The Problem with the Bridge Sequence

People really do love The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. It’s number 9 in the IMDb’s ranking. People often regard it as Sergio Leone’s best film, and probably the best western ever produced, but I’ve never understood the love for the film.

Yeah, Clint, Wallach, and Marvin are all great. The production is fantastic. The score is amazing. The story is interesting and well-told, except…when it suddenly stops for 30 minutes.

I’ve had several conversations with different people about the movie, and...