The End of the Affair (1999)

On a rainy London night in 1946, novelist Maurice Bendrix has a chance meeting with Henry Miles, husband of his ex-mistress Sarah, who abruptly ended their affair two years before. ... See full summary »

Director:

Neil Jordan

Writers:

Graham Greene (novel), Neil Jordan (screenplay)

Stars:

Ralph Fiennes, Stephen Rea, Julianne Moore

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 22 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Ralph Fiennes	...	Maurice Bendrix
Stephen Rea	...	Henry Miles
Julianne Moore	...	Sarah Miles
Heather-Jay Jones	...	Henry's Maid (as Heather Jay Jones)
James Bolam	...	Mr. Savage
Ian Hart	...	Mr. Parkis
Sam Bould	...	Lance Parkis (as Samuel Bould)
Cyril Shaps	...	Waiter
Penny Morrell	...	Bendrix's Landlady
Simon Fisher-Turner	...	Doctor Gilbert (as Dr. Simon Turner)
Jason Isaacs	...	Father Richard Smythe
Deborah Findlay	...	Miss Smythe
Nicholas Hewetson	...	Chief Warden
Jack McKenzie	...	Chief Engineer

Storyline

On a rainy London night in 1946, novelist Maurice Bendrix has a chance meeting with Henry Miles, husband of his ex-mistress Sarah, who abruptly ended their affair two years before. Bendrix's obsession with Sarah is rekindled; he succumbs to his own jealousy and arranges to have her followed.

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Plot Keywords:

obsession | jealousy | extramarital affair | prayer | star crossed lovers | 

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Taglines:

female stockinged feet

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for scenes of strong sexuality

Details

Official Sites:

Sony Pictures [us]

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 February 2000 (UK)

Also Known As:

El ocaso de un amor

Filming Locations:

Brighton, East Sussex, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$23,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£574,419 (UK) (11 February 2000)

Gross:

SGD 15,000 (Singapore) (5 May 2000)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

102 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Neil Jordan wanted his longtime collaborator, composer Elliot Goldenthal to do the film, but Goldenthal was committed to score Titus for his companion, Julie Taymor. John Barry was considered, and he wrote a demo theme for the film, which ended up on his 2001 solo album "Eternal Echoes," but Jordan eventually settled on Michael Nyman.

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Goofs

When Henry and Bendrix embrace, Henry puts his arm around Bendrix twice.

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Quotes

Sarah: Love doesn't end, just because we don't see each other.
Maurice Bendrix: Doesn't it?
Sarah: People go on loving God, don't they? All their lives. Without seeing him.
Maurice Bendrix: That's not my kind of love.
Sarah: Maybe there is no other kind.

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Connections

Featured in Behind the Passion (1999)

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Soundtracks

"Allegro Maestroso Ma Appassionato"
(Sonata For Solo Cello)
Written by Zoltán Kodály (as Zoltan Kodaly)
Performed by Frans Helmerson
Courtesy of Gramofon AB BIS Records

User Reviews

Controlled and emotional at the same time

Two years after the sudden end of his affair with Sarah, Maurice bumps into her husband, Henry, who confides in him about his wife's possible infidelity. Driven by the same jealousy that plagued him during their affair, Maurice poses as Sarah's husband and hires a private detective to follow her and find out what she's doing. As his investigators probe Sarah's personal life, Maurice remembers back to his affair.

Having seen the 1950's version of this book, I was interested to see a version that didn't have to worry about the heavy censorship of that period. Funnily though, it is not the nudity, passion or sex that adds to this version of the story; rather it is the ability of the film to show the strong feeling and emotion between the characters. The plot is pretty true to the book and follows the same turns that are ultimately quite touching (even if their reliance on honour and promises to god seem out dated today). The film manages to evoke sympathy, pity and dislike for each of the three main characters - each is a victim here and the film allows us to see that and feel for each of them regardless of the rights and wrongs of their respective situations.

It is difficult to describe but the film is very much of the period; it is very reserved and honourable considering the material, but yet it is deeply emotional and involving. The only sticking point is the plot's reliance on Sarah's prayer; as I said, it seems difficult to accept in this age that this would have been held to - ironically the 50's version was more acceptable for some reason; maybe because I saw them having sex in this film, maybe then I found it harder to accept a `sinner's prayer' as it were. Besides this, it still does work well and is quite tragic as a love story - this is not a romantic date movie sort of thing!

The main reason I was able to buy into the heart of the emotion was the performances. Fiennes is so perfectly English in the role; he is restrained yet bursting with emotion. He does a wonderful job of having his character eat away at himself with jealousy without ever seeming pathetic. Conversely Rea does a good job of making his character pathetic but still very much keeping the sympathy of the audience. The fact that I get to see Moore in the buff (again!) is not a boost to this film, however her performance is. She is good in the role (better and freer than the 50's actress) even if I didn't feel she was as good as Rea and Fiennes - maybe because her character is less expressive and, simply, a `good' person: I can only assume Greene was unable to look down on his lover even after the end of the affair.

Overall this film has a few sticking points but it is a wonderful version of Greene's book of the same name. Much was made of the nudity and such, but it is the rawer emotion of this telling that makes it work well. The script puts them on the screen and the cast do well to bring them out as complex as they are in real life.