Lost Scenes from GBU

There were several scenes that were shot for "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" that have now been either stolen or lost to time. A few still photos remain though which offer a glimpse of what might have been included in the restored DVD if original film stock was still available.
Here are a few photos of screen captures I made from the Special Edition DVD.

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Clint Eastwood interview

My original post with the Clint Eastwood interview was lagging the page and slowing down the load time for some reason. It's only a short interview and doesn't take that long to load, but I'll put the link here so you can view it in a separate page.

You can't call his acting ugly

Eli Wallach recently celebrated his 91st birthday earlier this month. Belated Birthday wishes, Eli.
I really enjoy watching Eli Wallach in GBU. He truly brings the character of Tuco to life.
Some Tuco quotes from the movie:

whats this, one bastard goes in, another bastard comes out.
you're the son of a thousand fathers, all bastards like you.
There are two types of spurs my friend, those who come in by the door and those who come in by the window.
Revolvers!
If you work for a living, why do you kill yourself working?

There's a great interview with the actor on the BFI website. Here's part of the interview. You can read the whole interview on the BFI site.

I couldn't figure out how I was cast in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. I met Leone in California. I was introduced to him, and he said 'I just want you to see the credits.' And I saw that thing and I said 'I'll do the movie, what kind is it?' He said 'it's a spaghetti Western.' I said 'that sounds like Hawaiian pizza, what the hell...' but he said 'I want you to do it.' But I never figured out why he cast me. I thought it was from The Magnificent Seven. No, I made a film called How the West Was Won
Clint, who was my mentor, as I said, said to me 'don't show off, don't do any stunts, don't be too clever, because they don't expend a lot of money on stunts, on stunt people. They'll use you...' [laughter] So there's a scene where I'm trying to break the... what do you call it, the... handcuffs. I killed that man, lay in between the tracks... and the train is coming. Leone said to me 'I want you, when the train is coming, to turn your head this way, so the camera is there and they'll see it's not an extra, and it's not a stand-in, and it's not a stuntman, it's you.' So I turned this way and the train went by. As it went by the last step on the train was sticking out this way, and if I had raised my head I'd have been decapitated. [1963], which was a classic movie, huge cast: Spencer Tracy, John Wayne, Henry Fonda... all of them, and the cast was all set. And at one point... I was always a bandit again... I saw George Peppard and I threatened him and he had two little boys standing next to him and as I left I went to them 'qu-whew, qu-whew.' Leone said 'I want that man to do the movie, because of what he did.' [laughter]

Leone came over to me with a cameraman and said 'Eli, we have to do it again... little thing with a...' I said 'not with me, you're not going to do it with me.' [laughter] He said 'yeah, yeah, I'll tell you what we'll do, we dig the hole a little deeper, okay?' 'All right.' The train comes, very slowly, and I turn this way and I'm way down. When the scene is over, the cameraman comes running up to Leone and says 'I couldn't see him, he was down in the hole, I didn't see him.' [laughter] But they never changed it. I never did it over again. I had to do a lot of things like falling off that train, pulling him off that train...

I said to Leone 'Clint is going to be up there and he's going to shoot.' I had the rope around my neck, like this, and I put in a little extra touch. A lot of English people settled in Almeria, Spain. It was inexpensive to live, the weather, you never had the rain you've been having, and it was very pleasant. And she's... this lady and her face is all red, and the sheriff is saying '...and Tuco Ramirez will be hanged by the neck for this crime and that crime and seduction and rape and murd...' and when he came to 'rape' I looked at this poor lady whose head was all... and I went 'grrr...' [laughter] and Leone had a fit, he said 'keep it in, keep it in.' So you never know, when you dream up a moment like that...

A New GBU book is on the way!

There is a new book about to be published that will offer in depth coverage of the GBU movie. I'm eagerly awaiting the release of this book and I'm sure that it will live up to the expectations of all fans of this classic film. From what I see on the author's webite, the book will include behind the scenes photos, some of which are never before seen shots. There will also be interviews with cast and crew. If I get any more information about this book, I'll post the info here. Stay tuned.

Some photos from the film

GBU Movie Comparison part 2

Well, I found the Italian site that has photos and videos with a side by side comparison of scenes from the movie (as well as the other two movies from the trilogy) and what the area looks like today. You don't need to understand Italian to navigate through the site.
Sergio Leone Locations

Back to the scene of the crime-- A Movie Comparison

I found an interesting site that revisits areas where shooting for the GBU movie was done. The photographer must have done a lot of searching to find the exact spots where filming occurred. There was another site with video as well, but I've forgotten the link to it. Send me a comment if you know the website I'm talking about.
Comparison photos

A GBU Timeline

I found a great post on an Eastwood forum that gives an amazing timeline for the GBU story.
I found it at clinteastwood.net

If you wanted to fit the storyline into the actual events as they happend in New Mexico & Texas during the here is a possible senario. All the military Regiments are real and the dates on the New Mexico Campain are real.
GBU’s Historical Timelines

