The End of the Affair (1999)

Director:

Neil Jordan

Writers (WGA):

Graham Greene (novel)
Neil Jordan (screenplay)

Release Date:

10 December 1999 (Canada)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

camera shot of feet

Plot:

On a rainy London night in 1946, novelist Maurice Bendrix has a chance meeting with Henry Miles, husband of his ex-mistress Sarah...

Plot Keywords:

Obsession | Jealousy | Extramarital Affair | Prayer | Star Crossed Lovers

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 22 nominations

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
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Nic Main	...	Commanding officer (uncredited)

Directed by
Neil Jordan

Writing credits (WGA)
Graham Greene		(novel)
Neil Jordan		(screenplay)

Produced by
Neil Jordan	....	producer
Kathy Sykes	....	co-producer
Stephen Woolley	....	producer

Original Music by
Michael Nyman

Cinematography by
Roger Pratt

Film Editing by
Tony Lawson

Casting by
Susie Figgis

Production Design by
Anthony Pratt

Art Direction by
Jon Billington
Chris Seagers		(supervising art director)
Tony Woollard

Set Decoration by
John Bush
Joanne Woollard

Costume Design by
Sandy Powell

Makeup Department
Christine Beveridge	....	hair designer
Christine Beveridge	....	makeup designer
Sarah Trudi Herrmann	....	trainee makeup artist
Paolo Mantini	....	hair stylist
Elaine L. Offers	....	makeup artist: Julianne Moore
Vivien Riley	....	hair stylist
Vivien Riley	....	key makeup artist
Demelza Rogers	....	hair stylist
Demelza Rogers	....	makeup artist
Jeremy Woodhead	....	makeup artist: Ralph Fiennes
Felicity Wright	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Phil Hounam	....	unit manager
Michael Saxton	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Patrick Clayton	....	assistant director
Sean Clayton	....	assistant director
Marios Hamboulides	....	assistant director
Michael Stevenson	....	assistant director
Ian Stone	....	assistant director
Anthony Wilcox	....	assistant director

Art Department
Nicola Barnes	....	art department production assistant
John Bohan	....	construction manager
Thomas Brown	....	art department assistant
Colin Burgess	....	dressing props
David Cheesman	....	dressing props
Derek Dackombe	....	supervising carpenter
Carol Eastwood	....	construction buyer
Michael Finlay	....	painter
Heidi Gibb	....	art department assistant
Alan Gilmore	....	draughtsman
Matthew Gray	....	draughtsman (as Matt Gray)
Jo Graysmark	....	assistant art director
Alan Grenham	....	stand-by painter
David Haberfield	....	supervising painter
Robert Harper	....	painter
Gary Hedges	....	chargehand carpenter
Margaret Horspool	....	stand-by art director
Kevin Lloyd	....	chargehand stagehand
David Lowery	....	supervising carpenter
Thomas Martin	....	head carpenter
Dave Midson	....	props
Steve Mitchell	....	scenic artist
Danny O'Regan Jr.	....	stand-by carpenter
Daniel O'Regan	....	supervising carpenter
John O'Shaughnessy	....	production buyer
Keith Pitt	....	dressing props
Danny Rogers	....	graphic designer
Keith Stevenson	....	set dresser
Emma Tauber	....	art department production assistant
Bradley Torbett	....	stand-by props
Jason Torbett	....	stand-by props
Keith Vowles	....	property master
Clive Ward	....	head painter
Derek Whorlow	....	supervising stagehand
Clive Wilson	....	dressing props
Robert Wishart	....	chargehand carpenter
Tony Marks	....	carpenter (uncredited)

Sound Department
John Lewis Aschenbrenner	....	boom operator (as John Lewis)
Mark Auguste	....	sound editor
Sam Auguste	....	assistant sound editor
Tim Hands	....	adr editor
Daniel Laurie	....	assistant dialogue editor
Dominic Lester	....	sound re-recording mixer
Robin O'Donoghue	....	sound re-recording mixer
James Seddon	....	dolby consultant
David Stephenson	....	production sound mixer
Richard Street	....	sound re-recording mixer
Andy Thompson	....	adr mixer
Derek Trigg	....	foley editor
Colin Wood	....	sound maintenance

