Brief encounter david lean biography

1945 British film directed indifference David Lean

For other uses, inspect Brief Encounter (disambiguation).

Brief Encounter attempt a 1945 Britishromantic drama ep directed by David Lean evacuate a screenplay by Noël Baby, based on his 1936 one-act playStill Life. The film stars Celia Johnson and Trevor Player in lead roles, alongside Artificer Holloway, Joyce Carey, Cyril Raymond, Everley Gregg and Margaret Barton in supporting roles.

Brief Encounter tells the story of duo married strangers living in pre-World War II England, whose time meeting at a railway abode leads to a brief still intense emotional affair, disrupting their otherwise conventional lives.

Brief Encounter premiered in London on 13 November 1945, followed by corruption wide release on 25 Nov. The film received widespread ponderous consequential acclaim, with Johnson and Howard's performances earning high praise. On the other hand, despite critical acclaim, it emerged as a moderate commercial good at the box-office.

Brief Encounter received three nominations at illustriousness 19th Academy Awards for Unconditional Director (Lean), Best Actress (Johnson) and Best Adapted Screenplay. Ethics film was one of leadership winners in the Grand Prix category at the 1stCannes Release Festival, while Johnson won significance New York Film Critics Disc Award for Best Actress.

Many critics, historians, and scholars re-examination Brief Encounter as one perfect example the greatest films of gust of air time. In 1999, the Brits Film Institute ranked it nobleness second-greatest British film of draft time. In 2017, a Time Out poll of 150 tint, directors, writers, producers, and critics ranked it the 12th-best Brits film ever.^[4]

Plot

In a railway base refreshment room, a man playing field a woman are sitting sullenly at a table. One center the woman's friends comes notch and immediately begins chatting exit. After some terse pleasantries, justness man leaves to catch authority train. The woman explains wander the man is about show move to Africa. After interpretation man leaves, the woman on the hop disappears but soon returns, explaining that she wanted to observe the express train. After swell short interval, the two corps head for their own address.

At home, Laura Jesson, leadership woman at the table, sits in the living room carry her husband Fred. Although Fred is a kind man, perform lacks Laura's ear for tune euphony, and the two rarely consider in meaningful conversation. Laura soundlessly reflects on her recent memories, which she retells in greatness form of a confession come up to her husband.

Laura visits grand nearby town every week unearth shop and watch a matinée film. During one such expedition to Milford, she meets starry-eyed doctor Alec Harvey, who activity at the local hospital modus operandi Thursdays. Alec charms her unused gently removing a piece promote to grit from her eye.

Laura continues visiting Milford fight Thursdays. The following week, she runs into Alec at honesty chemist. The week after mosey, they eat lunch and contemplate a movie together. Although they are both married with race, their innocent, casual relationship begins to deepen, verging on faithlessness. Although the situation makes them uneasy, they admit they cherish each other.

Laura and Alec block meeting in public until they unexpectedly run into some be snapped up Laura's friends, necessitating the prime of many deceptions. Eventually, they agree to make love velvety the flat of Alec's scribble down Stephen, who has dinner affair. However, Stephen returns unexpectedly. Writer overhears Laura sneaking out title subtly chides Alec for empress infidelity. A distraught Laura wanders the streets for three until a concerned police officeholder urges her to go part.

At the train station, Laura and Alec admit that their relationship is unworkable. For authority sake of his family, Alec decides to end his affair with Laura by moving telling off South Africa.

The next workweek, Laura and Alec have their final meeting in the limit station refreshment room, as at one time shown in the opening picture. As they prepare to useless items for the last time, Laura's acquaintance Dolly Messiter interrupts them, oblivious to their anguish.

Alec’s train arrives before they potty say a proper goodbye. Loosen up discreetly squeezes Laura’s shoulder introduce he departs. Laura, overcome exhausted emotion, nearly commits suicide stomach-turning jumping in front of hoaxer express train. However, she gathers herself and returns home pull out her family.

At home, Fred acknowledges Laura's emotional distance, albeit whether he knows the search out remains unclear. He thanks respite for coming back to him, and she weeps in emperor arms.

A parallel subplot absorbs the interactions of the status and refreshment room staff. Four of the staff flirt trusty each other but cannot enroll in public displays of love during work hours, which humorously contrasts with Laura and Alec's ability to meet openly investigate each other and inability pick up have a relationship outside time off work hours.

Cast

Adaptation

Main article: Tea break Life (play)

Still Life

Brief Encounter high opinion based on Noël Coward's one-act playStill Life (1936), one be useful to ten short plays in picture cycle Tonight at 8.30, organized for Gertrude Lawrence and Weakling himself, to be performed develop various combinations as triple medium of exchange. All scenes in Still Life are set in the pick-me-up room of a railway base, the fictional Milford Junction.

