I have been a great fan of the movies with Bud Spencer and Terence Hill since my childhood. Bud & Terence are extremely popular in Austria and Germany and their movies, which are shown on TV very frequently, are part of growing up here. I've seen every single film with the two multiple times, and they all seem to become funnier with each viewing. "Non C'è Due Senza Quattro" aka. "Double Trouble" of 1984 is one of their movies that are on TV all the time. And thank God for that! One of the most typical and funniest Bud and Terence movies, this is definitely another hilarious cult flick with the typical crude humor and constant fistfights that made our favorite duo of proletarian, constantly fighting drifters famous. This time both of them play a double role. Stuntman Elliot Vance (Terence Hill) and sax player Greg Wonder (Bud Spencer) are offered 1,5 million dollars for a job in Rio De Janeiro. Eliott and Greg happen to look exactly like the Brazilian billionaire cousins Bastiano (Terence) and Antonio (Bud) Coimbra De La Coronilla Azevedo. The snobbish billionaires are in mortal fear that someone is out to kill them, and are therefore to be replaced by their proletarian counterparts without table manners, Elliot and Greg, whose hobbies include heavy drinking, fistfights and all sorts of rowdy behavior... I have seen all Spencer/Hill flicks several times, and "Double Trouble" ranks among their most famous- and most representative ones. The humor of Bud Spencer and Terence Hill flicks is probably not everybody's taste, but I sure dig it, and I can watch their films all the time and be perfectly happy doing so! "Double Trouble" is a hilarious film with the typical Spencer/Hill feeling, and a must-see for all their fans!
15 Reviews
Bud's getting too old now
richardjp-172252 April 2018
This was sadly the last good movie Bud and Terence did together, but even then it was obvious Bud Spencer was no longer as fit as he used to be. In previous movies you could really believe that the power in his punches could really have the effect they did. In this one though, he appears sluggish and seems to lack that power he had in previous movies. Age was surely taking its toll on him physically, which is probably why we only got one more movie after this one before they called it quits.
Both men played dual roles in this movie set in Brazil and I have to say they were surprisingly delightful as two toffee nosed, upper-class wimps. It showed just what comedy skills they had and they could do more than just play tough guys.
Classic line in this movie by Bud Spencer "I AM my dietitian!"
Both men played dual roles in this movie set in Brazil and I have to say they were surprisingly delightful as two toffee nosed, upper-class wimps. It showed just what comedy skills they had and they could do more than just play tough guys.
Classic line in this movie by Bud Spencer "I AM my dietitian!"
prince and the pauper?
tanyaqua22 July 2006
Abbott and Costello, Laurel and Hardy. Bud Spencer and Terence Hill. You may not have heard of them as a double act and that's your loss. No its unforgivable. This film is hilarious. The two meet up by chance after they come to New York having been offered money to go there by two crooked millionaires. Both too stupid or greedy not to sniff that something is very wrong with such a generous offer.
Even more dumb when they asked to pose as them, big bucks prevent their brains from locking into thought mode. The openly time a stranger offers you a lot of money is because something precious to them is at risk and you are going to cover for them. Here its the millionaires lives. The comedy goes into overdrive as they are unaware of the various attempts on their lives, thinking it is only accidents that are surrounding them. There's also the clash of social status. People confusing them for the millionaires who have expensive tastes and know quality and decorum, whereas the look alike are oafish and unsophisticated
Even more dumb when they asked to pose as them, big bucks prevent their brains from locking into thought mode. The openly time a stranger offers you a lot of money is because something precious to them is at risk and you are going to cover for them. Here its the millionaires lives. The comedy goes into overdrive as they are unaware of the various attempts on their lives, thinking it is only accidents that are surrounding them. There's also the clash of social status. People confusing them for the millionaires who have expensive tastes and know quality and decorum, whereas the look alike are oafish and unsophisticated
Hill and Spencer again , this time replacing two Brazilian billionaires who look exactly like them
ma-cortes10 February 2012
Funny Hill-Spencer film with humor, joyful, mirth and amusement . It's an entertaining film with the notorious duo posing as millionaires in sunny Rio and full of abundant kicks , punches , leaps and bounds . The picture deals with ours intimate friends , Terence Hill and Bud Spencer and they both find out that are inseparable partners taking on numerous adventures . This action/comedy deals with Greg Wonder (Bud Spencer) and Elliot Vance (Terence Hill) , two characters utterly different . Wonder is a bouncing man recently out prison who plays saxophone at a jazz bar in New Orleans , while Vance is an adventurer who pilots little aircrafts . Both of whom are hired by a secret organization to replace two soft-spoken millionaire cousins named Antonio (Spencer) and Bastiano (Hill) De Coimbra living in Brazil and who look exactly like them . The friends learn their effeminate and cocky manners , training themselves for replacing and wearing elegant Brazilian clothes. At the end takes place an amusing confrontation among Hill-Spencer , theirs shy doubles against a group of well-armed mercenaries .
