Two Rode Together Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		1.5
Overall		3.5

Two Rode Together Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov April 5, 2017

John Ford's "Two Rode Together" (1961) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of British distributors Eureka Entertainment. The supplemental features on the disc include an original trailer for the film; new video essay by critic Tad Gallagher; and music & effects track. The release also arrives with an illustrated booklet featuring a new essay from critic and author Richard Combs. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-B "locked".

Guthrie

Two Rode Together cannot be placed amongst John Ford’s greatest westerns, but it has a casual attitude that makes it surprisingly attractive. I’d probably choose to see it more often than some of Ford’s earlier and more ‘serious’ westerns.

The plot revolves around two old friends who have a long history together but have not seen each other for a while, Army Lieutenant Jim Gray (Richard Widmark) and Marshal Guthrie McCabe (Jimmy Stewart). They meet again when Jim and a few of his men ride into the sleepy town of Tascosa, in the Texas Panhandle, where Guthrie is spending more time drinking cold beer than upholding the law. Jim tells his buddy that his superior, the Commandant (John McIntyre) of a big fort that has frequently been attacked by the Comanche, needs him to negotiate the release of numerous white captives, and that if he agrees he will get a proper financial compensation. Guthrie is the right man for the job because he has traded with the great Chief Quanah Parker (Henry Brandon) and speaks his language. At first the bubbly drunkard refuses to leave town, but when Jim convinces him that he is prepared to use force to get him to reconsider he concludes that it might be in his best interest to give his favorite rocking chair a small break.

In the fort, the Commandant alters his original plan and orders Jim to accompany Guthrie and ensure that he and the soon to be released captives return home safely. This turns out to be easier said than done, though, because it quickly becomes clear that the friends can rarely agree on what needs to be done to get the job done. The Commander’s plan is further complicated when Chief Quanah Parker’s biggest competitor, a fearless warrior named Stone Calf (Woody Strode), goes after Jim, and a young Indian boy is mistaken for the missing son of a prominent businessman.

A portion of the first half channels the spirit of the classic The Searchers, but the tone and direction that Ford ultimately chooses for Two Rode Together are different. Indeed, it is a much more casual film that for the most part allows its two big stars to shape up its identity, and only towards the end sets a few bigger and more specific goals for itself. The end result can be somewhat uneven at times, with the blending of comedy and action/drama in particular being responsible for the presence of some rather awkward contrasts, but the film still remains easy to like.

The best material features the clashes between Stewart and Widmark’s characters. The former is in top form and his grumpiness adds quite a flavor to the film, but as the focus of attention shifts to the Comanche and their history with the settlers the colorfulness and energy on display gradually disappear. There are still some memorable outbursts here and there, but now the entire cast appears fully aware that the film needs to deliver a range of messages before the final credits roll and a lot is said and done at the ‘right’ time to accomplish precisely that. It is a bit unfortunate, really, because had it not been for the obvious agenda Stewart and Widmark singlehandedly would have elevated the film amongst Ford’s very best.

Ford shot Two Rode Together with Charles Lawton Jr. on-location around Brackettville, Texas, and while there isn’t any footage that rivals the stunning visuals that he shot in Monument Valley for many of his best films, there is still plenty to like.

Two Rode Together Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, John Ford's Two Rode Together arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Eureka Entertainment.

The release is sourced from a 4K master that was recently prepared by Sony Pictures in the United States. Predictably, the entire film now looks exceptionally healthy and vibrant. Density is also enormously impressive, ensuring that the film has the type of solid organic fluidity that 4K masters, when done right, are known to deliver. Clarity and delineation remain consistently pleasing, while depth is as good as one can expect it to be on this format. The color grading is wonderful. The primaries are solid and healthy, effortlessly supporting an equally great range of healthy nuances (see screencaptures #2,3 and 5). There are no traces of compromising degraining or sharpening adjustments. Image stability is terrific. Finally, there are no distracting damage marks, dirt spots, cuts, warps, or torn frames to report. (Note: This is a Region-B "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-B or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

Two Rode Together Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English LPCM 1.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

The audio has been fully remastered and if there ever were any serious age-related limitations it is now impossible to tell. Indeed, clarity, depth, and especially balance are outstanding. This being said, the sound design does have a fair share of limitations, as a lot of the outdoor footage has a limited range of nuanced dynamics, but the remixing is not responsible for them -- these are native, production limitations. There are no audio dropouts, pops, background hiss, or purely digital anomalies to report.

Two Rode Together Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Trailer - original restored trailer for Two Rode Together. In English, not subtitled. (4 min).

• Rebirth - A Video Essay by Tad Gallagher - in this new video essay, critic Tad Gallagher discusses some of the key themes in Two Rode Together. In English, not subtitled. (13 min).

• Music and Effects Track - presented as LPCM 1.0.

• Booklet - an illustrated booklet featuring a new essay from critic and author Richard Combs.

Two Rode Together Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

John Ford and Jimmy Stewart collaborated for the fist time on this film, Two Rode Together, in 1961. I would not rank it amongst Ford's best -- however, the film they made a year later, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, is one of the all-time greatest American westerns -- but it has a casual attitude that I find quite attractive. Stewart in particular can be incredibly entertaining as the shady Marshal Guthrie McCabe who spends more time drinking than upholding the law. Eureka Entertainment's Blu-ray release of Two Rode Together is sourced from an outstanding 4K master that was prepared by Sony Pictures in the United States. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.