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A cashbox containing $200,000, that was stolen and hidden in an unmarked grave, is the focus of three men: two criminals and a stranger.

This third and last of the Clint Eastwood spaghetti westerns out does the earlier two in every way, producing a film which, in my opinion, is the best western of all time, from either side of the Atlantic. Set in the American Civil War, the story traces the activities of the three title characters, which are more concerned with helping themselves to the spoils of war, than of supporting either side. The film emphasises the futility of the conflict with a torrent of violence surpassing anything produced by the US. I feel that the magic of this film is the combination of a marvellous genre (i.e. the western) with the dark humour and pathos that only Europeans can portray. It has a fantastic musical score, which everyone must know, and it uses the fairy-tale Spanish horses to produce some dramatic, surrealistic effects. It also has a superb ending - a take on the usual gun duel with hero riding off into the sunset, which makes all the others look like child's play. Unmissable.

Clint Eastwood ("the Man with No Name") is good, Lee Van Cleef (named Angel Eyes Sentenza here) is bad, and Eli Wallach (Tuco Benedito Pacifico Juan Maria Ramirez) is ugly in the final chapter of Sergio Leone's trilogy of spaghetti Westerns (the first two were A Fistful of Dollars and For a Few Dollars More). In this sweeping film, the characters form treacherous alliances in a ruthless quest for Confederate gold. Leone is sometimes underrated as a director, but the excellent resolution on this DVD should enhance appreciation of his considerable photographic talent and gorgeous widescreen compositions. Ennio Morricone's jokey score is justifiably famous. The DVD includes about a quarter-hour of footage not seen in the original release. -- Amazon.com

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