Good, the Bad and the Ugly, The

Possibly Las Salanillas, Tabernas in the Almeria region of Spain.

A good match from Hans with the hills to the right. Hans provided a map to show that one takes the turn for Fort Bravo/Texas Hollywood off the N-340a but instead of turning left under the bridge to the set, turn down a dirt road right and keep going around until directly south of the main turning. This is looking east. (SJ)

As above

Hans finds the correct hill outline once again. This is looking north-west with the A-340a behind the hills. (SJ)

Caserio del campillo de Dona Francisca

This is down a dirt road east of Los Albaricoques, then a left turn when the front of the house is seen. But this is the back so it's easy to miss. SJ

van Cleef (the bad) rides in from the north

Now: lawn needs a mow. SJ

van Cleef (the bad) approaches with menace in his soul.

Now a holiday villa. SJ

La Pedriza de Manzanares el Real, north-west of Madrid. While in the region, explore the castle of the Mendoza seen in films such as el Cid.

Hans on target with the rock formations. (SJ)

Manzanares el Real near Madrid. The rock formations resemble a mini-Alabama Hills, found in California.

Details of the formation to match the right of the screen capture from Hans. (SJ)

Wallach about to be hanged before Eastwood shoots the rope. Filmed at a set in the Manzanares region or in Elios studios, Rome, so may be difficult to take a comparison.

Wallach and Eastwood divide the loot in the Rambla Alfaro, desierto de Tabernas

This took me ages to find. One drives past it on the autovia A-92 just south of the turn off to the N-340a. Take that turning for the service station, drive through it onto a dirt road heading southwest then stop before the bridge. Best to enter the ramblas always keeping to the right and keep looking back up to the road. However I scrambled over the top from the road to take this. I'm not sure how the film crew managed. SJ

Damian Zieba visited the site, capturing some fairly drastic erosion both below and of the overhang in the intervening years. (SJ)

As above.

Roger Auclair and friends had little problem with the location but also noticed the erosion. (SJ)

Eastwood and Wallach flee, after the hanging which nearly goes wrong. Also near Tabernas, close to Mini Hollywood.

A lot greener in this shot from Hans from the road just above the north edge of Oasys/Mini Hollywood. (SJ)

Wallach, disappointed over the broken partnership.

A great match from Roger (SJ).

Eastwood rides off regardless, and this is the same area as the opening shots (literally) in For a Few Dollars More.

I think I need to be more to my left for this one but it will have to do for now. This is east of the autovia A-92 and north of standing film set Western Leone where Leone returned to film C'era una volta il west. (11/1/18) SJ

No locations like an old one. A revisit to Mini Hollywood which featured hugely in For a Few Dollars More

Buildings on the left and right are the same. SJ

Wallach takes a rickety bridge to Mini Hollywood

It's still there and still rickety. One can see just past the car park and entrance of the theme park. Not easy to match the same height. SJ

Wallach now emerges, in a cut, into Mini Hollywood street. The bridge is behind him, but much further than suggested.

Buildings change, hills don't. SJ

Thirsty work, these deserts

Using the continuity of the film here for this one, and the buildings have altered. SJ

Same hotel as van Cleef's in For a Few Dollars More. Wallach's turn now.

Same style of woodwork even. SJ

A good shot of Mini Hollywood taken above the previous capture.

Taken from the balcony above. SJ

Also seen in For A Few Dollars More. East of Mini Hollywood in the Sierra Almahilla.

A fine match taken by Roger Auclair. (SJ)

And here it is again. For the adventurous, turn off the Tabernas road, pass Mini Hollywood, and take the fourth turning on the left. It shows up on the first real curl/switchback of this track.

And again: with thanks to Roger. And David Lippiatt adds that the formations to the right of this hill appear in the bridge ambush scene in A Fistful of Dynamite (capture 25). (SJ)

Probably in the same area of Sierra Alhamilla.

Yes, the same distinctive rock on the near horizon. Taken by Roger who adds that Clint rode down here in For a Few Dollars More, and behind him was the spot where he shot 3 of Indio's men. (SJ)

Cortijada Higo Seco, north east of Los Albaricoques. Eastwood prepares to save his hew partner from a hanging.

Hans' shot, perhaps a little off-angle. (SJ)

A hanging in front of Cortijada Higo Seco, north east of Los Albaricoques (the apricots). cortijada is a variation of cortijo/farmhouse so Dry Fig farmhouse. End of Spanish lesson.

