Two for the Road (film)


Two for the Road is a 1967 British romantic comedy-drama film directed and produced by Stanley Donen and starring Audrey Hepburn and Albert Finney. Written by Frederic Raphael, the film is about a husband and wife who examine their twelve-year relationship while on a road trip to Southern France. The film was considered somewhat experimental for its time because the story is told in a non-linear fashion, with scenes from the latter stages of the relationship juxtaposed with those from its beginning, often leaving the viewer to interpolate what has intervened, which is sometimes revealed in later scenes. Several locations are used in different segments to show continuity throughout the twelve-year period.
Raphael received an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay, Hepburn received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress – Motion Picture Comedy or Musical, and Henry Mancini received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Original Score. The film's theme song, "Two for the Road", was composed by Mancini, with lyrics by Leslie Bricusse. Mancini, who composed many notable theme songs for films, including "Moon River" for Breakfast at Tiffany's, considered "Two for the Road" his favourite.
Cars featured in the film, being driven by the couple or ridden in by them, include a white Mercedes-Benz 230SL roadster, an MG TD, a Triumph Herald, an Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint coupé, VW Microbus, and a Ford Country Squire; the cars are often used to re-establish the time period after a jump. In one scene of this movie, Audrey Hepburn appears dressed in a shiny black PVC trouser suit designed by Paco Rabanne. The film was ranked #57 on the American Film Institute's 100 Years... 100 Passions list.

Plot

Now a successful and wealthy architect, Mark Wallace and his wife Joanna Wallace fly their white 1965 Mercedes 230SL roadster to Northern France in order to drive to Saint-Tropez to celebrate the completion of a building project for a client, Maurice. Tensions between the couple are evident, and as they journey south they both remember and discuss several past journeys along the same road.
The earliest memory is their first meeting on a ferry crossing in 1954, when Mark was travelling alone and Joanna was part of a girls' choir. They meet again when Joanna's choir bus goes off the road and Mark helps get them back on the road. When the other girls get chickenpox, Joanna and Mark unexpectedly wind up hitchhiking south together.
The next story involves the two newlyweds travelling with Mark's ex-girlfriend Cathy Manchester, her husband and daughter Ruth 'Ruthie' from the USA. Ruthie is not given any limits, and her behaviour frustrates Mark and Jo. Eventually Ruthie reveals the unkind descriptions of Joanna her parents have made in private. At this point Mark and Joanna decide to travel alone.
Next the pair are seen driving an MG which begins to have exhaust troubles, finally catching on fire. On this journey Joanna announces that she is pregnant. They also meet the wealthy Maurice Dalbret and his wife Françoise. Maurice becomes a generous but demanding client for Mark.
The next story shows them travelling with their young daughter Caroline.
In another episode, Mark is travelling alone and has a fling with another motorist. The fling is shown to be fleeting and unserious in nature. Later, Joanna has an affair with Françoise's brother David, which is portrayed as much more serious than Mark's and threatens to end the marriage. However, while Joanna dines with David, they witness a couple eating together without saying a word. David asks offhandedly, "What kind of people can sit there without a word to say to each other?" Joanna replies excitedly, "Married people!" and, realizing she misses Mark despite their faded passion, runs back to him.
At the end of the film, the Wallaces manage to end their long-term relationship to Maurice and find a new client in Rome. They honestly analyze the fears and insecurities which have plagued them throughout the film. Finally, they cross the border from France into Italy. This is new ground for them as well as for the audience, signalling a move beyond the old issues into a more mature future.

Cast

Filming locations
Two for the Road has received mostly positive reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes it has an approval rating of 80% based on reviews from 20 critics, with an average of 7.34 out of 10.
Roger Ebert gave the film 4 out of 4, and called it "A Hollywood-style romance between beautiful people, and an honest story about recognizable human beings."

Box office

According to Fox records, the film needed to earn $8,950,000 in rentals to break even and made $7,200,000, meaning it made a loss.

Awards and nominations