Two of Us - Claude Berri

(aka 'Claude' or 'The Old Man and the Boy' or 'The Two of Us')

Directed by Claude Berri
France 1967

A young Jewish boy living in Nazi-occupied Paris is sent by his parents to the countryside to live with an elderly Catholic couple until France's liberation. Forced to hide his identity, the eight-year-old, Claude (played delicately by first-time actor Alain Cohen), bonds with the irascible, staunchly anti-Semitic Grampa (Michel Simon), who improbably becomes his friend and confidant. Poignant and lighthearted, The Two of Us was acclaimed director Claude Berri's debut feature, based on own childhood experiences, and gave the legendary Simon one of his most memorable roles in the twilight of his career.

Posters

Theatrical Release: June 1967 - Berlin Film Festival

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DVD Review: Criterion - Region 1 - NTSC

DVD Box Cover		CLICK to order from:
Distribution	Criterion Collection - Spine #388 - Region 1 - NTSC
Runtime	1:27:39
Video	1.66:1 Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 7.19 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate:
Audio	French (Dolby Digital 1.0)
Subtitles	English, None
Features	Release Information: Studio: Criterion Aspect Ratio: Original Aspect Ratio 1.66:1 Edition Details: • Le poulet (1962), director Claude Berri’s Oscar-winning short film • New video interviews with Berri and actor Alain Cohen • Interviews from 1967 with Berri and Michel Simon • An excerpt from “The Jewish Children of Occupied France,” a 1975 French talk-show segment featuring Berri and the woman who helped secure his family’s safety during World War II • Original theatrical trailer • Liner notes booklet featuring a new essay by critic David Sterritt, an appreciation of the film by François Truffaut, and excerpts from Berri’s memoir DVD Release Date: June 12th, 2007 Transparent Keep Case Chapters: 18

Comments:

Firstly this is an intelligent, wonderfully warm and genuinely touching film. I'm very glad I had the opportunity to see it.

The image looks very good. It is anamorphic in the correct 1.66 aspect ratio, progressively transferred in the NTSC standard - coded for region 1. It has moments of haziness and very minor speckles but represented the film as well as one could expect digitally. Contrast and black levels are at Criterion's usual lofty standard. Clear mono audio and optional English subtitles support the presentation.

Supplemental material is quiet extensive first up we have Claude Berri’s Oscar-winning 15-minute short film Le Poulet from 1962. There are many interviews - new ones with Berri and actor Alain Cohen and archival interviews, from 1967, with Berri and Michel Simon. There is an excerpt from a 1975 French talk-show segment, called “The Jewish Children of Occupied France,”, featuring Berri and the woman who helped secure his family’s safety during World War II. Lastly we have the original theatrical trailer. Included are 30 pages of liner notes featuring a new essay by critic David Sterritt, an appreciation of the film by François Truffaut, and excerpts from Berri’s memoir.