Synopsis

When a large fortune of gold is at stake, two men reluctantly join forces against a third in order to find its hiding place.

Considered one of the greatest if not well known westerns ever made, Sergio Leone's The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly (Il buono, il brutto, il cattivo) became a symbol for the Spaghetti Westerns that were emerging in cinema during the 1960's. With three of the era's greatest western stars, the film would become well known, not just for Leone's directing style, but also for the music of Ennio Morricone, the Italian composer whose music would set the tone for many westerns, his score from the film would become one of his most beloved.

The film begins by introducing the characters of Tuco a.k.a. "The Ugly" (Eli Wallach) -- a deadly gunslinger with a bounty on his head, Angel Eyes a.k.a. "The Bad" (Lee Van Cleef) -- An even worse gunslinger who more than earns his title, and finally the mysterious "Man With No Name" who is referred to as Blondie a.k.a. "The Good" (Clint Eastwood).

The core motivation that brings these three characters together is a large sum of missing Confederate gold, last known to be in the possession of a man named "Bill Carson". While Angel Eyes is already on the trail of the missing gold, Blondie and Tuco form an unusual partnership with Tuco being turned in for the bounty by Blondie, only to be rescued by him from hanging. While the two start off splitting the reward money, their relationship deteriorates and the two take turns at causing the other pain. While travelling through the desert, they discover the dying Bill Carson who tells each of them a clue into the location of the gold.

This information makes them the target of Angel Eyes and sees the three gunslingers to get caught up in the American Civil War as they search for the location of the gold whilst trying to stay on top of their opponents. As they reach their destination, the three engage in one of the most famous film shootouts in history, a three man draw, with the gold as the prize for the winner.