Brief Encounter

Released Aug 24, 1946

1h 26m

Romance

Drama

List

93%

46 Reviews

Tomatometer

91%

10,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Returning home from a shopping trip to a nearby town, bored suburban housewife Laura Jesson (Celia Johnson) is thrown by happenstance into an acquaintance with virtuous doctor Alec Harvey (Trevor Howard). Their casual friendship soon develops during their weekly visits into something more emotionally fulfilling than either expected, and they must wrestle with the potential havoc their deepening relationship would have on their lives and the lives of those they love.

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Critics Consensus

Brief Encounter adds a small but valuable gem to the Lean filmography, depicting a doomed couple's illicit connection with affecting sensitivity and a pair of powerful performance.

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Stephanie

Brief Encounter was excellent. The cinematic elements of the film deserved an Oscar!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/09/23

Full Review

Normal D

Brief Encounter is a film that utilizes sure handed direction and perfect performances to engagingly animate a dark and dryly hilarious script. Melodramatic, intriguing, charged with chemistry and propelled forward by immaculate editing, the film is an immensely entertaining look at the complexities of romantic love, from a woman's point of view. Our heroin, or perhaps anti-heroine, is fascinatingly rendered, and her relatable motivations and failures play out against a cast of equally fascinating side characters, who's parts are very beautifully written and performed. The film is able to, with a very small and simple story, elicit thoughts about society, monogamy, ethics, morals, lust, manipulation, and trust. Beautiful to look at, with a pitch perfect score, Brief Encounter is the kind of film that made me lean forward in my chair while watching, and cackle and slap my lap, and then feel really sad. It's a ride. I liked it.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/07/23

Full Review

Iain M

Has to be in the top 3 British movies of all time. The story is a masterpiece in emotional supression, what might have been, what they really wanted to say and do. Both main roles are superbly underplayed by Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard respectively, but you know I think the real hero of the story is Fred - watch it and perhaps you will catch my drift. Incidentally, the action takes place around a railway station platform cafe, which is actually Carnforth Railway Station, and there is now a cafe and museum there where you can re-live the film. (They also do an excellent bacon and egg roll.)

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/01/23

Full Review

Jeremy S

An absolute classic. Makes me nostalgic for a time before my time. Very British, when British was still a thing. Stoic characters, atmospheric railway stations, romantic without gushing, moving , engrossing and quietly brilliant .

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/29/23

Full Review

matthias s

'Brief Encounter' is a captivating 1945 romance film directed by David Lean. Set in post-war England, it follows Laura and Alec, two strangers who meet at a railway station and instantly connect. As they continue to meet in secret, their undeniable chemistry intensifies, despite the societal constraints and moral obligations that threaten to keep them apart. Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard deliver remarkable performances, making their characters' love both heartwarming and heart-wrenching. Adapted from Noel Coward's play, the screenplay weaves poignant dialogues and emotional monologues throughout the narrative. Lean's direction, coupled with stunning black-and-white cinematography, elevates the film into a timeless and profound exploration of love and human emotions. 'Brief Encounter' is an enthralling masterpiece that will leave viewers deeply moved and engaged in the complexities of love and sacrifice.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

11/15/23

Full Review

CodyZamboni

Low key, bittersweet would be romance by people who know their relationship is doomed from the start. I like the nicely understated performances, and it was gratifying to see actors that are older, frumpier and not glamorous Hollywood types, That helps add to the realism and poignancy.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

07/26/23

Full Review

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David Lean

Director

Celia Johnson

Laura Jesson

Trevor Howard

Dr Alec Harvey

Stanley Holloway

Albert Godby

Cyril Raymond

Fred Jesson

Joyce Carey

Myrtle Bagot

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Zadie Smith

Daily Telegraph (UK)

Lean's sad, buttoned-up account of unconsummated love is about all of us and our cautious natures.

Jan 17, 2018

Full Review

Sophie Monks Kaufman

Little White Lies

Romance and goodness are evoked with equal power and from these conflicting impulses, voluptuous demons spring eternal.

Rated: 5/5

Nov 9, 2015

Full Review

Kate Muir

Times (UK)

One of cinema's classic love stories.

Rated: 5/5

Nov 5, 2015

Full Review

Ruth Maramis

FlixChatter Film Blog

One of the greatest classic romances, beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time. This timeless cinematic gem is just as memorable as David Lean's big, epic films.

Rated: 4.5/5

Feb 16, 2024

Full Review

Kat Halstead

Common Sense Media

For a movie where it appears that very little happens, this classic 1940s British romantic drama packs an almighty emotional punch.

Rated: 4/5

Apr 6, 2021

Full Review

Film Daily Staff

The Film Daily

Rate this offering as one of the better British films.

Feb 1, 2021

Full Review

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Synopsis

Returning home from a shopping trip to a nearby town, bored suburban housewife Laura Jesson (Celia Johnson) is thrown by happenstance into an acquaintance with virtuous doctor Alec Harvey (Trevor Howard). Their casual friendship soon develops during their weekly visits into something more emotionally fulfilling than either expected, and they must wrestle with the potential havoc their deepening relationship would have on their lives and the lives of those they love.

Director: David Lean
Screenwriter: Noël Coward, Anthony Havelock-Allan, David Lean, Ronald Neame
Distributor: Samuel Goldwyn Company, Paramount Pictures, Criterion Collection, Universal Pictures
Production Co: The Rank Organization [gb], G.C.F., Cineguild
Genre: Romance, Drama
Original Language: English (United Kingdom)
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 24, 1946, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 18, 2016
Runtime: 1h 26m
Sound Mix: Mono

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