Jackson-Bill Carson

Soon after the start of the War Between The States, in late April or early May of 1861, a group of Southern patriots that include men with the names of Baker, Stevens, and Jackson leave their West Texas homes and ride to Dallas where the Texas 3rd Cavalry is organizing. In Early July the regiment leaves Dallas and heads for Missouri on the "Texas Road" through the Indian Territory to Ft. Smith, Arkansas. They participate in the battle of Wilson’s Creek on August 10, 1861, CS casualties 1,095, US casualties 1,235 . The Regiment remains stationed in the border area of Missouri-Arkansas-Indian Territory. The 3rd Cavalry fights in the Battles of Chustenahlah on December 26, 1861.

At the end of January 1862 Jackson, Baker, and Stevens are detailed as a part of a 25 man Paymasters detachment for I Corp of the Trans-Mississippi District. Around the first of February, near Ft. Smith, they blunder into a Union Cavalry recognizance party. In the heat of battle the Paymasters wagon and $200,000 in gold coins disappears. The sole separated survivors, all wounded, are Corporal Jackson, Stevens, and Baker. At the beginning of the second week of February back in Dallas a military tribunal conducts an inquiry and acquits Corporal Jackson and Stevens.
Jackson either changes his name to Bill Carson and telegraphs ahead to re-enlist in Sibley’s Brigade, then hops a stage to El Paso, or Jackson, kills the real Bill Carson who is already on his way to join Sibley and assumes his identity. Baker belatedly arrives back in Dallas and finds out that Jackson has vanished.
Jackson, heads north from El Paso and he visits Maria his "soiled dove" paramour in the New Mexico Territorial town of Dona Ana. He reaches Sibley’s Brigade joining the 7th Texas Cavalry (7th Mounted Volunteers) 3rd Regiment on or about February 25th, near Scorro, New Mexico, Territory.

Angel Eyes - West Texas Border Area

Early March 1862 -

Baker back in El Paso, hires Angel Eyes to find Jackson and kill Stevens.

Mid March 1862 -

Angel Eyes (AE) rides out to the Steven’s hacienda, he questions Stevens and discovers the fact that Jackson changed his name to Bill Carson and that he joined Sibley’s Brigade. Stevens also inadvertently spills the beans about the missing cash box. Stevens gives AE $1000 dollars to try and buy off his life, and for AE to kill Baker to boot, but AE kills Stevens and one of his sons. AE goes back to Baker and collects his money and kills him. AE is now on a personal hunt for Carson.
In El Paso as AE watches the second hanging of Tuco "The Rat" Ramierez, he questions "Half Soldier" (who was in the 3rd Texas Cavalry and lost both legs at the Battle of Wilsons Creek ) about the whereabouts of Bill Carson. Half Soldier also tells AE that Carson re-enlisted, and that he lost an eye, and that AE can find out more information from the whore Maria in the town of Santa Ana (prehaps Dona Ana). Maria talks.

End of March - 1862

AE is at Ft. Marcy outside of Santa Fe, New Mexico Territory. He finds out that Canby and the Union Forces have cut the Confederates to pieces at the Battles of Apache Canyon & Glorietta. If Carson is taken
alive as a prisoner he will be sent to Batterville Camp (900 miles East).
AE leaves for Batterville along the Santa Fe Trail, traveling at an average of 30 miles a day he reaches the vicinity of Batterville in a month. (what makes the most sense is for Batterville to be near Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas & St. Joseph, Missouri).

Mid May -1862

AE waylays a Union Sergeant newly assigned to the camp assumes his identity, and awaits the possible arrival of Bill Carson while running a black market ring at the camp.


TUCO’s Timeline

December -1861

Tuco in a ghost town hideout is attacked by three bounty hunters, he kills two and wounds one. On his escape route out, three more bounty hunters shoot him off his horse. Tuco is "saved" by Blondie.
Blondie’s con game begins. Blondie takes Tuco into Scorro, Texas, and collects the bounty. Before Tuco is hung Blondie shoots the rope and they escape North out of town and into New Mexico Territory to lay low until things cool off for a while.
· here occurs the First Major Time Jump in the film.

Mid March - 1862

El Paso, second Tuco hanging (observed by AE). Blondie and Tuco (B&T) escape again north into New Mexico Territory. Blondie severs relationship takes Tuco’s half of the reward and leaves him 70 miles out in the middle of nowhere. Tuco heads to the town of Dona Ana,
New Mexico Territory, arriving in the early evening terribly dehydrated. He rearms at the gunsmiths.
Tuco recovered, recruits some of his old henchmen to track down Blondie
· Second Time Jump

April 7th - 1862

Santa Fe, New Mexico Territory, Sibley’s Brigade is retreating through town. Tuco spies Blondie’s saddle rig & horse. Blondie kills the three men that Tuco has recruited, but is caught by Tuco.
Blondie, about to be hung in his hotel room by Tuco is saved by a cannon shot from an artillery barrage that blows out the floor under Tuco. Blondie escapes back to Texas (250 miles + or -) about 6 days travel.

