Two for the Seesaw Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.5
Audio		2.5
Extras		0.0
Overall		2.5

Two for the Seesaw Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf January 12, 2016

Following up his triumph with the expansive, electric “West Side Story,” director Robert Wise returns to intimacy with 1962’s “Two for the Seesaw,” which trades singing and dancing for the concerns of opposites gently working through their relationship issues. An adaptation of the William Gibson play, “Two for the Seesaw” feels like a cool-down for Wise, who brings some visual flourish and plenty of patience to the production, seemingly delighted to focus on the neuroses of only two characters.

“Two for the Seesaw” stars Robert Mitchum and Shirley MacLaine, and while their pairing as lovers reads a little odd on paper, the actors make the most of the situation. Building chemistry and blessed with timing, the leads carry dramatic weight with ease, finding life as a divorced lawyer (Mitchum) attempts to romance a younger, free-spirited woman (MacLaine) in the wilds of New York City. The acting is strong, but the material gives them plenty to work with, exploring fears and regrets, maturity and sincerity, working toward a romantic ideal that perhaps isn’t there for the taking after all. Emotions run deep in “Two for the Seesaw,” but melodrama makes a few cameos, handled well by Mitchum and MacLaine, who manage these personalities with care.

Two for the Seesaw Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (2.35:1 aspect ratio) presentation provides a reasonably defined viewing experience, surveying the stillness of the movie with reasonable textures on close-ups and sets. Inherent period cinematography limitations remain, adding a touch of softness, but frame particulars are easily examined. Grain is filmic. Delineation handles through evening encounters and shadow play, preserving frame information. Source is in satisfactory shape, but scratches and debris remain.

Two for the Seesaw Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Struggling to find clarity throughout the listening experience, the 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix is a crackly, muddy event. Already on the quiet side to begin with, requiring a substantial boost in volume to bring it up to acceptable levels, the track also encounters points of damage and hiss and pops. It's not always easy to find the proper dramatic mood here, but intelligibility isn't entirely wiped away, with performances clouded but understood. Scoring isn't defined, carrying along without a crisp presence. Atmospherics and crowd activity is thick.

Two for the Seesaw Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

There is no supplementary material on this disc.

Two for the Seesaw Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Two for the Seesaw" isn't a stunning picture, but Wise battles staginess to satisfaction, working to make the effort as heartfelt as theatrical monologues and extended encounters can be. Heartache comes through in feature, feeling the squeeze of a relationship that's more about partnership and therapy. "Two for the Seesaw" is about this imperfect union, reflecting the reality of people who work wonderfully together, but just aren't meant to be.