The End of the Affair (1955)

In wartorn London Maurice Bendrix falls in love with neighbor Sarah Miles. They begin an illicit romance behind Sarah's husband's back. While war does not last forever, neither does love in... See full summary »

Director:

Edward Dmytryk

Writers:

Graham Greene (novel), Lenore J. Coffee

Stars:

Deborah Kerr, Van Johnson, John Mills

Nominated for 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Deborah Kerr	...	Sarah Miles
Van Johnson	...	Maurice Bendrix
John Mills	...	Albert Parkis
Peter Cushing	...	Henry Miles
Michael Goodliffe	...	Smythe
Stephen Murray	...	Father Crompton
Charles Goldner	...	Savage
Nora Swinburne	...	Mrs. Bertram
Frederick Leister	...	Dr. Collingwood
Mary Williams	...	Maid
O'Donovan Shiell	...	Doctor
Elsie Wagstaff	...	Bendrix Landlady
Christopher Warbey	...	Lancelot Parkis
Nan Munro	...	Mrs. Tomkins
Joyce Carey	...	Miss Palmer

Storyline

In wartorn London Maurice Bendrix falls in love with neighbor Sarah Miles. They begin an illicit romance behind Sarah's husband's back. While war does not last forever, neither does love in this existentialist tale.

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Plot Keywords:

air raid siren | private detective | shaving | melancholy | star crossed lovers | 

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

May 1955 (USA)

Also Known As:

Das Ende einer Affaire

Filming Locations:

Chester Terrace, Regent's Park, London, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Coronado Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Gregory Peck was offered the male lead.

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Goofs

After the bomb explosion, when Sarah leaves, she stops in doorway and grabs the door side with the right hand. Between cuts, she appears without hand on the door at all.

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Quotes

Sarah Miles: What do you believe in, Henry? All these years I've been married to you I've never really known; I've never even asked. Do you believe that there's a hell and a heaven, and an immortal soul, and a god who rewards and punishes and answers prayers?
Henry Miles: It's not exactly the sort of thing to go into over a cup of tea.

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Connections

Featured in Peter Cushing: A One-Way Ticket to Hollywood (1989)

User Reviews

Van Johnson's love rival

This is not a great film, but it is better than many critics said it was when the 1999 remake came out. THE END OF THE AFFAIR was one of the key novels of Graham Greene in the 1950s that delved into his intense Catholicism.

With a background of World War II, neighbors Maurice Bendrix and Sarah Miles (Van Johnson and Deborah Kerr) have a deep, passionate romance. But they are separated for a year or so, and when they try to resume the relationship (or when Johnson tries to resume the relationship - Kerr seems relatively hesitant). It turns out that, due to personal experiences, Kerr has had a religious revelation. She is listening to a Catholic priest. She is also trying to help a man with a deformity (a birthmark) on his face who hates God. She is also concerned about the spiritual health of Johnson and of her actual husband Henry (Peter Cushing, in a very moving - and non-horrific role). The film shows how Kerr affects all the lives around her, even beyond her death after a short illness (as the novel does). Yes, it is too talky - novels about ideas (and here it is the age old question of what is real love, the spiritual or the profane)usually are. Greene, good Catholic exponent that he was, would have said that Kerr's devotion to her God was an outpouring of divine true love to her fellow creatures. Her death is not a tragedy. But Greene the novelist and part-time realist cannot leave it there. Johnson's character is bitter at the end of this remarkable novel, and at the end of the film. And his bitterness is directed at the source of that love that triumphed over his profane one.