Review of Two for the Road (1967) by Chris Z — 30 Jun 2009
Stanley Donen found great success with musicals like Singin' in the Rain (1952) and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954). He turned to capers in the 1960's with Charade (1963) and Arabesque (1966).
After that, he turned his hand to this romantic comedy-drama which has a very offbeat flair to it's name, it's benefited by two likeable leads and is likeable while it lasts. The film follows a married couple from England, Joanna and Mark Wallace (Audrey Hepburn and Albert Finney), who first met on a ferry going to France 12 years previously, but now, their marriage is in the doldrums.
They look back over their previous encounters, (all on road trips across France), as they look back on why they fell in love in the first place. From hitchhiking trips, to sharing a car with Mark's ex-girlfriend Cathy Manchester (Eleanor Bron) and her family.
It's a sweet and breezy travelogue of a film, which does go on for a bit, but it's very well made, and has a lovely jazzy score by Henry Mancini. It's a good timepiece of the sorts of holidays people from yesteryear used to take.
It has a surreal sense of humour to it's name, but it does have a melacholy undercurrent going at all times.
This review of Two for the Road (1967) was written by Chris Z on 30 Jun 2009.
Two for the Road has generally received very positive reviews.
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