry with loaded satirical intent that’s always hiding in plain sight…captures a master director in absolute full flow…

Rated: 5/5

Apr 28, 2024

Full Review

Zita Short

InSession Film

It makes a case for Sergio Leone as a true artist and it slowly reveals itself to have real emotional heft when you begin considering some of the ambitious themes that Leone tackles.

Feb 2, 2023

Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

While it may not be the best Western ever made - heck, it's not even the best Western Leone ever made - it's clearly the work of a master filmmaker whose style has never grown stale.

Rated: 3.5/4

Apr 30, 2021

Full Review

Read all reviews

Spencer Nielsen

I love John Ford, but Sergio Leone made the greatest western of all time. Every sequence is perfectly constructed, the iconic moments are pure cinema, and Tuco is one of the great big screen characters. Absolutely lives up to its own monumental image.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/09/24

Full Review

SweeTart

Classic. Excellent soundtrack.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/21/24

Full Review

J H

While I didn't think it was nearly as good as its reputation, it's solid.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

06/18/25

Full Review

Max M

"A brutal and mesmerizing plunge into the Wild West – an immortal masterpiece" The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is not just a Western — it is a complete cinematic experience. From the first minutes, the film captures your attention with an intense, almost mystical atmosphere that transports you directly to the unforgiving wilderness of the Wild West. Sergio Leone's direction is bold, detailed and poetic, combining epic framing, silences charged with tension and an iconic soundtrack by Ennio Morricone that almost becomes a character in itself. It is impossible to forget the prolonged duels, the piercing glances and the landscape that seems as alive as the protagonists. Even after decades, the film has aged impeccably. Its pace, its aesthetic and its ambition continue to impress both cinephiles and new viewers. As part of the Dollars trilogy, alongside A Fistful of Dollars and For a Few Dollars More, this film consolidates a cinematic spectacle that shaped the modern Western. It is more than a classic: it is a monument to cinema.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/12/25

Full Review

Stephen C

Success in 2 hours and 41 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!! Starring Clint Eastwood in his debut in Western movies, especially in Italy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/07/25

Full Review

Dan K

Pure cinema. Absolute diamond!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/29/25

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Sergio Leone

Director

Clint Eastwood

Blondie

Eli Wallach

Tuco

Lee Van Cleef

Sentenza

Aldo Giuffré

Alcoholic Union Captain

Mario Brega

Cpl. Wallace

High Plains Drifter

94%

86%

High Plains Drifter

Watchlist

There Was a Crooked Man

82%

71%

There Was a Crooked Man

Watchlist

Death Rides a Horse

50%

72%

Death Rides a Horse

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Binge Guide: 5 Things to Watch If You Love The Mandalorian

John Wick Chapter 3 Director Chad Stahelski’s Five Favorite Action Films

New Certified Fresh Movies and TV to Stream on Netflix and Amazon Prime This Week

View more photos

Synopsis

In the Southwest during the Civil War, a mysterious stranger, Joe (Clint Eastwood), and a Mexican outlaw, Tuco (Eli Wallach), form an uneasy partnership -- Joe turns in the bandit for the reward money, then rescues him just as he is being hanged. When Joe's shot at the noose goes awry during one escapade, a furious Tuco tries to have him murdered. The men re-team abruptly, however, to beat out a sadistic criminal and the Union army and find $20,000 that a soldier has buried in the desert.

Director: Sergio Leone
Producer: Alberto Grimaldi
Screenwriter: Agenore Incrocci, Furio Scarpelli, Luciano Vincenzoni, Sergio Leone
Distributor: United Artists, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Production Co: Constantin Film, Produzioni Europee Associati
Rating: R
Genre: Western
Original Language: Italian
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 29, 1967, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 27, 2015
Runtime: 2h 41m
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

Most Popular at Home Now