Second week of April - 1862

The Scorro, New Mexico Territory sequence (fits in here).
Tuco tracks Blondie South back down to Texas by following his campfires. Three campfires (50 miles a day more or less).

April 15th - 1862

Blondie & Shorty are running the con game again in San Elizario, Texas. Tuco captures Blondie & Shorty hangs. Tuco marches Blondie north back into New Mexico planning a special surprise for his friend.

April 17th - 1862

Tuco gets supplies (food, water, water basin, parasol) in Dona Ana and marches Blondie into the "Journada del Muerta" (March of Death) desert, 100 miles stretching North to South with no water.
B&T meet "The Carriage of the Spirits" (an ambushed Confederate 3rd regiment Headquarters wagon full of bodies). Tuco begins to rob the dead but discovers Bill Carson/Jackson barely alive.
A delirious Bill Carson/Jackson tells Tuco about the buried gold in the Sad Hill Cemetery, Tuco asks about the name on the grave, but Bill Carson/Jackson begins to go into convulsions and demands water. Bill Carson/Jackson dies but tells Blondie the name on the
grave.
Tuco now must save Blondie, so he loads him in the carriage and heads for help.

April 18th -1862

B&T arrive at night at Confederate Picket Post find out they are at a place called Apache Canyon. Tuco asks for the closest infirmary and finds out that he is near his brothers San Antonio Mission hospital.

April 19th - 1862

B&T arrive at San Antonio Mission.
· Third Time Jump

May - 1862

B&T leave San Antonio Mission cross the Rio Grande and head North into the dry Plains of San Agustine passing around the Union stronghold of Ft. Craig. Tuco has a map and talks about heading Northwest and the Sierra Magdalena on their left and about crossing back across the Rio Grande and then going all the way across Texas (to the East).
B&T are captured by a Union Cavalry patrol North and West of Ft. Craig.
Fourth Time Jump

July - 1862
B&T marched into Batterville Camp, from Ft. Craig, 1,020 miles ( at a pace of about 20 + or - miles a day, over the Santa Fe trail. It would have taken them about 50 days) to this fictitious camp (closest real Union POW camp was in Illinois). This site also is located near the longest railroad existing at the time (St. Joseph & Hanibal RR) west of the Mississippi.
Tuco tortured and tells AE that Sad Hill near Ft. Smith Arkansas is the name of the cemetery. Tuco & Wallace to St, Joseph & Hanibal RR. After ten hours on the train Tuco escapes and catches the next train back. Tuco track’s AE & Blondie South towards Ft. Smith, and Sad Hill.
AE & Blondie & AE’s gang traveling about 30 miles per day and Tuco traveling about 40 miles per day both reach Ft. Smith at the same time. ( Ft. Smith, Arkansas changed hands several times during the Civil War and makes a good candidate for the battered town and its on a major river the Arkansas.)
Tuco kills one armed bounty hunter who has been on the lookout for him for eight months.
B&T kill AE’s gang and head for Sad Hill.

2nd week in July 1862
B&T blunder upon a battle for Langston or Langstone bridge over the Arkansas River. The small cemetery nearby at Sad Hill has swollen with the dead from the various skirmishes & battles in the border area of Northwest Arkansas ( Pea Ridge (Elkhorn Tavern) was on March 6-8th 1862, US Casualties 1, 349, CS Casualties 4,600).
B&T&AE shoot out at Sad Hill.

Sergio Leone's Classic

The Italian spaghetti Western directed by Sergio Leone called 'The Good, the Bad and the Ugly' (Il buono, il brutto, il cattivo) was released in 1966 and starred Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef, and Eli Wallach.
Clint Eastwood played 'the man with no name'. In the movie, he obtains his trademark poncho from a dying soldier near the end of the film. He wears his poncho in all three of the Leone directed Spaghetti Westerns. The other two movies are called 'For a Fistful of Dollars' and 'For a Few Dollars More'.Although he is the 'man with no name', he is nicknamed Blondie by Tuco several times throughout the picture.

The Ecstasy of Gold

The movie 'The Good, the Bad and the Ugly' culminated in a final three-way showdown scene that Quentin Tarantino has stated is the best scene ever shot in film history. The music truly adds to the power of that scene. In case you've never seen the original, you can always find it on youtube: Final Showdown

A Morricone Masterpiece

The soundtrack to the movie 'The Good, the Bad and the Ugly' featured some of Ennio Morricones' best work. If you've never seen the movie, at least give yourself a treat and sample some of the music from the movie. Of course, seeing the movie would really help you appreciate the music even more.

Every blog has its own tune

Welcome! This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Sergio Leone spaghetti western, 'The Good, the Bad and the Ugly', so I think it fitting to pay tribute to this great classic movie.