The film contains action , fist-play , humor with tongue-in-cheek and is pretty bemusing . It's an entertaining film with enjoyable comedy in the wake of Trinity and Bambino , both of them playing a double character . The big time duo from Spahetti Western wrapped in humor as ¨They call me Trinity ¨ and its following as ¨Trinity is still my name¨ and ¨Trouble makers¨ were run out and then they're transfered to Police and action genre . As they played the Miami series which are set in Florida , such as ¨Miami Supercops¨, ¨Crime Busters¨, and ¨Superfuzz¨ . This time Miami is substituted by Rio De Janeiro , as the picture shows typical images from Rio as the usual Christ of Corcovado , Samba parades and of course the famous Carnaval . In Europe these movies are shown on TV very frequently and are part of growing up on children and adolescents , however in USA are quite unknown . They're plenty of humor and based on diverse personality and physical differences among them . This one packs silly comedy , tongue-in-cheek, slapstick and the habitual struggles neither blood , nor violence, besides including some pursuits . Agreeable casting with a likable Terence Hill and a grumpy Bud Spencer , playing amusingly their customary roles as always. There appears the nasty Nello Pazzafini , an ordinary from Peplum and Spahetti , though isn't Ricardo Pizzuti, Hill-Spencer's habitual antagonist and whom receives the knocks and kicks . Adequate and colorful cinematography By Silvano Ippoliti , Sergio Corbucci's usual . Commercial , jolly musical score by Micolizzi , including Samba songs and in Guido and Mauricio De Angelis style . The motion picture is professionally directed by Enzo Barboni or E. B. Clucher . He was a prestigious cameramen including classic Spaghetti Western ( Django, Goobye Texas , Hellbenders ), but with the hit of ¨Trinity is my name¨ left it and turned to film-making , and directed the sequel ¨Trinity is still my name¨ and the third outing ¨Trinity and Bambino, the legend lives on¨, plus other Hill and Spencer vehicles in solitary as ¨Renegado Jim¨, ¨Even angels eat beans¨ and ¨El Magnifico¨ . The film is absolutely hilarious for Hill and Spencer enthusiasts and ranks among their less famous but most representative ones ; a must see for all their fans. Rating : Mediocre but entertaining .
The film contains action , fist-play , humor with tongue-in-cheek and is pretty bemusing . It's an entertaining film with enjoyable comedy in the wake of Trinity and Bambino , both of them playing a double character . The big time duo from Spahetti Western wrapped in humor as ¨They call me Trinity ¨ and its following as ¨Trinity is still my name¨ and ¨Trouble makers¨ were run out and then they're transfered to Police and action genre . As they played the Miami series which are set in Florida , such as ¨Miami Supercops¨, ¨Crime Busters¨, and ¨Superfuzz¨ . This time Miami is substituted by Rio De Janeiro , as the picture shows typical images from Rio as the usual Christ of Corcovado , Samba parades and of course the famous Carnaval . In Europe these movies are shown on TV very frequently and are part of growing up on children and adolescents , however in USA are quite unknown . They're plenty of humor and based on diverse personality and physical differences among them . This one packs silly comedy , tongue-in-cheek, slapstick and the habitual struggles neither blood , nor violence, besides including some pursuits . Agreeable casting with a likable Terence Hill and a grumpy Bud Spencer , playing amusingly their customary roles as always. There appears the nasty Nello Pazzafini , an ordinary from Peplum and Spahetti , though isn't Ricardo Pizzuti, Hill-Spencer's habitual antagonist and whom receives the knocks and kicks . Adequate and colorful cinematography By Silvano Ippoliti , Sergio Corbucci's usual . Commercial , jolly musical score by Micolizzi , including Samba songs and in Guido and Mauricio De Angelis style . The motion picture is professionally directed by Enzo Barboni or E. B. Clucher . He was a prestigious cameramen including classic Spaghetti Western ( Django, Goobye Texas , Hellbenders ), but with the hit of ¨Trinity is my name¨ left it and turned to film-making , and directed the sequel ¨Trinity is still my name¨ and the third outing ¨Trinity and Bambino, the legend lives on¨, plus other Hill and Spencer vehicles in solitary as ¨Renegado Jim¨, ¨Even angels eat beans¨ and ¨El Magnifico¨ . The film is absolutely hilarious for Hill and Spencer enthusiasts and ranks among their less famous but most representative ones ; a must see for all their fans. Rating : Mediocre but entertaining .
