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The End of the Affair

Play trailer Poster for The End of the Affair 1955 1h 46m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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80% Tomatometer 5 Reviews 57% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
During the 1940s, Maurice Bendrix (Van Johnson), a writer recently discharged from the armed service, falls in love with Sarah Miles (Deborah Kerr), whom he interviews for a book. Sarah is married, but she and Maurice eventually give in to their mutual attraction, leading to an affair that lasts several months. Maurice's jealousy, along with the bombing of London by the Germans, seemingly lead to the end of their relationship. However, the reasons are later revealed to be more complex.
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The End of the Affair

Critics Reviews

View All (5) Critics Reviews
Clyde Gilmour Maclean's Magazine Worthy in intent, but often dull in execution...A priceless vignette by John Mills as an English private eye is the best thing in the picture. Nov 14, 2019 Full Review Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com Rated: 3/5 Jun 23, 2005 Full Review Christopher Smith Bangor Daily News (Maine) Rated: 4/5 Oct 11, 2002 Full Review Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews This older B&W version of the recent remake puts less stress on the lust and more on the inner conflict the two lovers are having. Rated: C+ Jan 1, 2000 Full Review Brian Webster Apollo Guide Rated: 74/100 Jan 1, 2000 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (19) audience reviews
Audience Member Deborah Kerr está magnifica em cena. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/24/23 Full Review Audience Member good ve3rswion of this but I also like the 1999 version too. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/21/23 Full Review Audience Member ★★★ (out of four) Part syrupy melodrama, and part thoughtful self exploration. "The End of the Affair" doesn't entirely succeed as a romantic drama of forbidden lovers, but it asks questions that 1950's cinema rarely attempted to ask. I applaud it for that and offer it a very mild recommendation. Maurice (Van Johnson) is a writer who has recently been discharged from the U.S. army. He continues where he left off...by resuming and affair he had been having with Sara (Deborah Kerr), the wife of one of his best friends (Peter Cushing). The lovers meet in an old house, that suffers a bombing attack while they are there. She thinks that Maurice is killed. She vows to God that if Maurice lives she will end the affair. Mauruce does survive and becomes confused by Sara's lack of interest in him. The film is very typical and almost tiresome in its way of dealing with the lovers. What I really liked is how Sara questions the existence of a God and the souol searching and hesitation she feels. Movies of the era rarely had one of their main characters question religion. It is interesting in that aspect...more so than in its routine elements. [IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v48/Zeppo1/EndoftheAffairThe_zps58aa9e6a.jpg[/IMG] Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/09/23 Full Review Audience Member Thought provoking and honest. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/24/23 Full Review Audience Member a more contemplative version than the '99 version. i was somewhat distracted by kerr since i kept expecting yul brynner to show up. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/05/23 Full Review Audience Member Maurice Bendrix (Van Johnson) is discharged from the U.S. army after being wounded in combat. He resumes his pre-war "job" as a writer and decides to stay on in London to write about the unsung heroes of the British homefront - the civil servants. While doing research for his book, Bendrix meets british beaureaucrat Henry Miles (Peter Cushing) at a party. Miles goes on to encourage Bendrix to interview his wife, Sarah (Deborah Kerr) as a source of information. What starts off as a professional relationship soon turns into something a bit more personal as Bendrix and Sarah find themselves very much attracted to each other. "Research" soon becomes a cover for their romantic trysts... What is interesting about this film is that it goes beyond what could have been the usual love-triangle kind of drama only to delve into something a bit more philosophical...touching on issues of love, jealousy, commitment, faith and religion. I think Deborah Kerr's character is the most interesting here. When a german V-1 "buzz bomb" explodes near Bendrix's apartment, she believes Bendrix to be dead. The "faithless" Sarah finds herself begging God for a miracle. She promises to end her "sinful" affair with Bendrix if only God would bring him back to life. Well, guess what..."God works in mysterious ways" - or so they say...and so begins Sarah's psychological dilemma with faith and God. Bendrix, meanwhile is perplexed with Sarah's change of character...and so does her husband Henry - who suspects, but does not want to believe that Sarah is having an affair. I liked John Mills here too. He plays a private investigator hired by the very jealous Bendrix to follow and report on Sarah - who is seemingly "seeing" somebody else... Although I still prefer David Lean's A BRIEF ENCOUNTER...THE END OF THE AFFAIR at the least touches upon some unexpected, yet very interesting themes... 7.5 / 10 Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/11/23 Full Review Read all reviews
The End of the Affair

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Movie Info

Synopsis During the 1940s, Maurice Bendrix (Van Johnson), a writer recently discharged from the armed service, falls in love with Sarah Miles (Deborah Kerr), whom he interviews for a book. Sarah is married, but she and Maurice eventually give in to their mutual attraction, leading to an affair that lasts several months. Maurice's jealousy, along with the bombing of London by the Germans, seemingly lead to the end of their relationship. However, the reasons are later revealed to be more complex.
Director
Edward Dmytryk
Producer
David Lewis
Screenwriter
Lenore J. Coffee
Production Co
Coronado Productions
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 16, 2012
Runtime
1h 46m
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