Special Effects by
James Brady	....	special effects technician
Dave Crownshaw	....	snow effects supervisor
Yves De Bono	....	special effects supervisor
Mark Griffin	....	special effects buyer/tech
Ron Hone	....	special effects technician (as Ronald Hone)
Trevor Neighbour	....	special effects workshop supervisor
Terry Rigarlsford	....	special effects technician
Andy Wilson	....	special effects technician

Visual Effects by
Martin Body	....	optical cameraman
Libby Hazell	....	visual effects producer
Chris Monks	....	CG artist
Mark Nelmes	....	visual effects supervisor
Alex Payman	....	compositing artist
Pat Wong	....	digital compositor
Jan Hogevold	....	digital scanning and recording: CFC (uncredited)
Oliver James	....	research and development (uncredited)
David Smith	....	optical cameraman: Peerless Camera (uncredited)

Stunts
Paul Jennings	....	stunts
Greg Powell	....	stunt coordinator
Lee Sheward	....	stunts
Peter Pedrero	....	utility stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
David Appleby	....	still photographer
Danny Espey	....	electrician
Warren Ewen	....	electrician
Chuck Finch	....	gaffer
Stephen Finch	....	electrician
Guy Frost	....	clapper loader
Amy Gilliam	....	camera trainee
Martin Goddard	....	stand-by rigger
Alan Grosch	....	electrician
Edwin Hawkins	....	rigger
Peter Hawkins	....	rigger
Simon Lucas	....	electrician
Clive Mackey	....	focus puller
Colin Manning	....	grip
Keith Manning	....	grip
Graham Martyr	....	focus puller
Billy Merrell	....	assistant chief lighting technician (as Bill Merrell)
Andrew Nolan	....	practical electrician
Tommy O'Sullivan	....	electrician
Mike Roberts	....	camera operator
Elliot Thomas	....	electrician
Alf Tramontin	....	Steadicam operator
Garie Wetherill	....	video assist trainee
Berndt Wiese	....	clapper loader
Gordon Segrove	....	clapper loader (uncredited)

Casting Department
Kate Bryden	....	casting assistant
Brendan Donnison	....	adr voice casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Toni Brennand	....	wardrobe
John Cowell	....	head costume painter
Charlotte Finlay	....	wardrobe
Annie Hadley	....	chief costume cutter
Joe Hobbs	....	wardrobe
Sharon Long	....	costume supervisor
Debbie Scott	....	assistant costume designer
Sunita Singh	....	wardrobe
Dominic Young	....	costume maker