More Spencer and Hill hilarity
srobi28010 April 2006
Warning: Spoilers
Our duo is back again. This time, Bud Spencer is a criminal out on parole, who gets an offer of $50,000 if he accompanies them to New York. Terrence Hill plays Elliot Vance, a stunt man. He gets the same offer. There, in New York, Spencer and Hill meet under the usual funny circumstances. They are offered a whole lot more money if they agree to stand-in for two Brazilian millionaires, who look exactly like them (also played by Spencer and Hill). It turns out they have been specifically chosen by a company who specializes in finding look-alikes. Someone is trying to kill these millionaires. These two rugged men replace the soft-spoken millionaire Brazilian gentlemen, and lots of hilarious antics follow. They get offered even more money if they take care of the bad guys.
This movie is absolutely hilarious and filled with laughs. They slip right into the role of replacing the rich guys, and take advantage of it in every way. They also beat up a bunch of bad guys along the way, Spencer and Hill style. A definite must-see!
This movie is absolutely hilarious and filled with laughs. They slip right into the role of replacing the rich guys, and take advantage of it in every way. They also beat up a bunch of bad guys along the way, Spencer and Hill style. A definite must-see!
Fine Hill/Spencer comedy with a Brazilian setting
Leofwine_draca12 February 2017
Warning: Spoilers
DOUBLE TROUBLE is another vehicle for Terence Hill and Bud Spencer, that lovable duo of the Italian comedy action genre. The twist in this one is that it wasn't filmed in Florida (for a change) but rather Brazil, although in all other aspects the story and style are exactly the same. The ludicrous plot of this film sees the twosome playing the usual lovable buffoons who are employed to act as stand-ins for a couple of rich but incompetent aristocrats when the latter are targeted by criminals.
After that, DOUBLE TROUBLE plays out exactly as you'd expect for the genre. There's some cheesy romance and emoting and a lot of comic hijinks which don't disappoint. Best of all is the string of electrifying fight scenes which ably mix comedy and action to fine effect. The bits in which the guys team up to brawl in bars and the like and end up trashing loads of scenery are a delight to behold. As with other Hill/Spencer films, you know that the family-friendly flavour means that things will never get too violent or adult in nature. The special effects used in the scenes in which the doubles meet are outstanding and the finale makes fine use of the mistaken identity gag.
After that, DOUBLE TROUBLE plays out exactly as you'd expect for the genre. There's some cheesy romance and emoting and a lot of comic hijinks which don't disappoint. Best of all is the string of electrifying fight scenes which ably mix comedy and action to fine effect. The bits in which the guys team up to brawl in bars and the like and end up trashing loads of scenery are a delight to behold. As with other Hill/Spencer films, you know that the family-friendly flavour means that things will never get too violent or adult in nature. The special effects used in the scenes in which the doubles meet are outstanding and the finale makes fine use of the mistaken identity gag.
Prepare for trouble - make it double!
vercavykuk20 August 2014
Warning: Spoilers
This is one of the movies that never fail to make me laugh like crazy. You see, I'm part of the generation that grew up on watching movies by duo SPencer and Hill, and the TV here in Czech never failed to deliver me my fix of comedy with the repeats of them.
The idea of the movie is probably not the most original under the sun, but I think it's delivered with such quality that it's worth watching, and repeatedly. I'm not sure about other dubbings, but I think that the Czech version is very good, and definitely adds on appeal of this movie. Not to mention the jokes, and the slapping fights! "The fact that he calls himself Tango in the land of Samba, tells us he's a complete idiot."
