The Good and Bad, no ugly.

Just finished watching this. I had never heard of this western, ran across it while running a google search for great westerns. Pleasantly surprised! I thought Boetticher could have done more with the material though. I am not sure of the budget, but cinematography could have been better. I had recently seen Scott in Ride the High Country and was rather disappointed in the acting he gave here. For someone consumed with revenge after losing his wife to a mistake he thinks he made, he does not seem particularly distraught, angry or depressed. He certainly has energy enough to verbally spar with Marvin's character and subtly lust after Gail Russell. The burgeoning romance between them to me just makes Scott's character creepy (not to mention Marvin's tale of how 'Scott' supposedly stole another man's wife previously...). It adds depth to be sure but not a believable, positive kind. Gail Russell is gorgeous and does a great job but again, Boetticher let her down by not bringing more out of her performance (though that might just be the screenplay).
Lee Marvin steals the show, hands down. I spent the whole movie itching for the next scene with him. He excels here. It's a pity that he was not the leader of the robbers (the whole gang is ignored and even the real leader is barely fleshed out) but his noble showdown with Scott at the end is the stuff of great westerns--but again, could have been better shot.
A good western, but it would not make the top ten by a good shot.