Clint Eastwood Shines as “The Good” – But Who’s “The Bad” and “The Ugly” in This Legendary Western?

It might seem obvious, but it’s not quite so simple. In “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly,” those familiar with the film clearly know who is who—at least in the French version. In the French version, “The Good” is Blondie, played by Clint Eastwood, “The Bad” is Angel Eyes, portrayed by Lee Van Cleef, and “The Ugly” is Tuco, brought to life by Eli Wallach. However, in Italy, where Sergio Leone, the film’s director, hails from, the movie is titled “Il buono, il brutto, il cattivo,” which translates slightly differently than the French version.

A Softened French Title?

In Italy, ‘il buono’ (the good) is indeed Clint Eastwood, but ‘il brutto’ (which translates as “the ugly”) actually refers to Eli Wallach, and ‘il cattivo’ (“the evil”) is Lee Van Cleef. In the book “Conversations with Sergio Leone,” the director states: “Tuco also embodies instinct, he’s the bastard, the bum… Angel Eyes is purely technique [a professional]. Blondie represents intelligence.“

Notice that in France, we have softened Tuco’s nickname from “ugly” to merely a “bandit.” The English version, however, sticks closer to the Italian with “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly,” where “ugly” is Tuco and “bad” is Angel Eyes.

Is He Really “a Bandit”?

Without a doubt, Tuco is a cunning and vengeful criminal, which the nickname “bandit” conveys perfectly. However, this might seem a bit mild when you hear the list of his various crimes before his first hanging in the movie: voluntary manslaughter, armed assault, bank robbery, counterfeiting, arson, perjury, incitement to prostitution, theft of sacred objects, and many more…

This nevertheless downplays the aspect of “ugliness” attached to the character in other versions, which doesn’t necessarily fit when discussing Eli Wallach and his charismatic portrayal of Tuco.

Meanwhile, Angel Eyes repeatedly shows exactly why the name “evil” suits him perfectly, to the extent that AlloCiné has rated him as one of cinema’s greatest villains, and deservedly so! As for “Blondie,” while he may have some scruples, adherence to the law is not among them, seeing as he sets up a “hanging scam” with Tuco and toys with his nerves until the end of the film in what is rightly considered one of the greatest westerns ever made.