The idea of the movie is probably not the most original under the sun, but I think it's delivered with such quality that it's worth watching, and repeatedly. I'm not sure about other dubbings, but I think that the Czech version is very good, and definitely adds on appeal of this movie. Not to mention the jokes, and the slapping fights! "The fact that he calls himself Tango in the land of Samba, tells us he's a complete idiot."
Hill-Spencer on duo roles at Rio de Janeiro is a blast!!!
elo-equipamentos1 August 2020
Firstly I would like to confess that I love the duo comic Hill-Spencer since my teenage years, here in Brazil they are absolutely famous and quite often their movies were aired at TV, even in my widest dream I never supposed one day have all movies of them to watch anytime that I wanna do, this time they living in America and with strong similarity with two Brazilian odd millionaires, who are in trouble with their contenders there, so they offer a million bucks plus an additional of 500 thousand to accomplish the mission on Brazil during just one week, those cousin seemingly are sissy and snnoty as always they really are, the job is a piece of cake for ours heroes, at Rio de Janeiro they are treat like kings, however has an unexpected side effects when they went at low degree harbor area, where they had a fight that appears on newspaper, scratching the acquitted reputation of their sponsors, also with harsh social behavior, further attending football match, samba school having attentive with those rolling samba girls, worst when Hill deflowers a platonic love of his clone, priceless moment, apart the main casting, has many old acquaintance Brazilian actors in small roles, following the successful formula of previous movies, with tons of punches, slapping, breaking all around and beating the bad guys, car chase and even eating black beans, awesome second last picture of Hill-Spencer!!
Resume:
First watch: 1993 / How many: 4 / Source: TV-DVD / Rating: 7.25
Resume:
First watch: 1993 / How many: 4 / Source: TV-DVD / Rating: 7.25
Awesomeness twice
bevo-136781 April 2020
Double Action, Double Fun
ajmpro20 March 2004
"Double Trouble" is actually not a masterpiece of film-making. But especially in Europe, a whole generation grew up with the movies of Bud Spencer and Terence Hill - so if you like them and their kind of movies, you will LOVE "Double Trouble" it is one of their last movies together: you can see that the main characters are aging, but the dialogs are fast and funny and of course you have a lot of brawls. If it is this what you want to see, your expectations can be fulfilled. But if you are interested in really good movies with an intelligent plot and good acting, this is definitely the wrong movie to watch. Although the movie was shot in English, in my opinion it would be better to watch it in Italian or German, if you understand the language - dialogs often do not work in English.
A two-joke comedy
gridoon17 April 2005
2 Bud Spencers and 2 Terence Hills in this one; they play two Brazilian millionaires with many enemies AND their exact lookalikes, a saxophone player who is often in trouble with the law and a daring stuntman, who are hired by the millionaires to impersonate them for a week.
No doubt you are familiar with the term "one-joke comedy". Well, "Double Trouble" is a little better than that: it's a two-joke comedy. The first joke is that the rude and crude lookalikes try to adapt to the real millionaires' lifestyle and end up turning it upside down, and the second is that only one Hill-Spencer pair can fight as usual (guess which); the other two are snobbish sissies who always run away from fights. It's fun to watch Hill and Spencer playing against type (half the time), and Spencer in particular gives one of his most joyful performances. And the editing that allows all four of them to be on screen together in some scenes is seamless. But during the long segments between the fight scenes, I completely lost interest in the movie. (**)
No doubt you are familiar with the term "one-joke comedy". Well, "Double Trouble" is a little better than that: it's a two-joke comedy. The first joke is that the rude and crude lookalikes try to adapt to the real millionaires' lifestyle and end up turning it upside down, and the second is that only one Hill-Spencer pair can fight as usual (guess which); the other two are snobbish sissies who always run away from fights. It's fun to watch Hill and Spencer playing against type (half the time), and Spencer in particular gives one of his most joyful performances. And the editing that allows all four of them to be on screen together in some scenes is seamless. But during the long segments between the fight scenes, I completely lost interest in the movie. (**)
Bud Spencer and Terence Hill have a new job. It is to replace blackmailed clumsy millionaires who look just like them.
