In war-torn London, Maurice Bendrix (Van Johnson) falls in love with neighbor Sarah Miles Deborah Kerr). They begin an illicit romance behind Sarah's husband's back. While war does not last...
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The Watchmen and San Andreas star leans into a different side of herself to play a hard-hitting new role.
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Title: The End of the Affair (1955)
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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 |
|
|
Laurence Shiel | ... | Doctor (as O'Donovan Shiell) |
| Elsie Wagstaff | ... | Bendrix Landlady | |
|
|
Christopher Warbey | ... | Lancelot Parkis |
|
|
Nan Munro | ... | Mrs. Tomkins |
| Joyce Carey | ... | Miss Palmer | |
Edit
Plot Summary
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Storyline
In war-torn London, Maurice Bendrix (Van Johnson) falls in love with neighbor Sarah Miles Deborah Kerr). They begin an illicit romance behind Sarah's husband's back. While war does not last forever, neither does love in this existentialist tale. Written by Robert Bole <rjbmbv@teleport.com>
Plot Keywords:
victory in europe day | party | star crossed lovers | speech | self sacrifice |Taglines:
A TREMENDOUS EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCE! (Print Ad- Jamestown Post-Journal, ((Jamestown NY)) 14 June 1955)Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parents »
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See full technical specs »
Details
Country:
UKLanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
May 1955 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Das Ende einer Affaire See more »Company Credits
Show more on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
Mono (RCA Sound Recording)Color:
Black and WhiteAspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1
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Did You Know?
Trivia
Shot June 29 to September 10, 1954. See more »Goofs
In Sarah's journal, the date of her breakup with Maurice - and the first V-1 flying bomb attack on London - is shown as June 18, 1944. The actual date of the first V-1 attack on London was June 13, 1944. See more »Frequently Asked Questions
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Graham Greene's The End Of The Affair has Van Johnson coming over from America and Deborah Kerr returning to the United Kingdom for this British film with British supporting cast. Of all the Graham Greene work I've seen on the big and small screen this is the most overtly Catholic film I think was ever done.
Kerr is married to dull and earnest Peter Cushing and one night at a party during World War II she meets American writer Johnson who after being invalided out of the service stayed on Great Britain. Johnson intrigues and excites Kerr and the two of them are soon in love. Then the guilt starts. Guilt on Kerr's part, jealousy on Johnson's. Poor Cushing for most of the film he hasn't a clue.
After the beginning the two can never quite get together. Imagine Johnson who is the paramour hires a private detective to keep track of Kerr's movements to reassure Cushing. This is after things have cooled down. What a pair Johnson has. The detective is John Mills who I'm surprised is taking a small supporting role. He even takes along his young son Christopher Warbey for his surveillance work, the better that his subject doesn't think he's being followed. Besides he's breaking him into the business. The part must have intrigued Mills because he's the best one in the movie.
I suppose being a Catholic really helps understand all the subtleties in the story. I much preferred that other affair film Johnson did with Jane Wyman, Miracle In The Rain. No guilt, just people in love.
Cushing's character was odd. He was sweet but weak, the kind you feel sorry for. No grand passion was ever to be forthcoming with Kerr or anyone else he would have ever hooked up with.
The End Of The Affair is all right. The remake done in 1999 with Ralph Fiennes in the Van Johnson role was more explicit. If you like Graham Greene you'll like both versions.