Two Weeks in September – Kino Lorber (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: France/UK, 1967
Director: Serge Bourguignon
Writers: Vahé Katcha,Pascal Jardin, Serge Bourguignon
Cast: Brigitte Bardot, Laurent Terzieff, Jean Rochefort, James Robertson, Michael Sarne, Georgina Ward, Carole Lebel, Annie Nicolas, Murray Head

Release Date: September 10th, 2024
Approximate running time: 91 Minutes 47 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono French
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $29.95

"Cécile, a fashion model who lives a peaceful life in France with the husband (Jean Rochefort, The Hairdresser’s Husband) she loves. One day, during a photo session in London, she meets the younger Vincent (Laurent Terzieff, Germinal) and becomes his mistress. They fall wildly in love. But when she returns to France, Cécile, torn between two men, is forced into a choice that will change her life forever." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Two Weeks in September comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 28.1 GB

Feature: 27.4 GB

The source looks excellent; flesh tones look correct, colors are nicely saturated, black levels are strong, image clarity and compression are solid, and the image retains an organic look.

Audio: 4.5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in French with removable English subtitles. The audio is in excellent shape; dialog comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced and robust when it should.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a theatrical trailer for Les Femmes (1 minute 59 seconds, DTS-HD mono French with non-removable English subtitles), and an audio commentary with film historian Adrian Martin.

Summary:

Serge Bourguignon directed Two Weeks in September. He is known for his Academy Award-nominated directorial debut, Sundays and Cybèle.

A woman who’s away from her husband for two weeks has an affair.

A love triangle lies at the heart of Two Weeks in September, with a woman choosing between the stability offered by her husband and the no-strings attachment she has to her lover. There is nothing wrong with her relationship with her husband, and yet she still falls into the arms of another man when away from her husband. Though the choice of where she will finally end up appears to be hers, it's ultimately taken away from her when one of them withdraws.

Despite covering familiar ground, Two Weeks in September is never predictable in its exploration of a character torn between two men. Two Weeks in September is very effective in laying out how her life is different with each of these men; one represents the past, while the other is a possible future. That said, what sets Two Weeks in September apart from other similar films is its ending; it's a bittersweet moment to what is essentially a breezy film.

When you have an actress like Brigitte Bardot (Contempt), all other cast members are secondary. Her onscreen presence is magnetic, and her ability to exude sexuality is unmatched. No matter what she’s saying or doing on screen, she’s mesmerizing. In Two Weeks in September, she portrays Cécile, a woman torn between two men. Though there are secondary characters who interact with Cécile, none of these performances stand out. Laurent Terzieff (in Woman in Chains) and Jean Rochefort (in Symphony for a Massacre) do not go unnoticed in their portrayals of the lover and the husband, respectively.

The soundtrack features a pre-Pink Floyd David Gilmour, whose songs are Do You Want to Marry Me? and I Must Tell You Why. The two songs can be found in the opening sequence and a bar scene when Cécile’s in London. Michel Magne (The Sleeping Car Murder) composed these two songs and the rest of the score.

From a production standpoint, there is no area where Two Weeks in September disappoint. The premise is superbly realized, and a well-executed narrative does a phenomenal job building momentum towards a bittersweet finale. The visuals are exemplary; not only are London locations fully exploited, but making Brigitte Bardot’s character a model provides many more stylish moments. Ultimately, Two Weeks in September is a well-crafted drama that succeeds because of its three leads.

Two Weeks in September gets a solid audio/video presentation from Kino Lorber, and its main extra is an informative audio commentary track, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer