Editor’s note: Deadline presents the 49th episode of its video series Take Two, in which Pete Hammond and Todd McCarthy tackle the artistry of films just opening in theaters every weekend. Each has reviewed and written about the craft for decades and built a remarkable breadth of knowledge of films past and present. What we hoped for when we asked them to do this was a concise, mature and thoughtful conversation comparable to what we saw from Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel.
With just days to go until Valentine’s Day, we do a heart to heart on the most and least favorite movie romances of all time. These are the recommendations you need before settling down with your loved one to watch a movie ripe for the occasion.
We start by talking about this week’s theatrical rerelease of the ultra-romantic and tragic Titanic, but we don’t stop there. Hammond’s list includes three from Audrey Hepburn including the one that won her the Oscar right out of the gate, Roman Holiday, and another he finds criminally underrated, Two For the Road. Among others on his list: The Umbrellas of Cherbourgh, La La Land, Sleepless In Seattle, and yes, Harold and Maude.
McCarthy waxes nostalic on Charlie Chaplin’s City Lights, Casablanca, Splendor in the Grass, Brokeback Mountain, The Apartment and more, much more.
Click above to watch our conversation.
Hammond has been Deadline’s Awards Columnist for the past decade, covering what now seemingly is the year-round Oscar and Emmy seasons. He is also Deadline’s Chief Film Critic, having previously reviewed films for MovieLine, Boxoffice magazine, Backstage, Hollywood.com and Maxim, as well as Leonard Maltin’s Movie Guide, for which he was a contributing editor. In addition to writing, Hammond also hosts KCET Cinema Series and the station’s weekly series Must See Movies.
McCarthy is a veteran trade publication film critic, columnist and reporter who has also written several acclaimed books and documentary films. He served two stints on the staffs of Variety and The Hollywood Reporter and extensively covered film festivals internationally for both publications. His film Visions of Light: The Art of Cinematography won the best documentary prizes from the New York Film Critics and National Society of Film Critics associations, and he won an Emmy for writing the documentary Preston Sturges: The Rise and Fall of an American Dreamer. He also directed the documentaries Man of Cinema: Pierre Rissient and Forever Hollywood.
