BRIEF ENCOUNTER

US, 1974, 99 minutes, Colour.
Richard Burton, Sophia Loren, Jack Hedley, Rosemary Leach, John Le Mesurier.
Directed by Alan Bridges.

Noel Coward's play became a classic David Lean film in 1946 with Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard. This updated version is well directed by Alan Bridges ("The Hireling") who has an eye for detail and local atmosphere. It boasts an excellent performance by Sophia Loren. This story of a chance meeting. its challenge to a marriage and to growing in love for a middle-aged couple has a lot of truth in it, truth which is movingly explored. The film is enhanced by Jack Hedley's performance as the .husband. Richard Burton is all right in the Trevor H6ward role.

1. The prestige of Noel Coward's plays, films? The impact of the original version? Audiences and critics tending to prejudge a remake? Set up expectations and comparisons? The quality of this film in itself?

2. The film keeping close to the original play? Adapting the original film to the 1970s? The impact on an audience who had not seen the original?

3. The quality of the updating? The atmosphere of realism and the use of Winchester locations? The style of the stars and their credibility? The portrait of a couple, their home life, work, moral stances, crisis? Colour photography? Musical score?

4. The significance of the title? The brevity of the affair? The significance of 'encounter' ? in comparison with 'affair'. adultery? The possibility of this encounter happening, the facts, credibility, Anna and Alec coping?

5. Themes of love: marriage, family? The story of Mrs. Gaines? The lady at the railway station counter? The range of marriage experiences, The aspects of fidelity? Complications in success and failures, fidelity?

6. The atmosphere of Winchester station and the detail of its management, the trains, expresses, local trains? Audiences invited into an atmosphere of realism? The encounter within this setting? Anna, the grit in her eye, the courtesy of the lady, Alec and his helping? The meeting in the park, Alec's visit to Anna's office? The visit to the morality plays? Tea together? The admission of their falling in love? The decisions that had to be made? Anna and her changing her work day? What she told her husband? The outings and the passing of the accident? The discussion about the affair and what should be done? The impact of Anna's missing Mrs. Gaines? The evening at the flat and its fiasco with Anna having to run? The scene at the railway station afterwards? The walk in the country and the irrevocability of decision? The dramatic impact of the final chatter and Alec and Anna parting with the lady friend oblivious? The development of the affair: accident, innocent meetings, decisions, needs, pressures, favours? The reality of such an affair and its ending?

7. Sophia Loren's portrait of Anna? The background of her story, an Italian in England? Husband and children? At home and her view of her husband and children and their life style? Her work, regularity, visits to the station? Her response to Graeme and her comment on his lack of emotion? Their discussions at home, taking one another for granted? Home tasks? The importance of the interviews with Mrs. Gaines and her reliance on Anna? The importance of fidelity? The discussions about being analytical? The encounters with Alec and her changing? Experiencing needs, joy, guilt? The cover ups? The friend meeting them at the play and ringing? Changing her work days? Her announcement that she was home when she arrived? The reaction of her children? Their fights and her having to adjust to home life? Mrs. Gaines and her suicide attempt? The visit to the hospital? Her working with Grace at the office? Her experience of the flat and Alec being unfair? Her decision to go? Hurrying away and her humiliation? The dramatic impact of the walk in the country? Her anguish while her friend chatted at the railway station? Her return home and her husband accepting her? Audiences' identification with the character? As portrayed by Sophia Loren with her style? Her strengths, weaknesses? A realistic character?

8. Alec and his presence at the station, helping Anna with the grit? The attraction. the meeting at the park for lunch? visit to the office and the pressure on her? His taking her to the plays ? and the ironic themes of the plays? His asking her to be in an affair. the pressure? His own life story ? and Anna's comment on his looking like a little boy, his face? The accident and his assistance? The outings? The plans for Australian and decisions to be made? The glimpse of him at home ? the discussion with his wife about the definition of love? Intellectual, unfeeling? His decision about the flat? The humiliation? His explanation to Stephen ? Stephen's cynical rejection of his explanation? Taking Anna's coat? The encounter at the railway station? His final pleading with her? The statement that time and the future would change the quality and intensity of the affair? The strain of the final goodbye? The chatter, the trains going in opposite directions?

9. Graeme, the English husband, quiet, unemotional, doing puzzles, enjoying toys, playing with the boys? Ordinary warmth? The story of his temptation to infidelity and its impact on Anna? The way that he related with the boys? His accepting Anna on her return and her having been a long way away? The household, the au pair girl?

10. Melanie and her lack of love for her husband? A brittle home life? Her book reviews and career? Definitions of love?

11. The portrait of Mrs. Gaines ? her tentative visit, her story, covering up for her husband? Love and fidelity? Children? Poverty and need? Her relying on Anna? Her disappointment when she was not there? Her suicide attempt? Anna's visit to the hospital? Her being alright until the next time? The comparison of Anna with Mrs. Gaines and her marriage?

12. The people at the railway station, the lady at the counter and her family? The teacher with the children etc.?

13. Stephen and his friendship with Alec, the hurt as regards the use of the flat, his sniggering at the effect on Alec?

14. Seeing the encounter through Anna's eyes and judging with her? The importance of chance encounters, commitment and fidelity, guilt ? and the message of John the Baptist at the play? The Indication of suicide when Anna stood near the express hurtling through the station? Love and death?

15. Noel Coward's insights into human experience of love, pain, fidelity, courage?