Brief Encounter

BFI Film Classics

by Richard Dyer

Brief Encounter (1945), adapted from Noel Coward's play Still Life, is a classic of British cinema – a tale of impossible love between a married woman and a man she meets while waiting for a train. Though it's a film made by men, it is the woman's voice we hear recounting the story of a small-town love affair and her renunciation of it. In his lucid analysis of the film, Richard Dyer explores how its depiction of powerful feelings kept under wraps is a definitive example of a particularly English style of emotional restraint, but also how it spoke to a gay audience for whom this subject – forbidden love between ordinary people – had a special resonance.This reissued edition features original cover artwork by Rania Moudaress and a substantial new foreword that revisits the film and recent readings of it, covering its enduring legacy and adaptation for theatre and television.

Genres: Film, Nonfiction

85 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 27, 1993

Reviews

[Nick Nguyen · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

A pleasure to read. The missing half star is because I wanted Dyer to keep going.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

An all too brief mix of scholarly and personal reflection on one of the greatest weepies ever made.

[Rachel Bunting · Rating 3 out of 5]

Offers some interesting insights into one of my favourite films.

[Ria · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting book exploring the themes and issues of the movie Brief encounter and the role of Laura as played by Celia Johnson.
Although at times long winded it was still a good read though I do think that as the author mentioned he was gay he DOES make a lot of gay references, allusions and imagery that relate to that lifestyle etc so am unsure how unbiased an account this really is as though I have seen the film many times I did not pick up on the gay themes mentioned.
An interesting take on the movie in general but feel it was a little one sided in lots of ways.
A good read though especially if you are a fan of the film and movie history in general.

[Kamakana · Rating 5 out of 5]

if you like this review i now have website: www.michaelkamakana.com

??? '90s: this is one of bfi classics series (british film institute) which are critical monographs on specific films. I really like the understated if not repressed romance of brief encounter. this book made me think about why. this book is a quick read that reminds me of the pleasure...