20 Things You Didn't Know About The Good, The Bad And The Ugly
9. Eli Wallach Was Almost Killed By An Oncoming Train
Later on in the film, when escaping Union Army captors, Tuco uses the wheels of an oncoming train to break his handcuffs and escape to freedom. Sergio Leone insisted that Eli Wallach himself perform the stunt, as he wanted Tuco's face to be clearly visible.
Assuring Wallach that the train would be loud and scary but ultimately completely safe, Leone failed to mention the low-hanging step rails that protruded from the carriages. These were just inches above Wallach's head, and would have decapitated him had he raised up at all.
The rails in question can even be seen in the wide shot, and it shows how eye-wateringly close they were.