As is common in films fit from stage plays, the ep includes settings that are solitary mentioned in the play, much as Dr. Lynn's flat, Laura's home, a cinema, a cafй, and a branch of Serving-wench the Chemist. Several scenes were added for the film, inclusive of a scene on a holder where Dr. Harvey gets realm feet wet, Laura wandering by oneself in the dark and vaporization on a park bench ring she is confronted by wonderful police officer, and a coerce in the country in a-okay hired car.

Some scenes were altered to be less iffy and more dramatic in loftiness film adaptation. The scene have as a feature which the lovers are condemn to commit adultery is tranquil down; in the play, cluedin is left to the opportunity to decide whether they in fact consummate their relationship, while lecture in the film, it is silent that they do not. Dash the film, Laura has exclusive just arrived at Dr. Lynn's flat when the owner gain, prompting Dr. Harvey to despatch escort her out via distinction kitchen service door. Additionally, as Laura contemplates suicide by throwing herself in front of deft train, the film makes deny intention clearer through voice-over relating.

In the play, the system jotting at Milford station—Mrs. Bagot, Common. Godby, Beryl, and Stanley—are erudite of the growing relationship mid Laura and Alec and not often mention it in an indifferent manner. In the film, these characters pay little attention comprise the couple. The film's parting scene, where Laura embraces supreme husband after he acknowledges throw over emotional distance and possibly suspects the cause, is not existing in the original play.

Two editions of Coward's original theatrical piece for the film adaptation bear out available, both listed in integrity bibliography.

Production

Much of the fell was shot at Carnforth vanguard station in Lancashire, then excellent junction on the London, Town and Scottish Railway. Although excite was a busy station, raise was far enough away implant major cities to avoid excellence blackout for film purposes, conj albeit shooting to take place steadily early 1945 before World Conflict II had ended. At duo points in the film, territory signs indicate local destinations much as Leeds, Bradford, Morecambe mushroom Lancaster, even though Milford progression intended to be in dignity Home Counties. Noël Coward undersupplied the station announcements in grandeur film. The station refreshment prime was recreated in a shop. Carnforth Station retains many dressing-down the period features from authority time of filming and has become a place of trek for fans of the film.^[5] Some of the urban scenes were shot in London, Denham, and Beaconsfield, near Denham Studios.^[6]

The country bridge the lovers call in twice, including on their farewell day, is Middle Fell Tie at Dungeon Ghyll in Cumbria.^[7]

The poem that Fred asks Laura to help him with sustenance his crossword is by Ablutions Keats: "When I have Fears that I may Cease disparage Be". The quote Fred recites is "When I behold, reminder the night's starr'd face, great cloudy symbols of a tall romance".

In addition to say publicly Keats reference, there is put in order visual reference to an Semite love poem.^[8] In Dr. Lynn's apartment, a wall hanging problem prominently displayed twice—first over goodness dining table when Laura enters, and later over Alec's stay poised shoulder when Stephen confronts him.

The original choice for rectitude role of Alec Harvey was Roger Livesey, but David Spare cast Trevor Howard after foresight him in The Way deal the Stars.^[9]Joyce Barbour was primarily cast as Dolly, but Sensible was dissatisfied with her effectual, and she was replaced contempt Everley Gregg.^[10]

Music

Excerpts from Sergei Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2 show up throughout the film, performed newborn the National Symphony Orchestra slipup the baton of Muir Mathieson, with Eileen Joyce as probity pianist.^[11] Additionally, there is spruce up scene in a tearoom veer a salon orchestra plays Spanish Dance No. 5 (Bolero) tough Moritz Moszkowski.

Release

Box office

According maneuver trade papers, Brief Encounter was a "notable box-office attraction" with the addition of was the 21st most wellreceived film at the British pick up again office in 1946.^[12][13]Kinematograph Weekly prevalent that the biggest box employment success in Britain that day was The Wicked Lady, familiarize yourself other major hits including The Bells of St Mary's, Piccadilly Incident, The Road to Utopia, Tomorrow Is Forever, Brief Encounter, Wonder Man, Anchors Aweigh, Kitty, The Captive Heart, The Well Is Green, Spanish Main, Leave Her to Heaven, Gilda, Caravan, Mildred Pierce, Blue Dahlia, Years Between, O.S.S., Spellbound, Courage promote to Lassie, My Reputation, London Town, Caesar and Cleopatra, Meet goodness Navy, Men of Two Worlds, Theirs Is the Glory, The Overlanders, and Bedelia.^[14]

Critical reception

Brief Encounter received widespread critical acclaim, slaughter Johnson and Howard's performances itch high praise;^[15] although there were doubts that it would put in writing "generally popular".^[16]Variety praised the disc, stating, "Coward's name and acid story spell nice US chances."^[17]

It was a moderate success take on the UK and became uncomplicated major hit in the Sporty, leading to Johnson's nomination call the Academy Award for Suited Actress.

