A Genius, Two Partners and a Dupe

A Genius, Two Partners and a Dupe
Directed by Damiano Damiani
Sergio Leone (Uncredited)
Produced by Fulvio Morsella
Claudio Mancini
Written by Ernesto Gastaldi
Damiano Damiani
Fulvio Morsella
Story by Ernesto Gastaldi
Fulvio Morsella
Starring Terence Hill
Patrick McGoohan
Miou-Miou
Robert Charlebois
Music by Ennio Morricone
Cinematography Giuseppe Ruzzolini
Edited by Nino Baragli
Production
company
Rafran Cinematografica
AMLF
Rialto Film Preben-Philipsen
Distributed by Titanus Distribuzione (Italy)
Release dates
  • 16 December 1975
Running time
 120 minutes
Country Italy
France
West Germany
Language Italian

A Genius, Two Partners and a Dupe (Italian: Un genio, due compari, un pollo, also known as Nobody's the Greatest) is a 1975 spaghetti western comedy film directed by Damiano Damiani and, in the opening scene, Sergio Leone. It is notable for being the last western that Leone worked on.

Plot

Joe Thanks (Terence Hill) is a genius conman. He conducts various schemes with his two friends: Half-breed Steam Engine Bill (Robert Charlebois) and his girlfriend Lucy (Miou-Miou). Lucy loves both men, and they in turn both vie for her affection.

Joe formulates an extremely elaborate plan to steal $300,000 from Major Cabot (Patrick McGoohan), an Indian-hating cavalry man, and in doing so save the Indian land he is trying to steal. Every time the plan seems to be failing, Joe has another trick up his sleeve. The movie climaxes with a stagecoach chase and a gigantic explosion.

Cast

Music

The music was composed by Ennio Morricone. His work here is very similar to his score for My Name is Nobody, with an upbeat pop tune serving as the main theme, an adaptation of a classical song (in this case Für Elise) combined with the wailing from The Good, the Bad and the Ugly used for the stagecoach chase, and a sentimental, lyrical theme for the three protagonists.

Although not nearly as popular as his music for My Name is Nobody or many of his other westerns, Morricone's score has received positive notices.[1]

Reception

Thanks to the popularity of Terence Hill, the film was quite successful at the European box office. However, it was very negatively received by critics, and has not gained a higher reputation over time.

These feelings extended to those who made the movie as well. Though Leone had co-directed, produced, and come up with the idea, he was disappointed in the final outcome and chose to remain uncredited.

References

  1. ↑ http://www.musicfromthemovies.com/review.asp?ID=1661 Music from the Movies review

External links