“When you shoot, you don’t tell your life!” Eli Wallach’s brilliant improvisations “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly”.

Do we really need to introduce you to Tuco Benedicto Pacifico Juan Maria Ramirez, nicknamed “Tuco” to those close to him, undoubtedly one of the most iconic characters in the 7th Art? Made into legend by the insane incarnation of the Mexican Ugly, allied with Blondin against Setenza in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, everything is absolutely iconic about the character, brilliantly portrayed by Eli Wallach. Starting, of course, with its replicas, which are known to be in the hands of enthusiasts all over the world.

“Italian western? How about Hawaiian pizza!

Sergio Leone loved the actor as outlaw Charlie Grant in The West End in 1962; And, perhaps even more so, his portrayal of Mexican bandit leader Calvera in John Sturges’ The Magnificent Seven.

“My agent called me in Los Angeles and said, ‘There’s an Italian director who’s seen your movies about westerns and gangsters, and he wants to meet you for a movie.’ the actor told film historian Christopher Frayling, a major specialist in transalpine westerns. “I said, what kind of movie is it? – Italian western… – I have never heard of Italian western. How about a Hawaiian pizza?”

At least I met Sergio, who didn’t speak English. He said to me in French, “I want him to be in my movie. I’m going to show you. Do you want to see a part of him?” And when I saw what they did with his name in the credits of And for a Few Dollars More, I thought, “This guy’s got a sense of humor.”

Wallach grabs Tuko

When he knew what he was going to do, Eli Wallach asked Henry Hathaway, with whom he made two films, to choose the straw hat that Tuco wears throughout the film, but also his leather knee pads that he wore in Mexico to protect himself. from the brush. The filmmaker is excited to see how willing Wallach is to take on his character.

“One of the things I liked most about him was that he was willing to take risks, to let me do what I wanted with Tuco’s character. “Would you mind if I wore braces? – No, of course, do whatever you want!”

Heeding his words, Wallach spawns improvisations and brilliant discoveries to camp his unforgettable bastard. For example, how Tuco cuts himself very quickly. “I thought it would be fun to do it two or three times in a row! Leone loves and a “Go on! Go on!”

He improvises one of Tuco’s most famous lines when he is surprised in his bath by an old enemy with a score to settle. throws him from the bath, gets up and throws A “When you shoot, you don’t tell your life!” (with voice: “When you gotta shoot, shoot! Don’t talk!”). The team behind the camera, including Sergio, chokes with laughter.

Check out the sequence…

Another brilliant sequence, the gunsmith. Wallach is told how to assemble and disassemble weapons; The person concerned did not understand about the weapon. On the other hand, he had carte blanche for everyone else. All of his wandering around the store, his review of the various weapons offered by the salesman, and even the idea of ​​putting the store sign in the gunsmith’s mouth comes from Eli Wallach, who was improvising. Absolutely fabulous.

Died at the very venerable age of 98, filming tirelessly until 94 in The Ghost Writer, which would be his final screen appearance, Eli Wallach left an indelible mark on the 7th art through a career rich with many masterpieces. But he will forever remain Tuco Benedicto Pacifico Juan Maria Ramirez.