| Overall Grade: |
A+ |
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| Story: |
A |
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| Acting: |
A+ |
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| Direction: |
A+ |
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| Visuals: |
A+ |
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A poetic feast
by BKR (movies profile)
Nov 20, 2007
1
of
1 people found this review helpful
David Lean, prior to composing such lavish epics as Lawrence of Arabia, Doctor Zhivago, and The Bridge on the River Kwai, directed Brief Encounter, a subtly haunting portrait of desperate love that lingers in the mind well past its ending credits.
The film paints a sympathetic and ultimately harrowing portrait of a "hapilly married" woman's "brief encounter" with a charming doctor that leads to desire and passion that can never be fulfilled.
Celia Johnson's wide, unblinking eyes are penetrating, shadows of moving trains rushing by her face. The highly constrasted black and white cinematography paints a "noir" tone over the romantic story, a breathtaking contrast of darkened beauty, doomed love.
Despite the "Hays code" inspired ending, Brief Encounter is a quiet masterpiece, a film devoid of histrionics and bathed in emotional honesty. |
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