Two of a Kind (1983)

When God decides to destroy Earth, four angels aim to redeem mankind through a young man and woman with their own troubles.

Director:

John Herzfeld

Writer:

John Herzfeld

Stars:

John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John, Charles Durning

6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
John Travolta	...	Zack
Olivia Newton-John	...	Debbie
Charles Durning	...	Charlie
Oliver Reed	...	Beasley
Beatrice Straight	...	Ruth
Scatman Crothers	...	Earl
Richard Bright	...	Stuart
Vincent Bufano	...	Oscar
Toni Kalem	...	Terri
James Stevens	...	Ron
Ernie Hudson	...	Det. Skaggs
Jack Kehoe	...	Mr. Chotiner
Robert Costanzo	...	Capt. Cinzari (as Bobby Costanzo)
Castulo Guerra	...	Gonzales
Warren Robertson	...	Self

Storyline

God has had just about enough of mankind's attitude, so He decides that He needs to destroy the planet in the immediate future--unless two particular humans, a struggling inventor and a bank teller, both with quite amateur criminal minds, can save the world.

---

Plot Keywords:

number 2 in title | four word title | bank teller | angel | inventor | 

---

Taglines:

Together for the first time since "GREASE" [John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John] [UK Theatrical]

---

Genres:

Comedy | Fantasy | Romance

---

Certificate:

PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

One of Zack's inventions was edible sunglasses.

---

Goofs

As Zack leaves the bank, his mustache is almost all the way off. When he runs down the street, his mustache is completely back on his face, with no time to have fixed it.

---

Quotes

Charlie: [picks up a copy of "The Sonnets of William Shakespeare" that is mysteriously sitting on the ground, then he calls out to Zack] Hey. Can you spare a cigarette?
Zack: I don't smoke.
Charlie: Do you read?
[he tosses the book to Zack and flourishes his cap]
Zack: Do I know you?
Charlie: Of course you do.
Debbie: [she and Zack share a look at the book and then each other, but when they look up, Charlie is gone] Where'd he go?
Zack: I don't know. God this has been a crazy week.
Debbie: Sure has.

---

Crazy Credits

The phrase "This film is Rated PG" is within the credits at the end before the PG rating tag actually shows after the movie.

---

Alternate Versions

On older home video and TV versions, the 1953 20th Century Fox "Cinemascope" logo is oddly seen in place of the "then current" logo at the beginning of the movie. And at the end of the end credits, the tag "This film is Rated PG" is seen. Current home video and TV prints restore the "then-current" 20th Century Fox logo at the beginning and removes the "This film is Rated PG" tag at the end of the end credits.

---

Connections

Referenced in The Cinema Snob: Hi-Tops (2017)

---

Soundtracks

Hallelujah
(opening title)
from "Messiah" (uncredited)
Music by George Frideric Handel (as Georg Friedrich Händel)

User Reviews

A *must* if you're a fan of Olivia and John, otherwise best avoided

The most important thing to remember when watching "Two of a Kind" is that is was really a vehicle for the two stars, based upon the idea that their chemistry in Grease would make for another hit, which sadly, in this case, it didn't. They were determined to do another film together and had looked through over 30 scripts before choosing this one - one wonders quite how dire some of those must have been...

Other reviewers have already written about the plot, so I won't concentrate on that, rather on the performances and the way the film comes across.

There is a pretty starry cast here - Gene Hackman plays God, Oliver Reed plays the Devil and angels include Charles Durning and Beatrice Straight. Unfortunately, as a film experience, it just doesn't seem to work - probably the reason why it did so poorly at the Box Office at the time, despite a $5m marketing budget. Lots of rewinding and stopping time, which can be confusing if you're not paying attention; Oliver Reed singing(badly); and minor characters (Olivia's flatmates, her landlord) that do nothing for the plot and tend to irritate when they appear.

However, Olivia and John do make a very cute couple - I spent the entire second half of the film with a grin on my face, feeling very soppy, once they get it together.

The acting on the part of the two stars is fine. If I'm nit-picking, ONJ gives a slightly uneven performance in TOAK - one or two scenes where she seems to be saying the words with a bit too much "acting", but very commendable otherwise. They both have a good sense of timing, and that comes though. There is even a "love" scene, although hardly x-rated - they keep most of their clothes on, although ONJ reported that she felt quite nervous about it at the time. She even swears in one scene, which is a bit weird the first time you hear it!

I always felt sorry that ONJ had a poor run with films after Grease and pretty much chucked the acting in, bar the occasional TV movie, although she seems to be making a slow return in a few indie films in the last 5 years. I think she could of gone on to a decent film career if she'd have picked some better films in the early 80's. She does have a good sense of comic timing (she is known in entertainment circles for a wicked sense of humour) - maybe in an alternate universe could have been the Meg Ryan of her generation...

The soundtrack is probably the strongest thing about TOAK - ONJ sings about half of what you hear in the film; she is head and shoulders above everything else. Olivia and John even do a duet - "Take a Chance", although it's not really anything to write home about. Give me "Twist of Fate" anyday.

I am a fan of both Olivia and John and I do love this movie. However, I appreciate its faults, and I'm not going to pretend that it's something it isn't. All in all, it's not a "great" movie in the traditional sense of the word. Where you are going to get rewarded watching TOAK is if you are a fan of Olivia and/or John (especially the two of them together.) It is a romantic comedy, and not a particularly good one at that, but that chemistry between them is certainly still there after "Grease", and that does give TOAK a certain something.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 December 1983 (USA)

Also Known As:

Second Chance

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$3,344,942, 18 December 1983

Gross USA:

$23,646,952

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$23,646,952

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox, Joe Wizan-Roger M. Rothstein Production

Technical Specs

Runtime:

88 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1