Same spot as 23. Location confirmed by David Lippiatt in Sept. 2013. (SJ)

Reverse pov from the two above. Wallach starts his revenge on Eastwood for terminating their partnership.

Couldn't find the cortijada but this is the correct hill. SJ. David (DL) adds that if one stands near here, one can see 24 & 23 so I should have looked a little harder! (SJ)

Same as no. 25 but repeated for a reason.

If one stands at cap25, one is looking at 24. This shot is a considerable improvement on my effort sent by David, taken in September 2013. (SJ)

dunas de las Amoladeras, Mazarulleque, just west of Rambla Morales

Wallach surveys the dunes.

The dunes have disappeared and been overgrown but is is definitely the same spot: Dunas de Las Almoladeras, Almeria. Taken by DL in Sept 2013. (SJ)

The side of the cortijo del Fraile, the monk's farmhouse.

This is on the road northeast of Los Albaricoques, and east of the caserio del campillo de Dona Francisca, seen in gbu003. SJ

The front

Now with palm. SJ

A closer view as Eastwood and Wallach leave.

Now, in decay. SJ

Leaving the cortijo.

Now: this is on Ruta B of the "Ruta del Cine," established by the inspired Andalusian tourist board. SJ

And further on.

Now. SJ

rambla Lanujar, north of captures 9 & 10.

The reverse shot as the Union army approaches, so dusty as to look like Confederates

A nice match of scenery by Hans. (SJ)

The prison camp. Carazo near Burgos, Madrid

A greener look today by Hans. This is just north of Carazo and is marked on maps as Campamento Betterville Sergio Leone. Some 300 yards away is a path which leads to Sad Hill seen in the climax to the north-west. (SJ)

The Betterville Camp has been given the Sad Hill treatment and has been restored to its former cinematic glory thanks to Sad Hill Association founder Sergio Garcia.

The promontory on the right clinches this for Hans. (SJ)

Estacion La Calahorra: the station is north of the A-92 whereas the town of La Calahorra is south.

Take the GR-6103 north off the A-92 and there's the station after ten or so minutes. Unfortunately this shot is taken from the wrong side. (11/1/11) SJ

Same area as above, one way to break handcuffs

Just a short walk along from the station at Calahorra (also the station and town in Once Upon A Time in The West). I found a rivet that was lying on the ground and took it home - a little piece of Tuco. Another gem from David. (SJ)

The train does it for one.

And again from DL. (SJ)

This is south-east of Colmenar Viejo on the northern fringes of Madrid just east of the M-607 near junction 29. The road just north of Estación de tratamiento de Colmenar Viejo should provide this view. Info from Hans.

It's all in the hills. Hans again. (SJ)

The bridge being fought between the Unions and Confederates. Covarrubias, near Madrid.

I griped that Hans had to step to the left to fit in some comparison details, and, within 24 hours, Hans had sent in this improved shot. (SJ)

Eastwood and Wallach at Covarrubias (Red Cave)

Some more of the landscape by Hans: again this replaces his own which only lasted a day. (SJ)

Betweeen Contreras and Santo Domingo de Silos

As the sign says "Sad Hill" taken by Carlos Garaban in August last. (RL)

A repeat of Capture 44

DL's elegant widescreen shot. (SJ)

The cemetery where the gold is buried... this is just northwest of Carazo where the prison camp scenes were filmed (Captures 36 and 37)

David says, "This was a revelation. The location has been restored to its cinematic splendour by The Sad Hill Cultural Association who have financed it via crowdfunding. I donated Eur 10 a year or so ago and was astonished to get an email with an image of a cross with my name on it, All donators get their own crosses - an amazing effort!" And a great shot from David taken in September 2017. (SJ: I followed suit in 2018 and am still awaiting confirmation, Jan '25 update)

The draw for the gold.

Carlos Garaban captured a rather less tense scene in August. (RL)

Ever so slowly reaching to the melodies of Morricone.

Suso Navarrete sent in this comparison. (SJ)

Wallach fills his hand.

Same tree, unfortunately dead, although the graves have been rebuilt and renamed. DL again (SJ)

And a repeat shot of 49

Repeated to show that location hunting can be a collaborative effort. And long may it live. With thanks to David Lippiatt for his shots. (SJ)

And Clint rides off.

A lovely drone shot from Suso N. again and I assumed that was Suso by the tree to the left, but actually he was operating the drone from the "truel"/three-way showdown circle and that is a silhouette of the great Clint himself! (SJ)