Gordan-21 December 1998
Bud Spencer and Terence Hill are two clumsy and snobbish millionaires who are blackmailed by "bad guys". Fortunately for them (but not for the bad guys), there is another couple that looks just like them. Can you imagine what will happen to the bad guys when they change places?
Bud Spencer & Terence Hill at the top of their game in this hilarious, delicious comedy!!!
andrasurogdi4 September 2022
Bud Spencer and Terence Hill are well known as a couple of tough guys, but also as an always loveable and truly relatable comedic duo. I love all of their movies, and in my view, this is the very best of the 15-20 (!) movies they made together.
Brilliant, laid-back humor, light hearted but relatable, with a subtle undertone of social commentary (the tough, poor and streetwise characters vs their cowardly, overly anxious zillionaire counterparts).
The sarcastic jokes are also what make this one of their many great comedies my favourite. The absolute gem is when they are ready to have dinner when Tango (the bad guy) and his gang arrive and want to provoke a fight, when at one point which Hill's character says: "The fact that he calls himself Tango in the land of Samba, tells us what a complete idiot he is." - and then, of course, the usual "Spencer & Hill vs 50 other guys" fighting breaks out..... GOLD!
If you're a fan of their movies, this is an absolute must see! If not, this is your best shot of becoming a fan for life. Great humor, pure unspoiled FUN. What more could we ask for from such a movie? 10/10, no question.
Brilliant, laid-back humor, light hearted but relatable, with a subtle undertone of social commentary (the tough, poor and streetwise characters vs their cowardly, overly anxious zillionaire counterparts).
The sarcastic jokes are also what make this one of their many great comedies my favourite. The absolute gem is when they are ready to have dinner when Tango (the bad guy) and his gang arrive and want to provoke a fight, when at one point which Hill's character says: "The fact that he calls himself Tango in the land of Samba, tells us what a complete idiot he is." - and then, of course, the usual "Spencer & Hill vs 50 other guys" fighting breaks out..... GOLD!
If you're a fan of their movies, this is an absolute must see! If not, this is your best shot of becoming a fan for life. Great humor, pure unspoiled FUN. What more could we ask for from such a movie? 10/10, no question.
Another huge fun film starring Spencer and Hill
Horst_In_Translation5 January 2021
Warning: Spoilers
"Non c'è due senza quattro" is a co-production between Italy and Brazil that came out in 1984, so from briefly before I was born. The language is mostly Italian because of the protagonists' nationality and this does not only refer to those two you see on the photo here on imdb, but also the writer and director. Enzo Barboni and Marco Barboni are father and son and this is not the only film in which they worked together with Bud Spencer and Terence Hill, not even the only film in fact where they used pseudonyms when working with these two. Well, the son kept his real last name, but only changed his first name, but daddy Enzo changed his entire name. But yeah, I would say that the son's last name maybe gave them away, but then again, we must remember this is 1984 and it was probably much easier to disguise your identity there to everybody except the cast perhaps because media coverage and surveillance were simply on a completely different level. Today there would be no way for Spielberg, Cameron or Scorsese to make a film and hide his identity. Then again, Barboni is of course no exactly on the same level popularity-wise, which also may have helped him there. There are several running times for this movie, but you can say that it runs for easily over 1.5 hours no matter which version you are watching. And that is way under two hours nonetheless. I think it was a good runnig time for today's showing. Also with Spencer and Hill we know they made many films where the production country included the United States of America and the movie was set there and there were many American actors on board. Here it is basically the same with Brazil. Several South American cast members, but of course at its core, it is never about anybody other than our two heroes. May Bud rest in peace and may Terence still live for a few more years. I simply cannot say anything about the rest of the cast other than the personal perception that April Clough is pretty stunning and it means something when I say that about a blonde. Maybe the one most memorable aspect here is that Hill and Spencer (interesting how the former always gets first credit in their collaborations while Spencer is certainly the bigger star, at least here in Germany) do not only play one character each, but two characters each and this is also pretty much the key reason why I rated this more than three stars out of five. It was something entirely different. The key characters they play are basically the same ones as in all the other movies, but these two very rich fellas could not have been any more different character-wise. I will not go into detail any further here because you should wathc for yourself. Honestly, I also think this film is a great choice to start with if you want to take a look at Spencer and Hill movies and are not too familiar with this duo yet, maybe have not seen anything from them at all. I think the amount of slightly over 9k ratings here on imdb makes it also one of their more seen (maybe not most seen) movies. It did not win a Golden Screen though like many of the others? Well, maybe that explains why this is definitely from the final stages of these two making films together and afterwards they mostly went their own ways again. Hill also focused a bit on directing more, but also kept acting.
