Film Analysis: The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly

poster typically has the white cowboy large, presented front and center, with the antagonists and co-stars all behind him. An iconic western, The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly, has a poster picturing the white cowboy alone. Clint Eastwood stands there tall, stoic, and singular. Typical of most other westerns, the white cowboy is the center of attention. Here, however, there are two non-white figures presented: Bart, the Black cowboy, and a large Native American chief. This movie poster has the same style as other westerns with the color and layout, but is unique in the fact that a black man is presented where a white man would normally be dominating. Once again, this makes a statement about racial improvements. Previously having a black man at

As Bill Hug remarks in his writing on the film, “Conventions governing the ethnicity or race of western heroes and villains are bluntly contradicted. Racist Whites become the bad guys; Blacks, an ethnic group not seen before in westerns before the 1960s, are now their victims.” By breaking this traditional view, Brooks is effectively setting an example for the brighter future that he sees. Rather than going along with typical and expected roles, he switches them, creating what we can interpret as the diverse, optimistic, future of film. Hug also makes the conclusion that no other genre would have served this role better, seeing as the western represents Anglo-American supremacy. Taking a classically white dominated genre and twisting it to include an otherwise overlooked subset of the population (in terms of film at least), Brooks adequately sets his film apart. This setting apart gets viewers’ attention and forces them to think on the changing social dynamic around

Between the witty jokes and racist undertones, there is a seemingly strong view and criticism of American racial relations. As evidenced through the film’s plot, climax, poster, and characterization, one can deduce that director Mel Brooks meant for the viewer to take more away from the film than just a sore stomach from laughing. The film can instead be viewed as a commentary on racial relations. It continually looks back and jokes at previous, unequal conditions, but more importantly looks forward optimistically at the future. Breaking the typical cowboy trope, and even the overall western formula, Bart set an example for the future. The question remains, however, as to what does the film suggest we do to move forward? It can be viewed as seeing an optimistic future, but how do we get there? Additionally, if we interpret this film as being more than meets the eye, then what about Mel Brooks’ other films? Do the films History of the World: Part I, Robin Hood: Men in Tights, or even Spaceballs have some deeper social commentary within them? One thing is for sure, Mel Brooks is the funniest racial equality advocate I have ever