Today marks the 50th anniversary of the release of “The Genius”

 

Today marks the 50^th anniversary of the premier of “Un genio, due compari, un pollo” (The Genius) directed by Damiano Damiani and Sergio Leone. It starred Terence Hill, Miou-Miou, Robert Charlebois and Patrick McGoohan. The film is a sequel to “My Name is Nobody” as Hill reprises his role as the same character who starred with Henry Fonda three years earlier in 1972. It tells the story of Joe Thanks (Terence Hill), a clever crook and con man, convinces his two sidekicks, the half-breed Locomotive Bill (Robert Charlebois) and his friend Lucy (Miou-Miou), to help organize a fraud against Major Cabot (Patrick McGoohan), for getting three hundred thousand U.S. dollars, meant as payment to the local Indian tribe. The plan, somewhat tortuous, provides first of all, gaining entrance to the fort where the payment is kept, Bill will be dressed and disguised as a colonel. The twist is the Major has decided to rip off the Indians by keeping the payment in exchange for good grazing land, and an alleged gold mine. The money is loaded on a coach which gives Joe Thanks the opportunity to steal it. Despite some complications, Joe succeeds with his usual skill, and the money finally rests in his hands, but he has also conned his friends as was his intention all along to give the money to the Indians. They are all resigned to the outcome and the conclusion. For their efforts, Locomotive Bill decides to start a new life with Lucy and to live with the Indians.

The film was 9^th highest grossing Spaghetti Western in Italy with box office receipts of 2,684,413 lira.

 

Un genio, due compari, un pollo - Italian title

Un génie, deux associés, une cloche - French title

Nobody is der Größte - German title

Nobody er den storste - Danish title

Jeg hedder stadig Nobody - Danish title

Nobody on nerokkain - Finnish title

Enas exypnos, dyo synetairoi ki ena koroido - Greek title

O exypnakias - Greek title

Senki, a legnaguobb - Hungarian title

Egy zseni, két haver, egy balek - Hungarian title

Mitt naven en dorsatt nobody - Norwegian title

Chamavam-lhe Génio - Portuguese title

Nobody in indijanci - Slovenia title

Un genio, dos compadres, un pollo - Spanish title

El genio - Spanish title

Ett geni, två polare och en höna - Swedish title

Mitt namn är fortfarande Nobody - Swedish title

Ingen ar som Nobody - Swedish title

Et Geni, tua polare och ben hona - ? title

A Genius, Two Partners and a Dupe - English title

A Genius, Two Friends and an Idiot - English title

Nobody’s the Greatest - English title

Nobody’s Perfect - English title

Trinity is Back Again - English title

The Genius - English title

 

A 1975 Italian, French, West German film co-production [Rafran Cinematografica

     (Rome), AMLF (Paris), Rialto Film Preben-Philipsen (Berlin)]

Producers: Fulvio Morsella, Claudio Mancini, PrebenPhilipsen

Director: Damiano Damiani, Sergio Leone

Story: Ernesto Gastaldi, Fulvio Morsella

Screenplay: Damiano Damiani, Fulvio Morsella, Ernesto Gastaldi

Cinematography: Giuseppe Ruzzolini [Technicolor, CinemaScope]

Music: Ennio Morricone

     Song: “Glory, Glory, Glory” sung by Catherine Howe

Running time: 126 minutes

 

Cast:

Joe Thanks/Nobody - Terence Hill (Mario Girotti)

Lucy/Lilla - Miou-Miou (Sylvette Herry)

Locomotive/Steamengine Bill/Paul Lambert - Robert Charlebois

Major Cabot/Harris - Patrick McGoohan

Doc Foster - Klaus Kinski (Nikolaus Nakaszynski)

Colonel Pembroke - Jean Martin

Colonel Pembroke’s daughter - Miriam Mahler

Sergeant Milton - Raimund Harmstorf

Sergeant - Deogratias Huerta

Mortimer - Bento Stefanelli

Jerry/Jacky/Jelly Roll - Piero Vida (Pietro Vida)

Jeremy - Roy Bosier (Roy Bosshard)

Don Felipe – Frederick Ledebur (Count Ledebur-Wicheln)

Sheriff - Renato Baldini

Krutscher - Mario Brega

Mary Gomez - Bonny Miles (Lina Franchi)

Thomas Trader - Mario Valgoi

Captain - Rik Battaglia (Caterino Battaglia)

Mortimer henchmen - Pietro Torrisi, Armando Bottin

Town idiot - Gérard Boucaron

Brothel man - Elio Angelucci (Aurelio Angelucci)

Brothel prostitute – Carla Cassola

Brothel patrons – Aristide Caporale, Giuseppe Transocchi, Franco Ricci (Salvatore

     Sebastiano), Alfredo Venturi, Tommaso Palladino

La rufiana - Clara Colosimo

Husband - Fernando Cerulli

Poker player - Karl Braun 

Stagecoach driver – Furio Meniconi

Dinner guest – Irina Wassilchikoff

Jail guard - Vittorio Fanfoni

With: Valerio Ruggeri, Edmondo Thiegi

Stunts Vitoriano Terrón (Victoriano Terrón Peñaranda), Pietro Torrisi, Brandy (Ildebrando Rossetti)