Two for the Road (1967)

Director:

Stanley Donen

Writer:

Frederic Raphael (written by)

Release Date:

27 April 1967 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

They make something wonderful out of being alive!

Plot:

A couple in the south of France non-sequentially spin down the highways of infidelity in their troubled ten-year marriage.

Plot Keywords:

Marriage | Infidelity | Europe | On The Road | France

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 4 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Audrey Hepburn	...	Joanna Wallace
Albert Finney	...	Mark Wallace
Eleanor Bron	...	Cathy Manchester
William Daniels	...	Howard Manchester
Gabrielle Middleton	...	Ruth Manchester
Claude Dauphin	...	Maurice Dalbret
Nadia Gray	...	Francoise Dalbret
Georges Descrières	...	David (as Georges Descrieres)
Jacqueline Bisset	...	Jackie
Judy Cornwell	...	Pat
Irène Hilda	...	Yvonne de Florac (as Irene Hilda)
Dominique Joos	...	Sylvia
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Karyn Balm	...	Simone (uncredited)
Yves Barsacq	...	Police Inspector (uncredited)
Kathy Chelimsky	...	Caroline Wallace (uncredited)
Roger Dann	...	Gilbert, 'Comte de Florac' (uncredited)
Olga Georges-Picot	...	Joanna's Touring Friend (uncredited)
Clarissa Hillel	...	Joanna's Touring Friend (uncredited)
Jacques Hilling	...	Hotel Concierge (uncredited)
Cathy Jones	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Joanna Marie Jones	...	Joanna's Touring Friend (uncredited)
Jean-François Lalet	...	Boat Officer (uncredited)
Robert Le Béal	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Paul Mercey	...	Farmer (uncredited)
Albert Michel	...	Customs Officer (uncredited)
Libby Morris	...	American Lady (uncredited)
Denise Péron	...	Hotel Clerk (uncredited)
Sophia Torkely	...	Joanna's Touring Friend (uncredited)
Hélène Tossy	...	Mme. Solange (uncredited)
Carol van Dyke	...	Michelle - Nick's Companion (uncredited)
Mario Verdon	...	Palamos (uncredited)
Patricia Viterbo	...	Joanna's Touring Friend (uncredited)

Directed by
Stanley Donen

Writing credits
Frederic Raphael		(written by)

Produced by
Stanley Donen	....	producer
James H. Ware	....	associate producer (as James Ware)

Original Music by
Henry Mancini

Cinematography by
Christopher Challis		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Madeleine Gug		(as Madelèine Gug)
Richard Marden

Art Direction by
Willy Holt

Makeup Department
Georges Bouban	....	makeup artist
Alberto De Rossi	....	makeup artist (as Alberto De'Rossi)
Grazia De Rossi	....	hairdresser (as Grazia De'Rossi)

Production Management
Christian Ferry	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jacques Corbel	....	assistant director

Art Department
Marc Frédérix	....	assistant art director (as Mark Frederix)

Sound Department
Joseph de Bretagne	....	sound mixer (as Jo De Bretagne)

Camera and Electrical Department
Austin Dempster	....	camera operator: second unit
Henri Tiquet	....	camera operator

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Hardy Amies	....	clothes: Mr. Finney
Sophie Issartel-Rochas	....	wardrobe coordinator
Mary Quant	....	clothes: Miss Hepburn
Paco Rabanne	....	clothes: Miss Hepburn
Clare Rendlesham	....	wardrobe supervisor: Miss Hepburn
Michele Rosier	....	clothes: Miss Hepburn (as Michèle Rosier)
Ken Scott	....	clothes: Miss Hepburn

Music Department
Douglas Gamley	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Maurice Binder	....	title designer
Arthur Carroll	....	production executive
Jean-Fabrice Janaudy	....	press attache: France (re-release: 2003 ) (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Stanley Donen Films

Distributors

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Company (1967) (UK) (theatrical)
• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (1967) (USA) (theatrical)
• Centfox (1967) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Italia (1967) (Italy) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox (1967) (France) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox de Argentina (1967) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Les Acacias (2003) (France) (theatrical) (re-release)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2003) (Canada) (VHS)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1969) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• CBS/Fox Video (1990) (UK) (VHS) (pan/scan)
• CBS/Fox (1991) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Carlotta Films (2004) (France) (DVD)
• Optimum Home Entertainment (2004) (UK) (DVD)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment Germany (1993) (Germany) (VHS)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment Germany (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Sharpe Ludski Enterprises  dubbing
• C.T.S. Studios  sound re-recording
• Foale and Tuffin  clothes: Miss Hepburn
• Deluxe  color
• Panavision  filmed in

