The Ugly Ones (1966) in the PNW

Details: Written by: Mortado; Category: The 1960s in Northwest Cinemas

This is a collection of media from the initial runs of "The Ugly Ones" (1966) in the Pacific Northwest.

Click on images for larger versions.

The Ugly Ones (1966)
"The Ugly Ones" (originally titled El precio de un hombre) is a taut and morally ambiguous Spaghetti Western that subtly subverts genre expectations while maintaining a lean, suspenseful narrative. Directed by Eugenio Martín and based on a novel by Marvin H. Albert, the film centers on the uneasy dynamic between a relentless bounty hunter and the outlaw he pursues, but it refuses to settle into a simple dichotomy of good versus evil. Instead, it probes the shifting terrain of justice, reputation, and the power of perception in a lawless frontier.

What distinguishes "The Ugly Ones" from many of its contemporaries is its psychological tension and restrained style. Rather than indulging in operatic violence or flamboyant antiheroes, the film opts for a more intimate and character-driven approach. The bounty hunter, played with steely resolve by Richard Wyler, is not a charismatic gunslinger but a man whose rigid sense of duty isolates him from the very society he claims to protect. His quarry, portrayed by Tomas Milian in a breakout role, is equally enigmatic—a fugitive whose charm and charisma begin to erode the moral certainty of those around him. Milian’s performance is particularly compelling, hinting at layers of vulnerability and manipulation beneath the surface, and his presence injects the film with a simmering unpredictability.

Visually, "The Ugly Ones" is stark and atmospheric, favoring dusty plains and sparse interiors that reflect the emotional desolation of its characters. Martín’s direction is economical yet expressive, using silence and stillness to build suspense rather than relying on spectacle. The score by Stelvio Cipriani adds a haunting, melancholic undertone that complements the film’s introspective mood, marking an early example of the composer’s distinctive style.

Thematically, the film interrogates the myth of frontier justice and the commodification of violence. It questions who gets to define guilt and innocence, and how easily those definitions can be swayed by charisma, fear, or self-interest. The townspeople, caught between admiration and suspicion, become a kind of moral barometer, their shifting allegiances revealing the fragility of communal ethics in a world where survival often trumps principle.

"The Ugly Ones" may lack the operatic grandeur of Leone’s epics, but its quiet intensity and moral complexity make it a standout in the genre. It’s a film that rewards close attention, offering a slow-burning meditation on identity, justice, and the seductive power of myth in a landscape where truth is always up for negotiation.

Director: Eugenio Martín
Writers: Don Prindle, José Gutiérrez Maesso, Eugenio Martín
Stars: Richard Stapley, Tomas Milian, Halina Zalewska

September 23, 1968 ad (Seattle)