| The Magnificent Two | |
|---|---|
.jpg.webp) British quad poster by Arnaldo Putzu | |
| Directed by | Cliff Owen |
| Written by | Dick Hills and Sid Green Michael Pertwee Peter Blackmore |
| Based on | a story by Michael Pertwee |
| Produced by | Hugh Stewart |
| Starring | Eric Morecambe Ernie Wise |
| Cinematography | Ernest Steward |
| Edited by | Gerry Hambling |
| Music by | Ron Goodwin |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Rank |
Release date | 5 July 1967 (London) (UK) (premiere) |
Running time | 100 min. |
| Language | English |
| Budget | £400,000[1] |
The Magnificent Two is a 1967 British comedy film directed by Cliff Owen and starring Morecambe and Wise in the third and final of their 1960s trio of films.
Plot
Two British Action Man travelling salesmen are sent to the South American country of Parazuellia to sell their goods. During the train journey, Eric accidentally opens a door leading to the death of the returning British educated Torres who is the figurehead of a revolutionary movement and a government secret policeman arresting him. Upon arrival in the city of Campo Grande, Eric is mistaken by the revolutionaries for Torres, and though they discover the death of the real Torres they pay Eric and Ernie to maintain Eric's impersonation of Torres to lead a revolution to oust a brutal dictator.[2] However, once the revolution is successful Eric gains an inflated opinion of himself.
Cast
- Eric Morecambe as Eric
- Ernie Wise as Ernie
- Margit Saad as Carla
- Virgilio Teixeira as Carillo
- Cecil Parker as British ambassador
- Isobel Black as Juanita
- Martin Benson as President Diaz
- Tyler Butterworth as Miguel - President's Younger Son
- Sandor Elès as Armandez
- Victor Maddern as Drunken soldier
- Michael Gover as Doctor
Production
The film was shot at Black Park,[3] the Longmoor Military Railway[4] and Pinewood Studios. The film was also known as What Happened at Campo Grande?
Reception
Time Out wrote, "in which the comedians' special talents are woefully misused. At least Cliff Owen keeps it pacy, making it the least awful of the trio of movies in which the duo failed to take the cinema by storm";[5] and TV Guide described it as a "fair comedy."[6]
It was one of the twelve most popular films at the British box office in 1967 (in alphabetical order these were The Blue Max, Bonnie and Clyde, Casino Royale, The Dirty Dozen, El Dorado, The Family Way, My Fair Lady, One Million Years BC, Press for Time, The Professionals and You Only Live Twice).[7] However producer Hugh Stewart says, due to high costs and the fact the film did not travel internationally, it made a loss.[1]
References
- 1 2 "Hugh Stewart". British Entertainment History Project. 22 November 1989.
- ↑ "The Magnificent Two (1967)". IMDb. 14 September 1967. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
- ↑ Fielder, Harry 'Aitch' & Saunders, Clive Extra, Extra, Read All About It!: My Life as a Film and TV Extra Andrews UK Limited, 24 Jul 2015
- ↑ "Magnificent Two, The". reelstreets.com. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
- ↑ "The Magnificent Two". Time Out London. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
- ↑ "The Magnificent Two". TV Guide. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
- ↑ "Sean Connery tops the bill again". The Guardian Journal. 30 December 1967. p. 6.
External links