Three Into Two Won't Go Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		4.0

Three Into Two Won't Go Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov November 17, 2023

Peter Hall's "Three Into Two Won't Go" (1969) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber. The supplemental features on the release include exclusive new audio commentary by critics Troy Howarth and Nathaniel Thompson; TV version of the film; and vintage trailer. In English with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".

You want a lift?

The look on the driver’s (Rod Steiger) face instantly reveals that he has done it before -- picking up attractive hitchhikers on the way to his final destination. When the young girl (Judy Geeson) gets into his car, his eyes quickly but carefully scan her body, and then he confidently engages her in a meaningless conversation. A few minutes later, the driver is reassured by the girl’s answers and body movements that he is going to make love to her at the same hotel where he has been cheating on his wife for years. The driver can read her perfectly, so all he must do is casually disable her impulsive resistance, which he knows well is part of the female psyche.

But after they reach the hotel, get a room, and make love, the driver is surprised by the girl in several unusual ways. The driver discovers that she carries a tiny book in which she has been grading all her lovers like a schoolteacher -- B+ for this guy, F for that guy, a generous C for another guy. The driver gets an A-, which is the highest score in the girl’s tiny book. What does it take to get an A? The girl quickly clarifies that no one is perfect in bed, and any woman who tells her lover that he was perfect in bed is a liar.

It is only now that the driver and the girl learn their names and reveal some details about their personal lives. He is Steve Howard, a busy sales executive, married but not yet a father. He is forty-three. She is Ella Paterson, single and unemployed, just moving from one location to another. She is nineteen. They have enjoyed their rendezvous but are now ready to get back on the road. Or are they? Shortly after, the driver helps the girl get a job at the hotel and, after reuniting with his beautiful wife (Claire Bloom), invents a perfect excuse for another rendezvous with her. The girl also invents a perfect excuse to visit the driver’s new home, have a cup of tea with his wife, and spend the weekend there.

Directed by Peter Hall, Three Into Two Won’t Go is the type of very simple yet strikingly intelligent film that a contemporary writer cannot script. It is not because there are no more talented writers who can do the job, it is because contemporary writers are no longer allowed to deliver screenplays that can produce a film like Three Into Two Won’t Go.

What makes this film so ‘controversial’?

It very effectively reveals that all relationships the two sexes engage in are defined by perpetual dishonest acting. Therefore, the relationships that last the longest are the ones where the two sexes either learn to tolerate the acting or consciously ignore its existence. The nature of these relationships -- whether defined by societal norms as good or bad -- is utterly irrelevant.

The revelation is delivered without any sympathy, too, which is most unusual, because there is a lot of material throughout the film where someone looks genuinely hurt. The driver is a seasoned cheater, but at the right time, he gets a dose of his own medicine that crushes him. His wife easily deconstructs his game, but instead of instantly terminating it, she allows the girl to expand it so that, eventually, she can make him surrender. The girl is an experienced hustler who loves taking advantage of the gullible, but once she reveals her true personality, she is treated as a disposable object.

Steiger and Bloom are perfectly cast and look terrific together. Geeson is likable, but in a couple of scenes, she clearly overplays her part. Also, while it is very easy to understand why Steiger and Bloom’s relationship is fractured, it seems odd that Steiger, a supposedly very intelligent man, will fall as hard as he does for someone like Geeson. Bloom is very beautiful and classy, very intelligent too, while Geeson is simply a silly teenager with a most predictable bag of tricks.

Even though Three Into Two Won’t Go looks quite good, it is impossible to rank among cinematographer Walter Lassally’s greatest accomplishments. Lassally’s credits include such famous films as Zorba the Greek and The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner.

The excellent soundtrack was composed by Oscar-winning composer Francis Lai (Love Story, Emmanuelle 2).

*Also included on this release is a slightly different TV cut of Three Into Two Won’t Go, which is approximately 100 minutes long (1:39.05). It is presented in standard definition.

Three Into Two Won't Go Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.78:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Three Into Two Won't Go arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber.

Even though the new 2K master that was used to produce this release has a few rough spots, I like it a lot. In a few areas, there are small but obvious density fluctuations, plus from time to time, it is easy to see small blemishes and dirt marks. But the overall quality of the visuals is very, very good. There are no traces of problematic digital corrections, so even on a very large screen, the visuals always have a nice organic appearance. Color balance is convincing. Yes, there is some room for minor adjustments in terms of saturation, but there are no anomalies to report. Image stability is good. All in all, while in an ideal world this film could and should look better, the current technical presentation is very convincing. My score is 4.25/5.00. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

Three Into Two Won't Go Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

The dialogue is clear and easy to follow. There are no stability issues to report, either. In a few areas, the upper register becomes a tad thinner than I think it should be, but this could be a limitation of the original soundtrack. Francis Lai's score sounds wonderful. There are no distortions or audio dropouts to report.

Three Into Two Won't Go Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• TV Cut - a slightly different TV cut of Three Into Two Won't Go, which is approximately 100 minutes long. (1:39.05). It is presented in standard definition.

• Commentary - this exclusive new audio commentary was recorded by critics Troy Howarth and Nathaniel Thompson.

• Trailer - presented here is a remastered vintage trailer for Three Into Two Won't Go. In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

Three Into Two Won't Go Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

All relationships between the two sexes feature some acting. Everyone knows that the mandatory flirting that precedes these relationships is a form of acting, too. Once this is acknowledged by the two sexes, their interactions become a lot easier to manage, though later the health of these relationships is determined by a variety of different factors. Peter Hall's Three Into Two Won't Go reveals all this while telling a simple story about a cheating sales executive who gets a dose of his own medicine. I thought that Rod Steiger and Claire Bloom were terrific, especially after it became obvious that their marriage is irreversibly broken. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.