Released in 1966, Sergio Leone's film closed out his famous "Dollars Trilogy." The original Italian title translates directly to The Good, the Bad, the Ugly , starring Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef, and Eli Wallach.
The film's casting was a crucial aspect of its production. Clint Eastwood, already a rising star in the United States, was cast as "Il Buono" (The Good), a bounty hunter with a mysterious past. Lee Van Cleef, a veteran of Italian cinema, played "Il Cattivo" (The Bad), a ruthless and cunning outlaw. Eli Wallach, an American actor of Greek descent, was cast as "Il Matto" (The Crazy), a Mexican bandit with a troubled history. Il buono- il matto- il cattivo torrent