Summary
Known as the quintessential spaghetti Western, Sergio Leone’sThe Good, the Bad and the Uglynever received a sequel. While it may come as a surprise thatThe Good, the Bad and the Ugly 2never came to fruition,the 1966 film still has quite an enduring legacy. Starring Clint Eastwood as “the Good”, Lee Van Cleef as “the Bad”, and Eli Wallach as “the Ugly,“The Good, the Bad and the Ugly’s filming locationswere mostly centered in Spain — a hallmark of a sub-genre helmed by Italian and Spanish filmmakers and production companies.
As the title somewhat suggests, the movie chronicles the efforts of three gunslingers as they search for a cache of Confederate gold. Set against the backdrop of the American Civil War,The Good, the Bad and the Uglyis packed with Leone’s signature techniques, from long shots and close-ups to incredibly tense gun duels. A box office success,the spaghetti Western helped launch Clint Eastwood to a new level of stardom. However, despite its impressive commercial success, staggering star power, and exemplary filmmaking,The Good, the Bad and the Uglynever received a direct sequel.
Screenwriter Luciano Vincenzoni Wanted To Make A Sequel
Although it never came to fruition,The Good, the Bad and the Ugly 2had been planned out. Screenwriter Luciano Vincenzoni, who worked on numerous spaghetti Westerns, had penned the original film alongside Age & Scarpelli and Leone. In the wake of the film’s success,Vincenzoni wrote a treatment for the sequel. Sergio Leone was approached to produce the film, while Gremlins filmmaker Joe Dante had been tapped to direct the proposed sequel, tentatively titledThe Good, the Bad and the Ugly 2. With no interest in working on another Western, Leone shot down the project.
Vincenzoni had previously cited a long-forming rift between himself and Leone as a key part of the equation…
PreciselyhowThe Good, the Bad and the Ugly 2fell apart isn’t entirely clear. Reportedly, the acclaimed spaghetti Western director didn’t want his masterpiece’s title or characters to be recycled in a sequel. Vincenzoni had previously cited a long-forming rift between himself and Leone as a key part of the equation. Regardless, without Leone’s stamp of approval, the sequel died.According to Vincenzoni, Leone didn’t feel “comfortable” sharing the profitsfromThe Good, the Bad and the Ugly— and that financial awkwardness created a years-long rift between the two filmmakers (viaA Fistful of Leone).
Every Sergio Leone Movie Ranked From Worst To Best
Sergio Leone is one of the most influential directors of all time; here’s every movie in his filmography ranked from worst to best and why.
The Sequel Could Have Brought Back Clint Eastwood
In Marco Giusti’sDizionario del western all’italiana, which delves into some of the spaghetti Western genre’s most compelling elements, the author outlines some elements of the canceled movie’s plot. Allegedly,The Good, the Bad and the Ugly 2would have been set 20 years after the originalThe Good, the Bad and the Ugly’s ending, and it would have followed Tuco (Wallach) as he pursued Blondie’s (Eastwood) grandson for the Confederate gold. Evidently, Eastwood expressed his interest in returning for a sequel to the hit film, which may have cast Blondie as its narrator (viaDizionario del western all’italiana).
Why Clint Eastwood Almost Passed On The Good, The Bad & The Ugly
Clint Eastwood almost didn’t complete Sergio Leone’s Dollars Trilogy. Here’s why he nearly passed on starring in The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.
The Dollars Trilogy Was Born Out Of A Marketing Gimmick
One of thethree movies in theDollars Trilogy,The Good, the Bad and the Uglyis linked to other spaghetti Westernsdespite not having a direct sequel. In order to capture movie-goers' interest,The Good, the Bad and the Uglywas marketed as the third and final installment in theDollars Trilogy, which also includedA Fistful of DollarsandFor a Few Dollars More. A pure marketing gimmick, theconnections betweenDollars Trilogymoviesweren’t intended by Leone, soThe Good, the Bad and the Ugly 2wouldn’t have been a fourth installment in theDollars Trilogy.
The Good the Bad and the Ugly
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is a Spaghetti Western directed by Sergio Leone, scored by Ennio Morricone, and starring Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef, and Eli Wallach as three gunslingers who compete for a cache of Confederate gold during the American Civil War. The 1966 film is regarded as one of the greatest Westerns of all time.
Sources:AFistfulOfLeone.com,Dizionario del western all’italiana
