Brief Encounter (1945)
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Two married strangers find themselves entangled in a brief but intense emotional affair during a chance meeting at a railway station.
The story
In pre-World War II England, Laura Jesson and Alec Harvey, both married with children, begin a casual relationship after meeting at a railway station. Their innocent interactions deepen into a significant emotional affair as they continue to meet in public and share lunches and films. However, the growing intimacy makes them uneasy, and they are forced to navigate the complexities of their situation while maintaining their conventional lives. The tension between their desire for each other and their domestic responsibilities creates a sense of impending conflict as they struggle to balance their secret romance with their existing commitments.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Laura Jesson and Alec Harvey, both married, begin a clandestine affair after meeting at a railway station in Milford. Their relationship progresses from casual lunches and films to a deeper emotional bond. They eventually attempt to consummate their relationship at the flat of Alec's friend, Stephen, but are interrupted. A distraught Laura wanders the streets before being urged home by a police officer. Realizing their relationship is unworkable, Alec decides to take a job in Johannesburg to protect his family. During their final meeting at the railway station, they are interrupted by Laura's acquaintance, Dolly Messiter. Alec departs, and a devastated Laura nearly commits suicide by jumping in front of a train but ultimately returns home. In a final scene, Laura's husband, Fred, acknowledges her emotional distance, and she weeps in his arms. A parallel subplot involves the station staff, whose inability to show affection publicly humorously contrasts with the lovers' situation.
- First release year
- 1945
- Runtime (minutes)
- 87
- Production countries
- United Kingdom
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- David Lean
- Writers
- Noël Coward · screenplay; Anthony Havelock-Allan · screenplay; David Lean · screenplay; Ronald Neame · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Celia Johnson · Laura Jesson; Trevor Howard · Alec Harvey; Stanley Holloway · Dolly Messiter; Joyce Carey · Dolly Messiter; Cyril Raymond · Stephen; Everley Gregg · Dolly; Margaret Barton · Dolly
- Genres
- romantic tragedy; romantic drama
- Themes
- infidelity; duty vs. desire; social convention; forbidden love
- Tone and mood
- evocative; sensitive; melancholic
- Premise and plot tags
- romantic drama; period piece; tragedy; drama
- Source material / true-story basis
- Noël Coward's 1936 one-act play Still Life.
- Content notes
- adultery
- Reception
- The film received widespread critical acclaim and was considered one of the greatest films of all time. It was a moderate success in the UK and a major hit in the US. It holds high approval ratings on review aggregators and was ranked highly in various 'best of' lists.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 95% · review count: 78; Metacritic · score: 92 · scale: 100 · review count: 16
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Awards · Best Director · 1946 · Nomination; Academy Awards · Best Actress · 1946 · Nomination; Academy Awards · Best Adapted Screenplay · 1946 · Nomination; Cannes Film Festival · Grand Prix · 1946 · Winner; New York Film Critics Circle Award · Best Actress · 1946 · Winner
- Production trivia
- Much of the film was shot at Carnforth railway station in Lancashire.; Noël Coward provided the station announcements in the film.; The country bridge the lovers visit twice is Middle Fell Bridge at Dungeon Ghyll in Cumbria.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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