Although not Leone’s intention, the three films came to be considered a trilogy following the exploits of the same so-called “Man with No Name” (portrayed by Clint Eastwood, wearing the same clothes and acting with the same mannerisms).
The films were not originally intended to be a series, but the American distributor, United Artists, invented the concept for marketing purposes, establishing Clint Eastwood’s character in each film to actually be the same person. Thus, the films have been considered by many to be a series ever since. Additionally, a series of novels released in the years after the films establish the films as belonging to the same continuity.
Clint stated that he bought a poncho at Western Costume in Hollywood as he thought “Joe” or THE MAN WITH NO NAME from “A FISTFUL OF DOLLARS” would wear one (his own idea) but Sergio Leone found the “green one” in Spain and liked it better.
Fist Full of Dollars
Clint Eastwood in A Fistful of Dollars (1964), directed by Sergio Leone. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. A mysterious stranger “The Man With No Name” (Clint Eastwood) drifts into the Mexican village of San Miguel in the midst of a power struggle among the three Rojo brothers (Antonio Prieto, Benny Reeves, Sieghardt Rupp) and sheriff John Baxter (Wolfgang Lukschy). When a regiment of Mexican soldiers bearing gold intended to pay for new weapons is waylaid by the Rojo brothers, the stranger inserts himself into the middle of the long-simmering battle, selling false information to both sides for his own benefit.
For a Few Dollars More
In the Wild West, a murderous outlaw known as El Indio (Gian Maria Volonte) and his gang are terrorizing and robbing the citizens of the region. With a bounty on El Indio’s head, two bounty hunters, Monco (Clint Eastwood) and Col. Douglas Mortimer (Lee Van Cleef), come to collect the prize. Upon their first meeting, the two men view each other as rivals, but they eventually agree to become partners in their mutual pursuit of the vicious criminal.
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
In the Southwest during the Civil War, a mysterious stranger, Joe (Clint Eastwood), and a Mexican outlaw, Tuco (Eli Wallach), form an uneasy partnership — Joe turns in the bandit for the reward money, then rescues him just as he is being hanged. When Joe’s shot at the noose goes awry during one escapade, a furious Tuco tries to have him murdered. The men re-team abruptly, however, to beat out a sadistic criminal and the Union army and find $20,000 that a soldier has buried in the desert.
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