Editorial Department
Jens Baylis	....	first assistant editor
Michael J. Gaffey	....	post-production runner (as Mike Gaffey)
Valentina Giambanco	....	second assistant editor
Matthew Tucker	....	assistant editor
Natasha Wilkinson	....	editor trainee
Philippa Wood	....	post-production coordinator
Nuala Roche	....	assistant conforming editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Cameron Allan	....	music producer
Alexander Balanescu	....	musician: solo violin
Michael Connell	....	supervising music editor
Isobel Griffiths	....	orchestral contractor
Austin Ince	....	music engineer
Michael Nyman	....	conductor
Jackie Shave	....	orchestra leader
Rachel Allen	....	musician: violin (uncredited)
Nick Barr	....	musician: cello (uncredited)
Mark Berrow	....	musician: viola (uncredited)
David Chatterton	....	musician: trumpet and flugel horn (uncredited)
Dave Clarke	....	music engineer (uncredited)
Nick Cooper	....	musician: cello (uncredited)
Chris Cozens	....	auricle control systems (uncredited)
Dermot Crehan	....	musician: violin (uncredited)
Beverley Davison	....	musician: violin (uncredited)
Manon Derome	....	musician: violin (uncredited)
Karen Elliott	....	music supervisor (uncredited)
Martin Elliott	....	musician: soprano, alto and baritone saxophone (uncredited)
Jonathan Evans-Jones	....	musician: violin (uncredited)
Christian Forshaw	....	musician: English horn (uncredited)
Simon Haram	....	musician: soprano, alto and baritone saxophone (uncredited)
John Harle	....	musician: soprano and alto saxophone (uncredited)
Sophie Harris	....	musician: bass (uncredited)
Tony Hinnigan	....	musician: cello (uncredited)
Ian Humphries	....	musician: violin (uncredited)
Philippa Ibbotson	....	musician: violin (uncredited)
Austin Ince	....	music mixer (uncredited)
Patrick Kiernan	....	musician: violin (uncredited)
Boguslav Kostecki	....	musician: violin (uncredited)
Christopher Laurence	....	musician: bass (uncredited)
Julian Leaper	....	musician: violin (uncredited)
David Lee	....	musician: bass trombone and tuba (uncredited)
Rita Manning	....	musician: violin (uncredited)
Paul Martin	....	musician: viola (uncredited)
Anne Morfee	....	musician: violin (uncredited)
Kate Musker	....	musician: viola (uncredited)
Everton Nelson	....	musician: violin (uncredited)
Andrew Parker	....	musician: viola (uncredited)
Helen Paterson	....	musician: violin (uncredited)
Maciej Rakowski	....	musician: violin (uncredited)
David Roah	....	musician: soprano and alto saxophone (uncredited)
William Schofield	....	musician: bass (uncredited)
Mary Scully	....	musician: bass (uncredited)
Jackie Shave	....	musician: violin (uncredited)
Katherine Shave	....	musician: violin (uncredited)
Steve Sidwell	....	musician: trumpet/flugelhorn (uncredited)
Sonia Slany	....	musician: violin (uncredited)
Jonathan Snowden	....	musician: flute, alto sax, piccolo and bassoon (uncredited)
Cathy Thompson	....	musician: violin (uncredited)
Phil Todd	....	musician: flute, alto sax and piccolo (uncredited)
Chris Tombling	....	musician: violin (uncredited)
Bruce White	....	musician: viola (uncredited)
Paul Willey	....	musician: violin (uncredited)
Warren Zielinski	....	musician: violin (uncredited)

Other crew
Beth Bellson	....	stand-in: Julianne Moore
Alan Bennett	....	production assistant
Aron Clayton	....	production assistant
Susan d'Arcy	....	unit publicist
Diana Dill	....	script supervisor
John Eccleston	....	post-production accountant
John Erraught	....	development executive
Marios Hamboulides	....	production assistant
Sarah Hamilton	....	assistant production coordinator
Ben Harrison	....	floor runner
Steve Hart	....	first assistant location manager
Amanda Hawes	....	location assistant
Sarah Hunt	....	assistant production accountant
Sarah Jordan	....	assistant: Neil Jordan
Allin Kempthorne	....	typing double: Ralph Fiennes
Kimie Kimura-Heaney	....	set production assistant
Damon Meredith	....	assistant location manager
Kelly Messias	....	assistant: Ralph Fiennes
Steve Morphew	....	stand-in: Ralph Fiennes
Ali Moshref	....	assistant production accountant
Anya Noakes	....	publicist
Peter Ogunsalu	....	assistant: Stephen Woolley
Maggie Phelan	....	production accountant
Roger Phillips	....	title designer
David Pinnington	....	location manager
Brenda Rawn	....	executive assistant: Neil Jordan
Christina Rice	....	assistant: Julianne Moore
Frances Richardson	....	assistant production accountant
Deryn Stafford	....	production coordinator
Graham Stevens	....	stand-in: Stephen Rea
Becky Symons	....	production assistant (as Rebecca Symons)
David Theodore	....	bassoon
Jason Wheeler	....	production assistant
Lucy Williams	....	location assistant
Julia Wilson Dickson	....	dialogue coach (as Julia Wilson-Dickson)
Philippa Wood	....	assistant: Stephen Woolley

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1999) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films de Argentina (2000) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Film (2000) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films (2000) (France) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films (2000) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Entertainment (2000) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Canvas (2004) (Belgium) (TV) (first national airing)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2000) (Germany) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (200?) (Germany) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2000) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2004) (UK) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2001) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2000) (USA) (DVD) (special edition)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2000) (USA) (VHS)
• Gaumont/Columbia TriStar Home Video (GCTHV) (2000) (France) (DVD)
• LK-TEL (2000) (Argentina) (DVD)
• LK-TEL (2000) (Argentina) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Computer Film Company, The (CFC)
• Snow Business International (snow effects)

