Plot: What’s it about?
I was recently talking to a family member about movies that we loved. My personal favorite was the movie Rushmore, and her personal favorite was Casablanca. When asked what other movies she loved she brought up the movie Two For The Road starring Albert Finley and Audrey Hepburn. I had never seen the film, but when I noticed that it was available on Blu-ray from the fine folks at Twilight Time I ordered a copy so I could check it out. We had a nice relaxing Saturday morning with our two sons, so my wife and. Turned it on as we cooked breakfast and checked it out.
Two for the Road is a nontraditional love story. It begins the film with Joanna Wallace (Audrey Hepburn) and Mark Wallace (Albert Finney) in an argument while touring around Europe. They have been together for a decade and have caused harm to one another over the course of their marriage in various ways. The film crisscrosses through different moments in their relationship – all on road trips through Europe- as they meet one another, fall in love, commit infidelities, have a child, and change over time. As the decade passes by, the viewer sees the various changes in their lives and personalities.
Two for the Road is not a traditional romance in that the film can be pretty cynical. The film does not make its stance entirely clear as to whether or not these people should stay together or split up. Instead, it shows a marriage in a warts-and-all fashion with the best and worst moments. The script by Frederic Raphael is extremely well thought out and Stanley Donen executed it perfectly. Using clever editing techniques the film makes it seem that the lovers are constantly passing by different versions of themselves as they move along the road. This editing technique keeps the film fresh and vibrant and has aged well. Another thing that has aged well is the beautiful cinematography by Christopher Challis. This is a great example of how beautiful films could look in Panavision. The stylish Audrey Hepburn shines in the film and looks dazzling in all sorts of outfits and hair styles. Albert Finney is terrific as per usual. He is definitely one of the best unsung actors of his generation – excellent in any role he is given (my personal favorite being his role in Miller’s Crossing.) I should also mention that the score by Henry Mancini is perfect for the film – at once playful and dramatic when necessary.
Two for the Road is a fantastic film overall. I think the film could have been slightly better by removing about ten minutes worth of bickering in the film but that is just nitpicking. When you get the pleasure of watching Stanley Donen directing Albert Finney and Audrey Hepburn, it is pretty hard to complain. I highly recommend that you not only check out this film, but add it to your collection. I loved it and my wife liked it also.
Video: How’s it look?
Twilight Time provided a beautiful transfer of the film in 2.35:1 MPEG-4 AVC encoded image. This film has some truly breathtaking cinematography in Panavision by Christopher Challis. The movie tends to just emanate style with its colorful palette and stylish outfits. Road movies tend to have a lot to gaze upon and this is no exception with beautiful views of the Mediterranean and European locales. The transfer has excellent clarity and color reproduction. I did not see any signs of DNR and the print appeared to be in great shape. I know that recently I have been giving a lot of high marks to Twilight Time for imagery, but this film deserves all the praise for how great it looks on Blu-ray.
Audio: How’s it sound?
I chose to listen to the stereo recording during viewing and found the sound mix pleasing and even-keeled. Clarity of audio during dialogue was never an issue. The great Henry Mancini provided a very well thought out score that provided a great backdrop to the film. Truthfully, as long as you are not expecting a particularly engrossing surround presence there is a lot to enjoy about this track.
Supplements: What are the extras?
- Audio Commentary – Nick Redman and Julie Kirgo will be familiar to fans of the Twilight Time label and this is another enjoyable and informal track from the pair.
- Isolated Score and Effects Track
The Bottom Line
Two for the Road is an excellent film. Albert Finney and Audrey Hepburn are a great pair to watch on-screen and the cinematography, direction, and editing are top-notch. Aside from being about ten minutes longer than it should be, the film is entertaining and in some ways enlightening. Very few films present such cynical views of married life, but the picture of people changing as the times around them change (keep in mind a lot was changing from 1958-1967) is not unrealistic or unfair. This film has been given a beautiful transfer from Twilight Time and shines on Blu-Ray. It was also nice to hear familiar voices of Julie Kirgo and Nick Redman on the commentary track. I think this would be a welcome addition to any collector’s library. Highly recommended.