Alright, now let me just mention a few individual scenes and moments that I enjoyed. But first of all I want to say that one reason why everybody loves these two here in Germany is that the dubbing is so good. Also the translation and what they say exactly (like verbally). Especially Spencer has a very rough style there, but it is so funny all the time which words he uses and in this film it seems a bit rougher than usual even. Hill may not be on par, but I also like the way he expresses himself. And come on, nobody is on par with Buddy really. I am genuinely curious if the Italien wordings are just as entertaining or if the dubbing actually made these films even better. Maybe the one moment during which I laughed the most was when one minor character acts as if he hypnotized Spencer's character, but with what the latter says eventually, we know it did not work out. So funny. Or also at the very end when there comes this masked intruder and we see it's Clough's character looking like a female Zorro (she is still alive today), which was admittedly a but absurd, but how she has this meltdown then and what she calls Spencer's character is so hilarious. In a good way. Also how Hill's character immediately afterwards uses the exact same phrase was very funny. Then again, the brawl scenes are always epic in these movies, especially when characters walk into places and we see them only from outside and they are punched out right away. That's what I maybe love the most about these scenes and it's these moments that keep those sequences from becoming too repetitive. But let's be honest. They belong to those films and without them, even if they are slightly repetitive here and there, it would absolutely not be the same. Then again, I think all the interaction with the look-alikes were great fun too. This was also in my opinion the case because of how technically competent they looked. Like they mixed it together in a way where it seemed as if there were truly two of them. Each. Not to be taken for granted for a film from the mid80s. I liked the interactions there and also for example those moments when they are not exactly friends with their look-alikes as business is on the list. When it is about how much they get paid at the very end for example and the fighter guys pull through with their interests, but also with how earlier for example they talk about the end of the business deal, but then an unexpected call comes and makes sure they get their money as they are still needed. So the harmless versions of our heroes may only have been physically harmless. But of course they do not get beaten up by the other ones the way the real bad guys get beaten up. Instead, here and there, they even teach them a bit. Like there was one scene in which Spencer's string character deals with a bad guy and he tells Hill's harmless character to hit him and that was pretty funny too how one uses his fist so softly and the other so strongly. It probably felt more credibly this way than the other way around. But the strong Hill gets his fun moments too. One would be when we see the weaker Hill (let's call them that now) is beaten by a few of the crooks and he hides and as they wear the exact same clothes too, they switch characters from one second to the next and the bad guys are quickly in trouble. Oh and by the way, you will not be surprised to find out about Hill's character having some romantic involvement here again. I talked about the lady and her character already earlier. Not a big role honestly, but let's be honest. Women in Spencer/Hill movies never play key characters and what Clough had to work with here (also third credit) was much more than most others got. As for our two heroes and again a reference to the end as I am moving closer to the end of my review, they even ended up with a lot of money at the end and that is unusual. Most of the time, they lose it again. Be it to orphanages, the state or whatever, but here they get lucky. Then again, if we really think about it they were really rich from the very start again, at least in their pompous selves. It was also funny how these rich versions were always so bothered and ashamed of what they brute look-alikes did and how they even made it to the paper etc. So yes many fun moments here. I would also say that the film got better the longer it went. Not that it was poor early on. Absolutely not. The story may have been a bit thin as there are not really any twists to the key plot whatsoever, but somehow they managed to make it work despite the duration not being too short. It was probably the fun individual scenes that contributed nicely enough. Alright, there is a lot more I could write here about specific scenes honestly, but I am getting closer to the character limit, so I will leave it at that for now and anyway you should watch the film and not read all of this without having seen it. Still thanks if you got here until the very end of my review and if you want to talk to me about how you perceived this film, I'd be happy to hear it. You know where to find me. This was certainly one of the final watches for me in terms of my Spencer movie marathon over the last weeks, but it was also one of the very best. Among my top5 films from 1984 now. So much fun (I know I use this word a lot, also in the title of my review, but it's simply the best way to put it) we have here and you absolutely don't want to miss out on all of that. Also a very light movie all along. Highly recommended. Oh and the main theme you can hear very early on is a lot of fun too!