Other Companies

• Shepperton Studios  movie studio
• ARRI Media  camera grip equipment
• Gearbox Sound and Vision  avid systems supplied by
• Lee Lighting  lighting
• London Session Orchestra, The  orchestra (uncredited)
• Sapex Scripts  post-production script services
• Sony Classical  soundtrack
• Whitfield Street Studios  music mixed at (uncredited)

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for scenes of strong sexuality

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Australia:MA | Chile:14 | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Germany:12 | Japan:R-15 | New Zealand:M | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:R(A) | South Korea:18 | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:18 | Philippines:R-18 | USA:R (certificate #36457) | Iceland:L | Malaysia:18PL | Singapore:R21 | Hong Kong:III | Spain:18

Filming Locations:

Brighton, East Sussex, England, UK

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Features two Voldemorts: Ian Hart and Ralph Fiennes. Also includes Jason Isaacs, who would play Lucius Malfoy.

Goofs:

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

Quotes:

Sarah:Are you on a new book?
Maurice Bendrix:Of course.
Sarah:It's not about us, is it? The one you threatened to write?
Maurice Bendrix:A book takes a year to write. It's too hard work for revenge.
Sarah:If only you knew how little you had to revenge.
Maurice Bendrix:I'm joking. We are adults. We knew it had to end some time. Now we can have lunch and talk about your husband.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Behind the Scenes: The End of the Affair (1999) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Hurry Home

Beautiful, extraordinary, perfect

Look at the comments on this site. There's pretty much a perfect split between people who think the film is unrelentingly dull with no redeeming features, and people who think the film is an amazing achievement. I fall into the latter category, and can't for the life of me figure out the former.

This is not an action film. There is no violence. There are no thrills, chills, spills, or anything along those lines. There are three terrific characters, there is an amazingly romantic relationship, and there are superb performances. There is a wonderful director who keeps everything tightly reigned in. There is nothing superfluous in this film. It is perfect.

Maurice Bendrix (Ralph Fiennes) is a novelist who meets beautiful Sarah Miles (Julianne Moore) at a party hosted by her husband Henry (Stephen Rea), whom Bendrix is researching for a book. In no time at all, Sarah and Maurice begin a tempestuous and passionate affair which continues through World War II, until Sarah breaks it off suddenly after an air raid which nearly took Bendrix's life. A chance encounter with Henry two years later brings Bendrix and Sarah together again, and they rekindle their affair as the truth about that air raid is revealed.

A nice enough story on its own. But what makes this film great is the approach that Jordan takes (or perhaps it's not his approach... I'm not familiar with either the novel by Graham Greene or the 1955 film). The opening line of the film is typed by Bendrix onto a clean sheet of paper: "This is a diary of hate." It is only at the end of the film that the viewer understands who it is that Bendrix hates, and why. The story is a dramatization of what Bendrix is writing.

First, he tells us about 1946, when he just happened to see Henry walking in the rain. It's this moment that opens the door for Bendrix, and for us, into his own past. Then Bendrix proceeds to interweave his recent experiences of 1946 with events that transpired during the War. That gives us three distinct time frames for the film, which are introduced to the viewer in reverse chronological order.

Also, it is useful to remember that everything we see on screen (with the exception of several scenes of Bendrix typing away) is a depiction of what Bendrix writes. The entire film is told from Bendrix's point-of -view. This allows us two things: 1) more intimate access to the inner workings of such a fascinating character, and 2) it allows us to enjoy the mystery element of the story much more. If you'll notice, all of the best mysteries tend to have single-character POVs. Look at Chinatown, or The Maltese Falcon. Splitting the POV tends to give audiences information which they should not get before the main character does.

Not that this film is a mystery. There is a mystery in it, which is central to the plot and to Bendrix's situation, but I wouldn't call the film itself a mystery.

What makes this film great is its understatement. It is a very English film, and the characters and performances are all very English. Emotions are fiercely felt but subtly expressed. That makes it highly demanding of its audience, but even more rewarding. It also explains why so many call the film boring. Sarah was described as an ice queen in one review here, and Bendrix was called shallow. Like most reviews (including this one), those comments say a lot more about the people who wrote them then they do about their purported subject. Sarah is intensely passionate, Bendrix is a layered and complex character.

So, not for all tastes, but a brilliant film. Better than any and all of the Best Picture noms of 1999.