If you didn't read
correctly above, you may already be drafting us e-mails saying "this is not the
hat that Eastwood wore in "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly", nor in the two
preceding "Dollar" movies!
We know, we know. But we're also right! You're
thinking of that classic brown Gaucho styled telescope crown beauty with the piccola curva brim and hand-tooled leather hatband (and let's not forget the
bullet hole!). We know, since we sell
that hat (and poncho), on our site as well!
But actually, if you watch the beginning of "The
Good, The Bad, and the Ugly", you'll see that "Blondie", as Eli Wallach loves to
call him, is wearing this decidedly "upper class" hat. By now, the "Man With No
Name" (who actually did have a name, at least a first one... and it was "Joe"),
was completely identified soley by his classic hat and poncho. Which is why director
Sergio Leone along with his constant costume and production designer, Carol
Simi, wanted to make him look a bit different in the beginning of this epic
western.
Eastwood plays a "bounty hunter" with a great
"catch and release" scheme. He keeps sending Wallach, (named Tuco: The
Ugly, or actually, his full name was: Tuco
Benedicto Pacifico Juan Maria Ramirez!), a
notorious outlaw with a major price on his head, and lots of "Wanted"
posters scattered throughout the plains, into the clutches of various Sheriffs,
so that he can collect the reward. Then, just as Wallach is about to end his
life at the end of a rope, Eastwood shoots him down, collects him, races out of
town, and then takes him to another town for yet another reward! Of course
splitting the money with Wallach, or, at least... sometimes. Therefore Eastwood
had to be in "disguise".
And thus the wonderful "Celebrazione di mattina"
style hat with the eye-catching unusual barretta piana edge-rolled brim, along
with its cinghia dei ladri leather hatband with a poiana feathered fringe
adornment was created. And in place of his ever present poncho, he was given a
white long-coat with baker cloth-covered matching buttons! Many felt it made him
look a bit like an angel... which goes perfect with his "good" title.
In fact, the actual hat was made of a fine Panama
Straw - one of the first and only times Eastwood ever wore such a "delicate" hat.
So light was the hat, that you can see the brim flopping around like a fish out
of water in many of the early scenes when he's on horseback!
Not to worry, however, after Eastwood
double-crosses Wallach, and their "partnership" is over, he's back to his
regular costume.
We offer this unique hat in both our exclusive
200XXX 100% Beaver, and 100% Western Weight Fur Felt (pictured here). We believe
this beautiful and gracefully shaped hat goes best in a thicker fur version.
However, if you'd like to order it in the original hand-woven Panama, we offer
that as well.
As with all our custom hats, the "Blondie" comes
with our special Lifetime Guarantee, a signed and numbered certificate of
authenticity, our engraved leather sweatband and custom silk-satin lining.
And if you'd like your hat to look like you too
have been wondering the dusty sun-washed plains of the American West for the
last ten years, we can age the hat for you, with the same secret technique we
use on all our western movie hats, at a small additional cost! (Sorry, no aging
on the Panama straw version)
We also offer this special hat with our FlexPay
payment plan. You can order the hat in four monthly installments at no extra
cost or interest. And the hat goes into production after the first installment.
So whether you decide to order this unique classic
in Beaver or Fur Felt, or in the original Panama, remember that it brings
audacious luck and outrageous courage to anyone who wears it. For remember,
you're the man with the gun, not the outlaw with the rope! Or as "Blondie" once
said: "You see, in this world there's two kinds of people, my friend: Those with
loaded guns and those who dig. You dig!"
THE BLONDIE
"Celebrazione di mattina"
style hat
In 200XXX 100% Beaver,
or 100% Western Weight Fur Felt, or Hand-Woven "Fine
Eccellente Grade" Panama straw
Crown: 5"
telescope
Brim:
4 3/4" Barretta piana edge-rolled
Hatband: 1 3/8"
Polished cowhide with cinghia
dei ladri leather handles and a poiana-feathered fringe
adornment
Our
Classic Reproductions hats are custom hand-made-to-order, so please allow
four
to six weeks for delivery. If you MUST have the hat sooner, e-mail us for special Rush
Delivery prices and your delivery date needs to: rushorders@baronhats.com
