Two Weeks in Another Town (1962)

After spending three years in an asylum, a washed-up actor views a minor assignment from his old director in Rome as a chance for personal and professional redemption.

Director:

Vincente Minnelli

Writers:

Charles Schnee (screenplay), Irwin Shaw (novel)

Stars:

Kirk Douglas, Edward G. Robinson, Cyd Charisse

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kirk Douglas	...	Jack Andrus
Edward G. Robinson	...	Maurice Kruger
Cyd Charisse	...	Carlotta
George Hamilton	...	Davie Drew
Daliah Lavi	...	Veronica (as Dahlia Lavi)
Claire Trevor	...	Clara Kruger
James Gregory	...	Brad Byrd
Rosanna Schiaffino	...	Barzelli
Joanna Roos	...	Janet Bark
George Macready	...	Lew Jordan
Mino Doro	...	Tucino
Stefan Schnabel	...	Zeno
Vito Scotti	...	Assistant Director
Tom Palmer	...	Dr. Cold Eyes
Erich von Stroheim Jr.	...	Ravinksi (as Erich Von Stroheim Jr.)

Storyline

Former film star Jack Andrus is released from a sanitarium where he has lived for the previous three years, suffering from alcoholism, a traumatic automobile accident, and a severe mental breakdown. He's been offered two weeks of work in Rome by Maurice Kruger, his old director, who himself is near the end of his fading career and under pressure from his parsimonious Italian producer to finish his picture on time and under budget. Jack is also pressed from a manipulative ex-wife, a rising but self-destructive young star, the director's shrewish wife, and a temperamental Italian diva who requires handling with kid gloves. When the Kruger suffers a heart attack, Andrus views the opportunity as a last chance at the redemption of his personal life and professional career.

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Plot Keywords:

italy | singing | circular staircase | stairway | nymphomaniac | 

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Taglines:

Only in Rome could this story happen! Only in Rome could this story be filmed!

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Approved

Did You Know?

Trivia

Kirk Douglas was paid $500,000 for acting in this film, and was also entitled to 10% of the profits (but there weren't any). Cyd Charisse was paid $50,000 and was cast despite Douglas's strong opposition.

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Goofs

In most of Jack's driving scenes, his steering inputs, or lack thereof, don't match what's going on in the rear-projection background. This is most obvious when he goes on his drunken, reckless drive with Carlotta as his passenger.

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Quotes

Jack Andrus: [listening to her dub dialogue for an Italian actress] No, Liz, no, that's not quite it.
Liz: Oh, it sure isn't. I'm lousy today.
Jack Andrus: No, no, no. Say, Liz...
Liz: Yeah?
Jack Andrus: [coaching her to improve her performance] What do you love most in the world?
Liz: Um, food.
Jack Andrus: Hey, you remember, uh, that ice cream parlor, Wil Wright's, on Sunset Strip? Those huge, luscious banana splits, a dollar a throw.
Liz: Worth every penny.
Jack Andrus: Well, next time you dub, you think to yourself...
[begins speaking very expressively and emphatically]
[...]

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Crazy Credits

The following acknowledgment appears on screen in the opening credits: "We are grateful to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, copyright owners, for permission to use the Academy Award statuette."

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Connections

Featured in Century of Cinema: A Personal Journey with Martin Scorsese Through American Movies (1995)

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Soundtracks

The Anniversary Song
("Waves of the Danube") (Uncredited)
Written by Iosif Ivanovici (1880)
Instrumental played at anniversary party for Maurice and Clara

User Reviews

good follow-up to THE BAD AND THE BEAUTIFUL

I think that your opinion of this movie will be strongly influenced depending on whether or not you first saw THE BAD AND THE BEAUTIFUL. I tried watching this film before I saw the prequel and got tired of it and stopped watching. However, a few months later I saw the first film and then saw TWO WEEKS IN ANOTHER TOWN. Then, it all made sense to me,...how the horribly manipulative jerk in THE BAD AND THE BEAUTIFUL slid over the years into the pathetic has-been in this film. I really liked it, as everyone hate ample reason to both hate the lead character, Douglas, and to thank him for their success. A pretty deep film and a perfect follow-up.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Italian

Release Date:

September 1962 (UK)

Also Known As:

2 Weeks in Another Town

Filming Locations:

Excelsior Hotel, Via Vittorio Veneto, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Box Office

Budget:

$3,959,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

107 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1