Alright, now let me just mention a few individual scenes and moments that I enjoyed. But first of all I want to say that one reason why everybody loves these two here in Germany is that the dubbing is so good. Also the translation and what they say exactly (like verbally). Especially Spencer has a very rough style there, but it is so funny all the time which words he uses and in this film it seems a bit rougher than usual even. Hill may not be on par, but I also like the way he expresses himself. And come on, nobody is on par with Buddy really. I am genuinely curious if the Italien wordings are just as entertaining or if the dubbing actually made these films even better. Maybe the one moment during which I laughed the most was when one minor character acts as if he hypnotized Spencer's character, but with what the latter says eventually, we know it did not work out. So funny. Or also at the very end when there comes this masked intruder and we see it's Clough's character looking like a female Zorro (she is still alive today), which was admittedly a but absurd, but how she has this meltdown then and what she calls Spencer's character is so hilarious. In a good way. Also how Hill's character immediately afterwards uses the exact same phrase was very funny. Then again, the brawl scenes are always epic in these movies, especially when characters walk into places and we see them only from outside and they are punched out right away. That's what I maybe love the most about these scenes and it's these moments that keep those sequences from becoming too repetitive. But let's be honest. They belong to those films and without them, even if they are slightly repetitive here and there, it would absolutely not be the same. Then again, I think all the interaction with the look-alikes were great fun too. This was also in my opinion the case because of how technically competent they looked. Like they mixed it together in a way where it seemed as if there were truly two of them. Each. Not to be taken for granted for a film from the mid80s. I liked the interactions there and also for example those moments when they are not exactly friends with their look-alikes as business is on the list. When it is about how much they get paid at the very end for example and the fighter guys pull through with their interests, but also with how earlier for example they talk about the end of the business deal, but then an unexpected call comes and makes sure they get their money as they are still needed. So the harmless versions of our heroes may only have been physically harmless. But of course they do not get beaten up by the other ones the way the real bad guys get beaten up. Instead, here and there, they even teach them a bit. Like there was one scene in which Spencer's string character deals with a bad guy and he tells Hill's harmless character to hit him and that was pretty funny too how one uses his fist so softly and the other so strongly. It probably felt more credibly this way than the other way around. But the strong Hill gets his fun moments too. One would be when we see the weaker Hill (let's call them that now) is beaten by a few of the crooks and he hides and as they wear the exact same clothes too, they switch characters from one second to the next and the bad guys are quickly in trouble. Oh and by the way, you will not be surprised to find out about Hill's character having some romantic involvement here again. I talked about the lady and her character already earlier. Not a big role honestly, but let's be honest. Women in Spencer/Hill movies never play key characters and what Clough had to work with here (also third credit) was much more than most others got. As for our two heroes and again a reference to the end as I am moving closer to the end of my review, they even ended up with a lot of money at the end and that is unusual. Most of the time, they lose it again. Be it to orphanages, the state or whatever, but here they get lucky. Then again, if we really think about it they were really rich from the very start again, at least in their pompous selves. It was also funny how these rich versions were always so bothered and ashamed of what they brute look-alikes did and how they even made it to the paper etc. So yes many fun moments here. I would also say that the film got better the longer it went. Not that it was poor early on. Absolutely not. The story may have been a bit thin as there are not really any twists to the key plot whatsoever, but somehow they managed to make it work despite the duration not being too short. It was probably the fun individual scenes that contributed nicely enough. Alright, there is a lot more I could write here about specific scenes honestly, but I am getting closer to the character limit, so I will leave it at that for now and anyway you should watch the film and not read all of this without having seen it. Still thanks if you got here until the very end of my review and if you want to talk to me about how you perceived this film, I'd be happy to hear it. You know where to find me. This was certainly one of the final watches for me in terms of my Spencer movie marathon over the last weeks, but it was also one of the very best. Among my top5 films from 1984 now. So much fun (I know I use this word a lot, also in the title of my review, but it's simply the best way to put it) we have here and you absolutely don't want to miss out on all of that. Also a very light movie all along. Highly recommended. Oh and the main theme you can hear very early on is a lot of fun too!