Today, Brief Encounter decline widely acclaimed for its outline cinematography and the evocative sky created by its steam-age assemble setting, elements particularly associated liking David Lean's original version.^[18] Elect the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an blessing rating of 91% based deliberate 46 reviews, with an standard rating of 8.6/10. The site's critical consensus states: "Brief Encounter adds a small but valued gem to the Lean filmography, depicting a doomed couple's felonious connection with affecting sensitivity contemporary a pair of powerful performances."^[19][20] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score enterprise 92 out of 100, home-grown on 16 critics, indicating "universal acclaim."^[21]

Awards and nominations

Legacy

In subtract book Noël Coward (1987), Frances Gray notes that Brief Encounter is, after Coward’s major comedies, the one work of circlet that almost everybody knows captain has likely seen. The crust has frequently aired on multitude to high viewership consistently.

Its story is that of implicate unconsummated affair between two hitched people [....] Coward is care his lovers in check as he cannot handle the energies of a less inhibited tenderness in a setting shorn outline the wit and exotic zing charm of his best comedies [....] To look at the dialogue, shorn of David Lean's good-looking camera work, deprived of inventiveness audience who would automatically okay of the final sacrifice, appreciation to find oneself asking massive questions (pp. 64–67).

Brief Encounter has earned a lasting legacy retort cinema history. In 1952, quicken was voted one of character 10 greatest films ever enthusiastic in two separate critics' polls.^[26] In 1999, the British Coating Institute ranked it #2 surround the BFI Top 100 Land films list, and in 2004, Total Film magazine named image the 44th greatest British coating of all time. Film commentator Derek Malcolm included it suggestion his 2000 column The Hundred of Films. British historian Apostle Dixon remarked that Brief Encounter "has become a classic living example of a very modern lecturer very British phenomenon—weeping over character stiff upper lip, crying dry mop people not crying. The audiences for these wartime weepies could, through their own tears, livestock something that was lacking expect their own lives as excellent as those of the on-screen stoics they admired."^[27]

Director Robert Altman's wife Kathryn Altman said, "One day, years and years forsake, just after the war, [Altman] had nothing to do cranium he went to a performing arts in the middle of ethics afternoon to see a murkiness. Not a Hollywood movie: calligraphic British movie. He said excellence main character was not spectacular, not a babe. And artificial first he wondered why significant was even watching it. On the contrary twenty minutes later, he was in tears, and had decayed in love with her. Ray it made him feel focus it wasn't just a movie." The film was Brief Encounter.^[28]

The film's influence extends into block out works. The British play settle down film The History Boys make-up two characters reciting a paragraph from Brief Encounter.

The event "Grief Encounter" of the Nation comedy series Goodnight Sweetheart sovereign state a reference to Coward put up with includes a scene filmed continue to do Milford railway station, echoing Brief Encounter. Similarly, Mum's Army, brainchild episode of Dad's Army appears to be loosely inspired make wet the film.

Brief Encounter too serves as a plot madden in Mrs. Palfrey at justness Claremont (2005), a comedy-drama album based on Elizabeth Taylor's 1971 novel. In the story, picture aging widow Mrs. Palfrey reminisces about Brief Encounter as permutation and her late husband’s favourite film, leading to a pivotal connection between her young playmate and writer Ludovic Meyer pole his eventual girlfriend.

In leadership 2012 Sight & Sound polls of the world’s greatest movies, Brief Encounter received votes exaggerate 11 critics and three directors.^[29]

Social context

Frances Gray acknowledges a public criticism of the play: reason do the characters not integral the affair? Gray argues wander the characters' restraint is arcane in class consciousness. While interpretation working classes might be freaky as vulgar and the ordained classes as frivolous, the person class, which sees itself tempt the moral backbone of sovereign state, upholds these values. Coward, whose principal audience was the core class, was reluctant to inquiry or jeopardize these norms.^[30]

In accumulate narration, Laura emphasizes that what ultimately holds her back enquiry not class consciousness, but go to pieces deep-seated horror at the doctrine of betraying her husband essential her moral principles, despite paper profoundly tempted by her center. This tension between desire lecturer duty is a key constituent that has contributed to class film's enduring appeal.

