The End of the Affair (1955)

Director:

Edward Dmytryk

Writers:

Graham Greene (novel) and
Lenore J. Coffee

Release Date:

May 1955 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot:

In wartorn London Maurice Bendrix falls in love with neighbor Sarah Miles. They begin an illicit romance behind Sarah's husband's back...

Plot Keywords:

Air Raid Siren | Private Detective | Shaving | Melancholy | Star Crossed Lovers

Awards:

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

Cast

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
Josephine Wilson	...	Miss Smythe
Victor Maddern	...	1st Orator
David Bird	...	3rd Orator
Sheila Ward	...	Old Woman (as Shela Ward)
Edwin Ellis	...	Rescue Worker
Stanley Rose	...	Fireman
Bart Allison	...	Museum Attendant
W. Thorp Deverreux	...	Club Servant (as W. Thorp Devereux)
Mary Reed	...	Cameo appearance
Margaret Holmes	...	Cameo appearance
John H. Watson	...	Cameo appearance
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Donald Gray	...	Party Guest Who Is Seen In The Mirror Kissing Sarah (uncredited)
King George VI	...	Himself, 1945 (archive footage) (uncredited)
Princess Margaret	...	Herself, 1945 (archive footage) (uncredited)
Queen Elizabeth II	...	Herself, 1945, as Princess Elizabeth (archive footage) (uncredited)
Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother	...	Herself, 1945 (archive footage) (uncredited)

Directed by
Edward Dmytryk

Writing credits
Graham Greene		(novel)
Lenore J. Coffee

Produced by
David Lewis	....	producer
David E. Rose	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Benjamin Frankel

Cinematography by
Wilkie Cooper

Film Editing by
Alan Osbiston

Casting by
Paul Sheridan

Art Direction by
Donald M. Ashton		(as Don Ashton)

Makeup Department
Maude Onslow	....	hair stylist
Neville Smallwood	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Ernest Holding	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Chris Noble	....	assistant director (as Christopher Noble)
John George	....	third assistant director (uncredited)
Norman Harrison	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Maurice Fowler	....	set dresser (uncredited)

Sound Department
John Cox	....	sound supervisor
Chris Greenham	....	sound editor
Bob Jones	....	sound recordist
Red Law	....	sound recordist

Camera and Electrical Department
Alan Hume	....	camera operator
Laurie Ridley	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Julia Squire	....	costume designer: Deborah Kerr

Editorial Department
Marcel Durham	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Benjamin Frankel	....	conductor

Other crew
Betty Forster	....	continuity
Clive Freedman	....	location manager (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Coronado Productions

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures Corporation (1955) (UK) (theatrical)
• Columbia Pictures (1955) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Film-Verleih (1955) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Columbia Home Video (2003) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Columbia Pictures Video Ltd. (1990) (UK) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2000) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Canada:PG (Ontario) | West Germany:16 (f)

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Coronado Productions

Trivia:

Shot June 29-September 10 1954, copyright 1954.

Goofs:

Continuity: Maurice encounters Henry in the street. It is raining and their raincoats are completely wet. However, when they appears indoors, showed from the front, their raincoats are dry.

Quotes:

Sarah Miles:Now that I'm what they call "good" I'm no good to anyone.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Grosse Pointe: The End of the Affair (#1.14)" (2001)

God is a concept by which we measure our hope.

This is the first version of the movie Neil Jordan remade in the late nineties.Based on a Graham Greene novel,it looks like a melodrama ( the chandelier scene is pure poetic melodrama) but with a strong metaphysical side.

The construction of the film is complex,showing the same events from two points of view.Sometimes you may lose the vital lead ,for a lot of important things are not necessarily on the screen.

If the movie is successful ,it's because of Deborah Kerr's extraordinary skills.She is sensational in her part of an unhappy woman,in search of something really worthwhile.Whereas Maurice (Van Johnson) is all passion and jealousy,her quest is much more demanding.

A lot of us have ,at least once in our lives,asked God for something.And if this wish comes true,is it proof positive that God exists?And if the person who prayed Him is an atheist?Does it mean that she has got to change her way of thinking? That she is indebted to Him?That's Sarah's moral dilemma ,lost between her love for Maurice and her moral concern,and trying to find her way ,helped by two men Father Crompton and Smythe.

Deborah Kerr's fans should watch this .

At the time,Edward Dmytryk had probably moral concern too.