The End Of The Affair Details

Graham Greene's mystical, semi-autobiographical novel of doomed romance is convincingly brought to life by director Edward Dmytryk and contains a trio of powerful star performances from Deborah Kerr, John Mills and the outstanding Peter Cushing. The only miscast lead, Van Johnson, fails to achieve the requisite Catholic angst, which is certainly suggested but not really explored by Stephen Murray as the all-important priest. Dmytryk's London locations are deeply affecting, and it's interesting to note that Neil Jordan, director of the Ralph Fiennes remake, professed not to know of the existence of this fine earlier version, and then, when shown it, disliked it for its phoneyness.

On one level, this is an effective movie of love among the emotionally repressed; but the changes made to Greene's novel negate its original purpose, in demonstrating the power and purpose of religious faith.