The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, starring Clint Eastwood, has been hailed as the best Western movie ever made and fans are now saying that if you only watch one film in this genre, make sure it's this one
TV Jane Lavender Associate Editor 07:00, 22 Apr 2025
Clint Eastwood's Western movie is being hailed by fans as the "best ever made", with many advising that if you're to watch just one film in this genre, it should be this one.
The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, a classic Italian Spaghetti Western, was released back in 1966. It features Clint Eastwood as 'the good', Lee Van Cleef as 'the bad' and Eli Wallach as 'the ugly'.
Set amidst the American Civil War in 1862, the plot revolves around Joe, portrayed by Eastwood, a mysterious stranger, and Tuco, enacted by Wallach, a Mexican outlaw.
A complex partnership forms between the two after Joe hands over Tuco to claim a reward, only to rescue him right before his execution. They team up in a race against a terrifying criminal and the entire Union army to locate a massive cash prize buried in the desert by a soldier.
Despite being a box office hit, plans for a sequel never materialised. Critics initially gave the film a cold shoulder due to the general disdain for Spaghetti Westerns at the time, reports the Mirror US.
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Reviews were mixed, but that didn't stop fans from thronging to cinemas to catch The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.
Over time, however, the movie has become a classic of its genre, earning rave reviews from critics and fans alike. The Good, The Bad and The Ugly now consistently ranks among the top 100 best films ever made.
The film boasts a near-perfect rating on Rotten Tomatoes, a film review website. Critics praised the film, saying, "If you only see one spaghetti Western in your lifetime, this is the one to see."
Other critics added: "There are two kinds of people, my friend. Those who love Sergio Leone's The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966) and those who resist the machismo and gallows humor of what is arguably the definitive spaghetti western."
Critics also said: "The defining spaghetti western pits a charismatic Clint Eastwood against partner and nemesis Eli Wallach and perpetual enemy Lee Van Cleef."
Fans of the film have been equally enthusiastic in their praise. One wrote: "Probably the most well known spaghetti western movie of all time with many memorable lines, cinematography and soundtrack. And it has the most iconic ending of all time. Also Clint Eastwood makes one hell of a cool cowboy with his own signature looks and smooth and steady strut."
Additionally, fans praised the film's dialogue, saying: "When you have to shoot, shoot, don't talk!" This line alone represents everything this movie stands for and i'm all for it. Master Leone's vision of the American West comes full circle in this powerful epic that delivers everything you could ask from a masterpiece: amazing performances; stellar direction and cinematography; great action; marvelous production design; a intelligent story; and last but far from least: the singlest most powerful soundtrack to ever be conceived.
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Another fan praised the film, saying: "The best Western with maybe my number one director Sergio Leone. And Clint Eastwood who belongs to my top 10 list of actors and directors. What amazing career Clint Eastwood has. I think if I gather all the movies of Clint Eastwood together and calculate the stars that I give them, he probably be my number 1 actor!".
Fans can now watch 'The Good, The Bad and The Ugly' as it's available for streaming on Amazon Prime.