Also Known As:

Runtime:

111 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Finland:S | Sweden:11 | West Germany:12 | USA:Approved (Suggested for Mature Audiences) | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating) | Singapore:PG | France:U | Canada:PG (video rating)

Filming Locations:

Beauvallon, Drôme, France

Company:

Stanley Donen Films

Trivia:

Audrey Hepburn narrowly missed getting an Oscar nomination for this film. The Academy had to choose between her performances in this film and in Wait Until Dark (1967) and chose the latter.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Mark and Joanna are riding away in the concrete pipe, you can clearly see that the truck carrying them has a large set of wheels as the furthest back portion of the truck, which would make it difficult for them to just jump out. But when they cut to the scene where they are jumping out, the large set of wheels is gone.

Quotes:

[last lines]
Mark Wallace:Bitch.
Joanna Wallace:Bastard.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in "The Simpsons: Dangerous Curves (#20.5)" (2008)

Soundtrack:

Two for the Road

Beautifully Rendered Postcards With a Peerless Audrey

I read in Danny Peary's "A Guide for the Film Fanatic" that some people have formed a strong emotional attachment to this 1967 film. I am one of them. From the opening notes of Henry Mancini's evocative score (personally I think it's his best work) to the end where the main characters drive off into Italy after some verbal sparring, this movie still provides the same pleasure it did when I first saw it on TV in the early seventies. "Two for the Road" is a time capsule of Carnaby Street fashion and French new wave scene juxtaposition, but it remains timeless in its emotionally piercing view of marriage and in the beguiling presence of Audrey Hepburn. There will unlikely be an actress with more style or grace on screen, and never has she seemed more sexy, playful or innately human. It's a shame she never played a role as rich in texture as Frederic Raphael's script provides here. His dialogue is sharp and insightful, as he has the main characters often repeat one another for the sake of getting a different meaning from the same line of dialogue.

As Joanna and Mark Wallace, Hepburn and Albert Finney get to live out more than a decade in their characters' lives from initial meeting to near-divorce. What makes the evolution more impressive is that the story is not a linear narrative but rather a series of five road trips that volley the viewer back and forth in the relationship. Finney provides a formidable match for Hepburn, and he plays with the right mix of roguish insouciance and insecure ambition that doesn't make his character always likable but certainly believable. Their chemistry is palpable, especially in the early days of their courtship as the movie makes hitchhiking the most romantic of adventures with the couple cutting through the entirety of France in various vehicles in record time. Only in the movies. The episode with the pretentious American tourist couple and their bratty daughter provides some biting and funny moments...ironically, the actress portraying the wife, Eleanor Bron, is British. Not surprising that this movie was not such a huge hit stateside since the four Americans in the movie are portrayed in such an unflattering light.

Regardless, credit needs to go to director Stanley Donen (himself an American), who somehow pulls all these disparate elements together and uses his extensive Hollywood experience to bring a nice glossy sheen to the whole film. His third collaboration with Hepburn (after "Funny Face" and "Charade") really turns into a tribute to her as she makes a remarkable transformation from naïve choirgirl to jaded jet-set housewife that goes well beyond the changing hairstyles and clothing. This is one to treasure.

This wondrous film has been lovingly restored for its much-delayed DVD release. The print quality has been significantly improved over the VHS tape I've had for over a decade. A nice bonus feature is a split-screen before-and-after short that shows the visual improvement. Best of all, there is finally an audio commentary track to accompany the film, and Donen provides illuminating insight on the elliptical narrative structure and the non-chronological juxtaposition of the scenes. He explains that the characters are reliving their memories by association with the feelings they are having in the present. His adoration of Hepburn is pervasive and understandable, as he claims rightfully that this was her best performance (they worked together three times). I just wish Finney was available to add his perspective. Moreover, if you ever wondered why the young Jacqueline Bisset's voice doesn't sound like her at all, he admits she was re-dubbed by another actress due to the blaring noise of generators during the location shooting. She apparently had already moved on to shoot her first Hollywood film. For those like me who adore this film, the DVD is a must-buy.