Light, silly fun, and that's all it needs to be
I_Ailurophile5 December 2022
The idea of lookalikes changing places is a staple of storytelling going back many years, but the nice thing about that set-up is that it's so rich with possibilities that barring total catastrophe, it feels fresh every time it's employed. Here's a classic example: two very common, even low-brow men, posing as two identical individuals, refined gentlemen of incredible wealth and social status. The scenario is ripe for hijinks, situational humor, and snappy dialogue, and that's indeed just what we get in 1984's 'Double trouble.' This may not be a total must-see, but it's consistently entertaining; what more could one ask for?
The concept readily invites not just quips aplenty, but sight gags, physical comedy, stunts, and more, and screenwriter Marcotullio Barboni and director E. B. Clucher take full advantage of every opportunity. The characters and dialogue are both written with splendid personality and keen wit. While the narrative is fairly light (with weak resolution at the end), it's all that it needs to be to facilitate the delightful silliness that fills the feature from start to finish. And to that point, there's welcome variety in the scene writing, with lots of shenanigans for the characters to get into; even when the broad gist of a moment is revisited in another, it never feels stale. Everyone involved does a great job of bringing the tomfoolery to life, from Clucher's orchestration of shots and scenes, to the dynamic cinematography; from the terrific filming locations, production design, and art direction, to rich costume design and hair and makeup work. The supporting cast is unquestionably having a great time, just as stars Terence Hill and Bud Spencer happily revel in their dual roles, embracing the chance to play both stuffy society figures and fast-talking wise guys. 'Double trouble' is the type of picture that's worth watching just to see the stars at work.
For as blithe and carefree as the title is, there are no qualms about rendering plot no more than a secondary or even tertiary concern. The writing is complete, and functional, but clearly above all serves as a vehicle for the frivolous follies. Even at its most outrageous, with some bits almost outright cartoonish (including at the climax), the picture only wants to be an flippant romp - and I think it quite succeeds. Apart from some language and mild (PG-13) sexual content this is generally appropriate for wide audiences, and I think most anyone could enjoy it. Personal preferences will vary, but for a lighthearted comedy, it's hard to imagine anyone coming away actively disliking it (if so, well, to each their own). This is hardly groundbreaking, and there's no need to go out of your way for 'Double trouble,' but if you happen to come across it, this is a gleeful little movie and a fun way to spend 100 minutes.
The concept readily invites not just quips aplenty, but sight gags, physical comedy, stunts, and more, and screenwriter Marcotullio Barboni and director E. B. Clucher take full advantage of every opportunity. The characters and dialogue are both written with splendid personality and keen wit. While the narrative is fairly light (with weak resolution at the end), it's all that it needs to be to facilitate the delightful silliness that fills the feature from start to finish. And to that point, there's welcome variety in the scene writing, with lots of shenanigans for the characters to get into; even when the broad gist of a moment is revisited in another, it never feels stale. Everyone involved does a great job of bringing the tomfoolery to life, from Clucher's orchestration of shots and scenes, to the dynamic cinematography; from the terrific filming locations, production design, and art direction, to rich costume design and hair and makeup work. The supporting cast is unquestionably having a great time, just as stars Terence Hill and Bud Spencer happily revel in their dual roles, embracing the chance to play both stuffy society figures and fast-talking wise guys. 'Double trouble' is the type of picture that's worth watching just to see the stars at work.
For as blithe and carefree as the title is, there are no qualms about rendering plot no more than a secondary or even tertiary concern. The writing is complete, and functional, but clearly above all serves as a vehicle for the frivolous follies. Even at its most outrageous, with some bits almost outright cartoonish (including at the climax), the picture only wants to be an flippant romp - and I think it quite succeeds. Apart from some language and mild (PG-13) sexual content this is generally appropriate for wide audiences, and I think most anyone could enjoy it. Personal preferences will vary, but for a lighthearted comedy, it's hard to imagine anyone coming away actively disliking it (if so, well, to each their own). This is hardly groundbreaking, and there's no need to go out of your way for 'Double trouble,' but if you happen to come across it, this is a gleeful little movie and a fun way to spend 100 minutes.
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