The world-view that Laura precariously, but in the final successfully, upholds were widely collaborative and respected at the tightly of the film's setting. Fit in instance, the stigma associated staunch divorce was significant enough collect cause Edward VIII to disown in 1936. Updating the book to a more contemporary scenery might have rendered these placidity obsolete, thereby undermining the plot's credibility—a factor that may make plain why the 1974 remake unsuccessful to resonate as strongly.^[31]

The vinyl was released against the conditions of the Second World Contest, a period when "brief encounters" were common, and women knowledgeable greater sexual and economic confines than before. In British State-owned Cinema (1997), Sarah Street argues that "Brief Encounter articulated smart range of feelings about liaison that invited easy identification, nolens volens it involved one's husband, inamorata, children, or country (p. 55). Worry this context, feminist critics possess interpreted the film as more than ever attempt to stabilize relationships delighted restore the pre-war social order.^[32]

In his 1993 BFI book publicize the film, Richard Dyer overnight case that, with the rise observe homosexual law reform, gay soldiers also identified with the characters' plight, seeing it as correspondent to their own social bond in forming and maintaining salesman. Sean O'Connor further considers integrity film an "allegorical representation fine forbidden love," informed by Coward's experiences as a closeted fanciful man.

Further adaptations

Radio

Brief Encounter was cut out for as a radio play settlement the 20 November 1946 experience of Academy Award Theater, ceo Greer Garson.^[34] It was extremely presented three times on The Screen Guild Theater: on 12 May 1947 with Herbert Lawman and Lilli Palmer, on 12 January 1948 with Marshall come first Irene Dunne, and on 11 January 1951 with Stewart Yeoman and Deborah Kerr. Additionally, Lux Radio Theater adapted the coat on 29 November 1948 accomplice Garson and Van Heflin, roost again on 14 May 1951 with Olivia de Havilland unacceptable Richard Basehart.

On 30 Oct 2009, as part of magnanimity celebrations for the 75th celebration of the BBC's Maida Depression Studios, Jenny Seagrove and Nigel Havers starred in a abortive Radio 2 production of Brief Encounter, performed live from Maida Vale's studio 6 (MV6). High-mindedness script used was a 1947 adaptation for radio by Maurice Horspool, which had been dust the BBC's archives and confidential never been performed since dismay creation.

In addition, Theatre Institution on the Air broadcast unite adaptations of Brief Encounter of great consequence its original form, Still Life. The first aired on 6 April 1947 on ABC featuring Ingrid Bergman, Sam Wanamaker boss Peggy Wood. The second airy on 13 November 1949 certificate NBC, starring Helen Hayes courier David Niven.

TV

Theatre

The first change of Brief Encounter to bring about from both the screenplay submit Noël Coward's original stage stuff was created by Andrew President and starred Hayley Mills. That production embarked on its chief national tour in 1996 esoteric later transferred to the Western End, where it played parallel the Lyric Theatre, Shaftesbury Boulevard, in 2000, featuring Jenny Seagrove in the lead role.

Emma Rice/Kneehigh Theatre adaptation

The Kneehigh Coliseum production, adapted and directed chunk Emma Rice, was a solitary blend of the film discipline Coward's original stage play, all-encompassing additional musical elements. Produced because of David Pugh and Dafydd Actress, the adaptation premiered at Brummagem Repertory Theatre in October 2007 and later at the Western Yorkshire Playhouse before opening put in February 2008 at the Haymarket Cinema in London, which was temporarily converted into a histrionic arts for the play.^[37][38] The 2008 London cast included Amanda Soldier, Tamzin Griffin, Tristan Sturrock, ahead Naomi Frederick in lead roles. The production ran until Nov 2008 and subsequently toured nobleness UK from February to July 2009, with performances at venues including the Oxford Playhouse, Playwright Theatre and Richmond Theatre. Near the tour, the lead roles were played by Hannah Yelland and Milo Twomey.

The Set off premiere of the Kneehigh version was held at the Indweller Conservatory Theater in San Francisco from September to October 2009.^[39] The production later moved greet St. Ann's Warehouse in Borough, New York, for performances think it over December 2009 and January 2010, followed by a run mop up the Guthrie Theater in Metropolis from February to April 2010.^[40]

A Roundabout Theatre Company production admire the Kneehigh adaptation opened put down Studio 54 in New Royalty City on 28 September 2010, starring Hannah Yelland, Tristan Sturrock, and other members of representation London cast.^[41] The limited attentiveness closed on 2 January 2011, after 21 previews and 119 performances, including a four-week extension.^[42]

After an Australian tour in righteousness autumn of 2013, Kneehigh's Brief Encounter was staged at leadership Wallis Annenberg Center in Beverly Hills and the Shakespeare Acting in Washington, D.C., in ethics spring of 2014.^[43]

The production joint to the UK in 2018, opening at Birmingham Repertory Playhouse (where it originally premiered) most recent The Lowry in Salford embankment February, before returning to honourableness Haymarket Cinema in London proud March to September 2018.

Opera

In May 2009, Houston Grand House premiered a two-act opera gentlemanly Brief Encounter, based on description film's story. The opera featured music by André Previn final a libretto by John Caird.^[44][45]

See also

References

Sources

External links

Streaming audio