Brief Encounter (1945)

Meeting a stranger in a railway station, a woman is tempted to cheat on her husband.

Director:

David Lean

Stars:

Celia Johnson, Trevor Howard, Stanley Holloway

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 3 wins.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Celia Johnson	...	Laura Jesson
Trevor Howard	...	Dr. Alec Harvey
Stanley Holloway	...	Albert Godby
Joyce Carey	...	Myrtle Bagot
Cyril Raymond	...	Fred Jesson
Everley Gregg	...	Dolly Messiter
Marjorie Mars	...	Mary Norton
Margaret Barton	...	Beryl Walters, Tea Room Assistant

Storyline

At a café on a railway station, housewife Laura Jesson meets doctor Alec Harvey. Although they are both already married, they gradually fall in love with each other. They continue to meet every Thursday on the small café, although they know that their love is impossible.

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Plot Keywords:

love | railway station | railway | train | housewife | 

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Taglines:

A story of the most precious moments in woman's life!

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Genres:

Romance | Drama

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

24 August 1946 (USA)

Also Known As:

Begegnung

Filming Locations:

Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cineguild

Technical Specs

Runtime:

86 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

On her first trip to Milford after meeting Dr. Harvey, Laura walks past a bookstore window. On display are a range of books published in 1944/45, including "Something in my Heart" by Walter Greenwood, "A Showman Goes East" by Carroll Levis, "The End of the Mildew Gang" by S. Fowler Wright, "Capri Moon" by Kelman Dalgety Frost, "Winter's Tales" by Karen Blixen, "Triple Mirror" by Kathleen Wallace, "Once a Jolly Swagman" by Montagu Slater, and "Grand Barrage" by Gun Buster (aka John Charles Austin).

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Goofs

Laura runs through a downpour but is dry when she walks into the refreshment room.

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Quotes

Myrtle Bagot: [smacks her on the backside] Albert Godby, how dare you!
Albert Godby: I couldn't resist it!
Myrtle Bagot: Oh, well, trouble you for keeping your hands to yourself!
Albert Godby: Oh, you blushing - oh, you look wonderful when you're angry... just like an avenging angel.
Myrtle Bagot: I'll give you avenging angel!... Coming in here taking liberties!
Albert Godby: I thought last Monday, you said you wouldn't object to a friendly little slap.
Myrtle Bagot: Never mind about last Monday... I'm on duty now. And I should think to what would happen if Mr. Saunders should be looking ...
[...]

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Connections

Spoofed in The Seven Year Itch (1955)

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Soundtracks

"Can't Get Along Without You"
(uncredited)
Music by William Kernell

User Reviews

How Can I Describe Perfection.In Two words:Simply Sublime

For me,a film addicted"Brief Encounter" is a polished diamond.It's the most perfect romance:You don't see lovers climbing balconys or dying in each others hand.What you see in "Brief Encounter"is two ordinary people in love.Only two normal people who stumble on one another in a railroad station and discover that they have more things in common,then meets the eye.So they started to see each other once a week,but their love are doomed,because they are both married and have very good lives.Celia Johnson is a sparklling gem as a house wife repressed who finds a man so repressed as she.That leads us to Trevor Howard.I know the reason of Celia's anguish.A normal woman simply could not resist to those eyes and the perfect face of Trevor,who embodies every english man in a simple wave,or just laughing in the theater.David Lean's soberb direction and Noel Coward's perfect story give space to show that you don't need to be Romeo And Juliet to tell that love's a good cause to fight,even when the fight is lost