At a railway station café, housewife Laura Jesson (Celia Johnson) is quietly sitting with doctor Alec Harvey (Trevor Howard). They both have spouses and children. She is flustered when a talkative acquaintance runs into them. It's been only a few weeks ago since she met him at the train station. Their friendship turns into longing and finally obsession.

Celia Johnson gives a haunted look that speaks to her internal conflict. That is the central issue of the movie. She cannot walk that final step. One can argue about her reason but there is no denying Celia's performance. The black and white looks beautiful especially the trains and the station. Director David Lean made a great film.

This movie was a mixed bag for me--some things I REALLY liked, other things left me COLD and unmoved.

First I'll address the good. The musical score by Rachmaninof is exquisite. Unless you just hate classical-style music, you'll really appreciate the beauty of the score and how it complements the film--not overwhelms it. Also, the cinematography is great--lots of great angles, shots and care. The writing was also very good--the story and dialog were well-crafted. And finally, it was very refreshing to see such ordinary (and perhaps unattractive in the case of Celia Johnson) people in a love story. I just can't imagine Hollywood casting Trevor Howard as a romantic lead! Now, what I didn't like. The basic story is glamorizing extramarital affairs, as the basic plot involves two married people falling for another. I COULD have accepted this is their spouses had been monsters. We don't know about Trevor's, but Celia's husband, though a little dull, loves her dearly and seems like a very decent guy. So this left me thinking much less of Celia as a character--she's looking outside her marriage with little apparent motivation other than possible selfishness. Secondly, although I am sure this film is adored by most women, I venture to guess many guys will be left cold--I know I was. This reminded me of the incredibly over-hyped An Affair To Remember, though Brief Encounter was a generally superior film.

It would have been interesting to see how the film would have handled by anyone other than David Lean and Noel Coward. The French would have probably had some nudity and the characters NEVER would have struggled over the indecency of the affair. American studios, in the 1940s, would have probably drastically re-written the story or not attempted it at all. Ingmar Bergman would have had the characters either go mad or kill themselves!

I saw this last Christmas, and I was genuinely moved. This movie is so poignant and is a must-see, as it showcases the unique talent of David Lean. Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard as the "ordinary" lovers were perfect together, and Celia Johnson's monologues were so beautifully written, and flawlessly expressed. Also the depiction of the dull husband was very well done. This movie is important to many, because it tells the tale of doomed love, told beautifully here. There were some parts that I thought I was going to cry. Before I saw this movie, I never appreciated Rachmaninov's 2nd piano concerto as much as I do now. The perfect placement of it, was what made the movie what it is today. The music was the best element of this movie, and reminded me of the beautiful Vocalise by the same composer. You will be moved by this! 10/10. Bethany Cox