Monday, October 09, 2006

Brief Encounter

What a delightful, beautiful movie by David Lean, spectacularly well written by Noel Coward and beautifully acted by Trevor Howard (they don't make them like that no more), Celia Johnson and the magnificent Stanley Holloway. We saw it yesterday at our movie club after a couple of dismal failures at the NY Film Festival, so the mandate was: it better be good. Well, it's better than good.
Brief Encounter is not only a classic, but a smart, modern, unabashedly romantic and extremely intelligent film. The script by Noel Coward is peerless, but then the elegant and empathetic touch of David Lean brings it all home.
The premise is an illicit love affair between a married woman and a married doctor. And to me, for all of the lovely Celia Johnson's protestations, there is no way you can say no to Trevor Howard. No way. You might as well surrender without the slightest and, if or but.
Go rent this movie, get some wine or some icecream or some chocolate and ravish yourself with it. It's an order.

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