Two For The Road - Dos En La Carretera (1967) (Import)

Firstly, this film is not digitally remastered. Both the sound and picture quality are disappointing: particularly the soundtrack. The film notes were written in the sixties by someone who was obviously a student of fashion and not a lot else. Fortunately, there is no shortage of good reviews on the web. If, like me, you are watching this for the first time in forty years, you may be pleasantly surprised that the superb direction, that engages with Mancini's beautiful score from the beginning right to the very end, has lost none of its charm. Incidentally, for music buffs, I recall buying the original soundtrack, which sadly was recorded with RCA's much criticised Dynagroove technology, and it is pretty awful. There is, however, a digitally remastered CD available Two for the Road (Ost) which might be worth a listen. For those who have not seen it before, the film is produced and directed by Stanley Donan, and rightly regarded as a masterpiece of the genre. In fact it contains a second masterpiece: Henry Mancini's hauntingly romantic music. The script by Frederic Raphael, who wrote Darling, examines the marriage of the two lead characters, their meeting, as impoverished young people hitching through France, to marriage and parenthood, and the trials of career success and infidelity. The scenes that focus on the weaving and unravelling of their relationship, seldom contain more than a few lines of dialogue, and are stylishly mixed together: juxtaposing their observations and feelings over the years. This style of film making will probably be quite new to many people, and it becomes quite absorbing and fascinating. It is one of the reasons Stanley Donan was so highly regarded. Finally, one trivial observation: Ms Hepburn wears her iconic false eye lashes in every single scene. Whether in the bath, bed, or even in the swimming pool, she is never without them. It seems odd, but then it was the sixties!

The film, Two for the Road, an absolutely brilliantly loveable and gloriously funny, sexy film, starring Audrey Hepburn and Albert Finney I loved every minute of it when I watched it several years ago now, on television one evening, totally unprepared for the smashing film which was about to explode onto my screen. Audrey Hepburn was, as ever, adorable, enchanting and utterly captivating, and so extremely well-dressed, it made my eyes water as the story of the film progressed. Albert Finney, dry, cool and very good looking - wow, what a combination when standing alongside our glorious Audrey Hepburn. The film was a wonderful concoction of romance, adventure and pathos. I believe it must have been in the 1990's when I came to view this film which, still today, remains vivedly in my memories as one of my all-time best favourite films, ever. Ssimply can't wait to watch it again, and very soon!!!

Sorry but I've changed my opinion about this DVD. When I tried it on my desktop, suddenly it was fine. And when I tried it again on my normal DVD player it was fine too. I don't know why it was so dark the first time I played it? It was a fault at my own DVD player settings. I'm only glad that this was the reason. It apparently seems that this movie is not bad at all. Though the resolution could be better. Sorry if I confused things. Thanks again to zoverstocks and amazon. What should I do without them? If this is a good movie, which all A. Hepburns movies usually are. I will change 2 stars to 4 stars. (written first): This DVD is so dark, as if the whole movie was filmed at night time. One can't almost see anything, and I have to try to convert the whole movie using (a legal) software. Why have the producer not done, a thing a simple as that. With equipment, one can buy at almost every drugstore. Propably because it's from 2004. If it's a good or a boring movie, I really don't know. Because I can't almost see anything. There's no danish og english subtitles. Usually I'm really very satisfied with zoverstocks and amazon, but not with this one. This is only one error out of perhaps 30 or 40. I have to say that I love all A. Hepburns film. But first have to get this normal, so I can see what's going on.

"Two for the road" is an outstanding bitter sweet comedy of Stanley Donen, quite underestimated at the moment of its release. The script, by Frederic Raphael, is deliciously sophisticated. The permanent trip between the old past, the middle past, the recent past and the present provides a real added value. Both Hepburn's and Finney's interpretation are excellent. The score is one of the best of Mancini. This movie seems to have been in advance of its time, and it is one of the best about married life (but not maybe one of the most optimistic). Viewers should beware the Region 1 version, which is quite a mediocre print. There is a remasterised version on the french market (english/french) which has been supported, it seems, by the French CNC (a marvellous example of cosmopolitan approach). The colors are remarkable and there are four bonuses : Donen's comment (also on the American version), a short presentation of the movie in Donen's career, a funny piece about Hepburn's fashion and a long interview, quite delectable, of Frederic Raphael.

What was this all about ? What were these people thinking? Albert Finney spends 90 miutes in obnoxious boor mode,for 30 miutes trying to persuade us that he is a young obnoxious, inept,idealistic architecture student who looks about 40. Then as some obnoxious playboy type unhappily married or some such bourguoise angst. His trans-atlantic nasal monotone grind really annoys. This is a very limited actor. Hepburn meanwhile looks positively haggard in some lights as a once again twenty something kooky free spirit.The poor girl is not enjoying this anymore and it shows. She does not convince at any level. If you are a fan of the exquisite Audrey, look away now. This is a bad movie from a director that really should have stuck to musicals. The writing is putrid and the acting worse. Witless garbage. Charmless and indigestible. The five star reviews of this film are baffling.

Let me firstly say, I agree with the previous reviewers in that the film is fantastic, the dvd is average. More care could have gone into its release, but better its released than not. This is indeed a 'forgotten' classic; Hepburn and Finney are perfect as the couple who's lives we see over the same journey taken over several years from their initial meeting to later years. Its both funny, and achingly sad at times. The score is also beautiful, and perfect. Audrey Hepburn looks stunning, as does the gorgeous French scenery. The way the film is cut is also very clever, with scenes from different eras overlapping. Its a wonderful film, and although firmly of the 1960's (with great Paco Rabanne, Mary Quant fashions)the theme of love and relationships is universal.

It's not fair to everyone to ask me to review any Audrey Hepburn movie, because she can do no wrong, she is style elegance, humour, charm, what more to say?-oh yes the film, well it's an intelligent examination of the various stages of marriage told through flashbacks tp happy times to present difficulties.Hepburn has married Albert finned and is having fun, but as life goes on the usual strains begin to occur, witty intelligent movie, great locations in the south of France. An excellent watch, very good performances and acting from both.

For the first time ever in Blighty a perfect anamorphic copy of Stanley Donen's masterpiece on Blu Ray, with a DVD as an extra. All previous tapes and DVDs have been pan and scan which destroyed the excellence of the fine photography by Christopher Challis. This is a comedy/drama/romance/road movie filmed exclusively in Southern France with a career topping performance from Audrey Hepburn. There is not a duff line in Frederic Raphael's entertaining screenplay and as an extra we get an interview with the man himself in French, with subtitles, where he explains how his own various drives across France with his wife provided the starting point for a relationship road movie where, uniquely, Mr and Mrs Everyman are only ever seen on holiday. This is a fun movie with a few tears in the later reels and comes highly recommended.