In this searing story of infidelity, Rod Steiger (In the Heat of the Night) and Claire Bloom (Charly) star as middle-aged couple Steve and Frances Howard of Middlesex, England. While away on business, Steve begins an affair with a 19-year-old hitchhiker (Judy Geeson, Brannigan). He thinks he’s in control of his philanderous situation—until the free-spirited teenager insists upon moving in with him and his wife. Dame Peggy Ashcroft (Secret Ceremony) also stars as Frances’ mother, whose neurotic interference only makes things messier. Directed by film and theater great Peter Hall (Perfect Friday, The Homecoming), this cult ’60s gem features brilliant performances and a powerful script by Edna O’Brien (Girl with Green Eyes) from Andrea Newman’s novel. This special edition also includes the television cut of the film in SD.

For thoughts on Three Into Two Won’t Go, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

[youtube https://youtu.be/Gq72yhAZ0tk?si=VUjNTPvJ29qNI5k_&t=1698]

Video Quality

Kino Classics presents Three Into Two Won’t Go with an enjoyable Blu-Ray in its original aspect ratio from what appears to be an older master that is in fine shape. This transfer retains the natural film grain of the presentation with only a few moments skewing overly thick or clumpy. The cinematography is served particularly well with image stability and delineation being handled admirably. Black levels could be a bit stronger, but there is little in the way of crush or banding. The picture has fleeting moments of softness, but the hues of the English countryside are saturated favorably. Skin tones are natural and consistent with some distinct facial features noticeable in closeup. Print damage such as nicks and lines occasionally show up, but the source does not appear to be too problematic with overall clarity and detail appearing strong. Kino Classics has done a nice job overall with this release.

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray comes with a pleasing DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that accomplishes what is asked of it. This track shows no substantial age-related wear and tear such as dropouts, hissing or popping. Dialogue comes through mostly without issue, but there are a few lines that sound a bit weak. Overall, though, it is balanced well with all competing elements. The sound effects and the score appear to be in line with the intent of the creative team. The fidelity of the score is good as it establishes the tone of the narrative. Kino Classics delivers a good audio track for this one. There are optional English (SDH) subtitles included for the feature film.

Special Features

Audio Commentary: Film Historians Troy Howarth and Nathaniel Thompson provide a very informative commentary track in which they discuss the development of the film, the score of the feature, the tone of the film, the background of the ensemble players, the legacy of the film and much more.

Three Into Two Won’t Go TV Cut: The TV Cut (1:39:55) of the film is provided here in standard definition with Dolby Digital 2.0 audio. This is actually longer than the Theatrical Cut (1:33:34) with some added material and some of the nudity and other moments excised.

Trailers: The two-and-a-half minute trailer is provided for Three Into Two Won’t Go. There are trailers provided for In The Heat Of The Night, A Fistful of Dynamite (Duck, You Sucker), Brannigan and The Homecoming.

Final Thoughts

Three Into Two Won’t Go has the cover art of a sex farce, but behind the bright and playful color scheme lies a tale of infidelity that packs a punch. Judy Geeson is an alluring figure whose aloof nature draws you in and keeps you guessing about who she is underneath. The dynamic she develops with Rod Steiger is a bit difficult to believe, but it plays out well and conjures the high drama you want from a story such as this one. As you might expect, the women in the story are the only ones who come through relatively unscathed when parsing the power dynamics and fallout. Kino Classics has released a new Blu-Ray featuring a good A/V presentation and some cool special features. If you want some English melodrama in your life, this delivers pretty well. Recommended

Three Into Two Won’t Go is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Kino Classics has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.