1977: CLINT EASTWOOD and SERGIO LEONE talk WESTERNS | The Man With No Name | Movies | BBC Archive

"I really wanted James Coburn, but he was too expensive... we got Clint for $15,000."

Sergio Leone and Clint Eastwood are interviewed about working together on Leone's classic spaghetti western films of the 1960s, including A Fistful of Dollars and The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.

Clint Eastwood: "My agent in Los Angeles called me up... and asked me if I would like to go to Europe and make an Italian-German-Spanish co-production of a remake of a Japanese film in the plains of Spain - and I said 'not particularly'."

"The script was in English, very strange English... a lot of the dialogue was a little bit on the shaky side. I liked it though and I felt that maybe a European approach would give the western a new flavour - because I thought it had been in a very stagnant period at that point."

Sergio Leone: "My films are basically silent films, the dialogue just adds some weight."

Clint Eastwood and Sergio Leone interviews with Iain Johnstone.

Clips taken from The Man With No Name: Clint Eastwood.

Originally broadcast 23 February, 1977.

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[Zontar]

the best western movies with the best soundtrack ever

[sebastianalegria]

When A Fistful of Dollars by Leone was released, it meant the birth of two stars, who were Ennio Morricone and Clint Eastwood. It resulted in the famous Dollar trillogy, which ended with The Good, the bad and the ugly, which was my dad's favourite western film, who passed away a long time ago. Actually, he is the reason why I'm a huge fan of Western genre since I was a kid.

[bikeguy]

What a great partnership that changed westerns. Eclectic doesn't do it justice but it worked so well.

[johnlemon]

Sergio and Clint are only born a year apart but this video tells a different story.

[sj]

Always good to see Clint off camera speaking honestly about his incredible career

[hilaryepstein]

For the sake of $15, 000 Clint Eastwood became a film star!

[dstfno]

It's the first time I've heard Clint's normal way of speaking. I've always thought that the grunting mumbling he does while in character was his real voice :)

[nomiddlenamenmn]

It looks like Clint is in beautiful Carmel-by-the-Sea. Great video about a masterpiece.

[stefank]

Sergio knew now to make westerns, its funny two best westerns of all time are directed by him...good bad ugly and once upon... and the music ohh my.. coudnt have been better..marriccone was genius

[ericthered]

Leone said he wanted James Coburn - well, he got him in 1971's "Duck Your Head, Get Down", also known as "A Fistful of Dynamite" and "Once Upon a Time ... the Revolution, " which had the mother of all bridge explosions. Leone: "My bridges tend to blow up." Yeah, you bet !

[davedogge]

2:42 I went to that set in 2000 which was a theme park back then and it wasn't really authentic, it looked like the original set had been torn down and made into something from Blackpool Pleasure Beach. Also around the back it had a mini zoo with animals in depressingly small cages. The place is surrounded by a mini white sand desert also. It was weird, they even put on a cheesy cowboy show several times throughout the day.

[jasonayres]

Clint Eastwood.
For a Few Thousand Dollars Less.

[onlyme]

Wonderful movies, the success I believe is the dialog was minimal and the movies could be understood in any county

[davedogge]

Clint Eastwood for $15, 000 to do 'A Fist Full Of Dollars' ? You couldn't get a Warhammer 40K miniatures army for that amount ! Emperor's Inflation !

[VincenzoPentangeli]

His movies (Leone) do present a visual delight.

[pressureworks]

Seems like there's alot more footage of both interviews ???

[AT-ygnk]

Can’t think of another director that would attempt to make a “trilogy” in which none of the movies have anything to do with each other!?? I’ve always justified it in my head as “It’s the same people and locations, but in 3 separate universes and these are the events that happened.” It’s a bold move and is risky, but damn if he didn’t catch lighting in a bottle on this one! Turned out to be one of the greatest “trilogies” of all time!

[Yungbeck]

I had no idea he wanted Coburn for the role! Thanks for the upload

[CocacolaBoy]

I don't think you're going to die...😅🤣

[mickeyscott]

Eastwood is an American Treasure. It's too bad that modern Hollywood doesn't take note.