A Genius, Two Partners and a Dupe

A Genius, Two Partners and a Dupe (Un genio, due compari, un pollo)
Directed by	Damiano Damiani, Sergio Leone
Produced by	Claudio Mancini Fulvio Morsella Rafran C. Rialto Sergio Leone
Written by	Damiano Damiani Ernesto Gastaldi Fulvio Morsella
Starring	Terence Hill Patrick McGoohan Miou-Miou Robert Charlebois
Music by	Ennio Morricone
Cinematography	Giuseppe Ruzzolini Technicolor, CinemaScope
Editing by	Nino Baragli
Release date(s)	16 December 1975 (1975-12-16)
Running time	120 min.
Country	Italy
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

• Terence Hill - Joe Thanks
• Miou-Miou - Lucy/Lilla
• Patrick McGoohan - Major Cabot/Harris
• Robert Charlebois - Steam Engine Bill/Paul Lambet
• Klaus Kinski - Doc Foster
• Jean Martin - Colonel Pembroke
• Miriam Mahler - Colonel Pembroke's daughter
• Raimund Harmstorf - Sergeant Milton
• Benito Stefanelli - Mortimer
• Pietro Vida - Jerry/Jelly Roll
• Roy Bosier - Jeremy
• Frederick Ledebur - Don Felipe
• Renato Baldini - Sheriff
• Mario Brega - Krutscher
• Lina Franchi - Mary Gomez
• Mario Valgoi - Thomas
• Rik Battaglia - Captain
• Pietro Torrisi - Mortimer henchman
• Gerard Boucaron - Town idiot
• Elio Angelucci - brothel man
• Furio Meniconi, Clara Colissimo, Fernando Cerulli, Carla Casola, Vittorio Fancfoni, Armando Bottin, Bonnie Miles

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.

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.

External links

• A Genius, Two Partners and a Dupe at the Internet Movie Database