Brief Encounter
1945
David Lean adapts Noel Coward's heartbreaking tale of two ordinary people caught up in the extraordinary power of love. Laura (Celia Johnson) is a seemingly happy, middle-class housewife who meets the equally married physician Alec (Trevor Howard) at a London railway station, and so begins a chaste but passionate affair. Read more
| Starring | Celia Johnson, Trevor Howard, Stanley Holloway, Joyce Carey |
|---|---|
| Director | David Lean |
| Genres | Drama |
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Brief Encounter
David Lean adapts Noel Coward's heartbreaking tale of two ordinary people caught up in the extraordinary power of love. Laura (Celia Johnson) is a seemingly happy, middle-class housewife who meets the equally married physician Alec (Trevor Howard) at a London railway station, and so begins a chaste but passionate affair.
| Starring | Celia Johnson, Trevor Howard, Stanley Holloway, Joyce Carey, Cyril Raymond, Everley Gregg, Marjorie Mars, Margaret Barton |
|---|---|
| Director | David Lean |
| Studio | ITV DVD |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 47 mins Blu-ray: 1 hr 22 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Drama |
| Language | English |
| Hearing-impaired | English |
| Released | DVD: 19 Feb 2001 Blu-ray: 02 Feb 2009 Production year: 1945 |
| Format | DVD |
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Critics' reviews (4)
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A rather pointless update of Noël Coward's romantic tear-jerker, already given the classic treatment by David Lean in 1945. Richard Burton and Sophia Loren step uncomfortably into Trevor Howard and Celia Johnson's shoes as the married strangers drifting into a poignant affair. There's no denying the bittersweet source material still packs an emotional punch even in this lavish treatment. But the ever-gorgeous Loren, as an Italian housewife who married into the English middle class, barely convinces. Shown in America as a TV movie.
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An outstanding example of good middle-class cinema turned by sheer professional craft into a masterpiece; even those bored by the theme must be riveted by the treatment, especially the use of a dismal railway station and its trains.
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Most helpful member's review
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20 out of 20 people found this review helpful
Oh Darling, it's terribly romantic!
It takes a little while to get into Brief Encounter due to everyone talking like Mr Cholmondley-Warner! Stick with it though, as it's well worth it. This is a poignant romance full of stolen moments and unfulfilled potential. The genuine sorrow the protaganists' experience as they agonise about the pain they are causing and the doomed nature of their relationship is so real. The small amount of time they have together reveals a genuine love which brings out a side of each of them which is light, spontaneous and youthful. A joy to behold and no-one does anything more than kiss!
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Most recent members' review
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4 out of 4 people found this review helpful
Wonderful
I am not really an old black and white film person, but 'Brief Encounter' is a must see for all. Very touching story of a couple who fall in love but they are too "proper" to take it all the way. Something we could all learn from in this day and age.
The scenes at the railway station are breathtaking and I was glued all the way through. The best scene was at the end and I found myself in tears for all the right reasons.
Recommended. -
News and features
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We polled over 1,000 of you to find out the most romantic movie of all time and asked Neuropsychologist Dr. David Lewis of Mind Laboratories analysed the results to determine the movie most likely to bring on that "loving" feeling. Romeo & Juliet, Baz Luhrman's1996 adaptation of the Shakespearian tragedy starring Leonardo DiCaprio, produced the biggest neurological and physiological responses amongst film fans. Nearly one in five (19 per cent) experienced increased heart rate, raised blood... Read more
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