The Good, the Bad and the Ugly Literary Elements

Sergio Leone

Clint Eastwood, Eli Wallach, Lee Van Cleef

Luigi Pistilli, Rada Rossimov

Western

English

n/a

1966

Alberto Grimaldi

American West during the Civil War

Point of view is that of Blondie and Tuco

Satirical, Dramatic, Violent

Protagonist is Blondie. Tuco and Angel Eyes are the antagonists

Blondie gains information from Bill Carson before he dies about the location of the treasure. This is just before Tuco was going to kill him. Thus Tuco must keep him alive to find the treasure all while Angel Eyes is hunting for the same money and will stop at nothing to get it even if it means killing the two of them

Blondie, Tuco and Angel Eyes are in a Mexican standoff and Blondie has not loaded Tuco's gun. Blondie kills Angel Eyes reveals where the money is buried, has Tuco hang himself and at the last minute shoots him down. Blondie has taken half of the treasure and left the other half for Tuco restoring their original agreement.

Tuco taking the identity of Bill Carson foreshadows trouble for him and Blondie as Angel Eyes is on the hunt for Carson.

Tucos connection to religion is understated until we meet his brother who is a priest.

Leone's use of a shaky camera p.o.v. to show the woman fainting after seeing her husband and son shot to death in their home.

The Confederate soldiers eating corncobs is an allusion to the starvation they experienced due to the Union cutting off their supply of food during the war.

Tuco crosses himself throughout the film as a sign of religion in his life while paradoxically he is the worst of the worst, committing countless murders, rape, robbery to name only a few.

Tuco's 70 mile walk back to town parallels Blondie's 100 journey through the desert that Tuco leads him on as revenge.