A Genius, Two Partners and a Dupe / Un genio, due compari, un pollo (Damiano Damiani, 1975)

Saw also this one, Iā€™m on a Terene Hill mood

Iā€™ve to say that I like Damiano films I consider him a good director with some nice films Quiem Sabe? is one of my favs non Leone/Corbucci SW, so in the end I liked this one no masterpiece of course but quite enjoyable.

The initial scene the Leone directed one is just amazing, it does have the problem of letting the viewer thinking of a diferent type of movie that will not exist.
Maybe the inital premisses of the film are never fulfilled but with Terence Hill having another GBU was impossible. I think I liked the film because the story never gets boring Damiano may not have made itā€™s most coherent picture, but he does know how to direct, the bordel/priest scene is quite funny, and we are waiting to see Kinski entering the film again at any time.
I never understand why Leone did not direct himself the films he was as a producer or a writer, this fact always creates a major dificulty for the director.
No complains about the cast Miou Miou not speaking french and not having Depardieau or Lambert near by itā€™s a surprise, any SW that includes a French actress on it itā€™s a good one I guess.

The funny thing is that even not being a true blood SW, or a middle of the road one, or even a comic one in the Trinita sense, to my surprise I liked, and I do not know why, I think that itā€™s one of Terence Hill most enjoyable performances.
I really never or at least donā€™t recall to saw this one during the video club age, but I guess if it was called Trinita it would have been an hge sucess in Portugal

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For me the first scene directed by Leone was nothing special. It has lots of Leone ingredients, but could have been directed by anyone else who imitates (or parodies) his style.

Compared to every other Leone SW scene it is one of his lesser ones.

But it is indeed set apart from the rest of the film, which is a full blooded comedy, albeit not a funny one.

The other day this one was on german TV. Unfortunately I havenā€™t been able to watch it for it lacks a plotline that would make me finish the flick. OK thereā€™s Miou Miou in it but that ainā€™t enough for meā€¦

Used to be for me, but not anymore.

I donā€™t really like the first scene either. I donā€™t really understand what happens in it and it differs too much from the rest of the film. Title sequence is just lovable.

[quote=ā€œStanton, post:42, topic:1036ā€]For me the first scene directed by Leone was nothing special. It has lots of Leone ingredients, but could have been directed by anyone else who imitates (or parodies) his style.

Compared to every other Leone SW scene it is one of his lesser ones.

But it is indeed set apart from the rest of the film, which is a full blooded comedy, albeit not a funny one.[/quote]

I really like the first scene and disagree that anyone else could have directed it. It has Leone all over it; parodies of Leone just donā€™t have the same impact. A good example would be Valeriiā€™s introductory scene to My Name is Nobody (although I know you may still disagree with me over who directed this scene Stanton ;))

Yes, I disagree completely. And I donā€™t think btw that both scenes are parodies of the Leone style. Therefore they are done too seriously.
On the other hand Leoneā€™s style itself contained elements of parody from the beginning on. Both scenes work for me just the same way as similar scenes in Leoneā€™s first 4 westerns.

The first scene of MNIN is brilliantly directed, one of the best of all SWs, while the first of A Genius shows no signs of brilliance, only tired routine. IMO

Thought you might ;D

Actually I tend to agree with most of your opinions Stanton but this is going to have to be a case of agreeing to disagree. One thing I will concede to you, however, is that the long opening shot of MNIN with the shift in perspective is really cool.

I saw the opening sequence of A Genius a couple of days ago and I canā€™t even remember it! It canā€™t be very strongā€¦

I still havenā€™t seen uncut version of this with the complete last scene. Film should end with beautiful shot of Nobody in front of Monument Valley but itā€™s been cut from almost all dvd versions.

Weak as a wet parsnip perhapsā€¦

cut from almost all DVD Version?!, witch one is the uncut DVD?

Yeh not even the German paramount edition included it.

;D

Wow you really missed out seeing as itā€™s far and away the best bit

[quote=ā€œtomobea, post:52, topic:1036ā€]cut from almost all DVD Version?!, witch one is the uncut DVD?[/quote]According to Sundanceā€™s site there is no uncut version available but spanish dvd has the ending but is cut elsewhere.

I got the Spanish DVD, yeah they have that ending in thereā€¦ but they cut out all the dialogue from the opening scene for some reason.

[quote=ā€œNovecento, post:54, topic:1036ā€];D

Wow you really missed out seeing as itā€™s far and away the best bit[/quote]

Obviouslyā€¦ I donā€™t knowā€¦ when I have time I will get back to that and have a close look at that sceneā€¦

Just random thoughts, not a review.

I, too, really wanted to like this film. But an ā€œokayā€ is the best I can do. I am not averse to the comedies-- Train for Durango and Long Live Your Death are both in my top 20 and will remain there-- but this one, despite a number of really good scenes, just falls short. One problem is that too many scenes d r a g on far, far too long. (Another is the pistol drawing and firing itself. Even Trinity had his hand on the thing. Stupid.) I did laugh more than a few times. And if they could afford to film in Monument Valley couldnā€™t they have purchased some US flags and not been caught flying the flag of the DDR?

The focus on the Indians (believe it or not Native Americans often prefer this term) was welcome. I loved the old chief and Kinskiā€™s cameo (It was so funny to see his face when Hill said, ā€œWhat happens in this game when you have four cards all alike?ā€/ ā€œYouā€™ll be the deadest man who ever lived.ā€) and Miou-Miou and Patrick MacGoohan. Hill is likable and grating-on-the-nerves at the same time. Certainly his presence is dominating. And yes, more than a few times I was a bit confusedā€¦

The pre-credit sequence certainly didnā€™t match the rest of the movie. It is, however, something of an ā€œoppositeā€ to the concluding scene-- paranoid, greedy, scheming anti-Indian whites vs. the joyous riding-off of the Indians set to ā€œscrew Americaā€ at the conclusion.

Iā€™ll give it a 6/10.

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I think this oneā€™s better than its reputation. Still not a classic nor a great one, but it made me laugh a few times and thatā€™s good enough for me to enojy it.
It is a bit too long for itā€™s own sake though. I think cutting 20 minutes of it wouldā€™ve worked on its favor but overall I believe itā€™s a slightly above average movie worth checking out at least once.

It was my 7th spaghetti western watched and I was very disappointed with this one.
At least the beginning is great, one of favorites. (directed by Leone, just like Il mio nome e Nessuno).
Entertaining but nothing superb.