The Late Zone

Brief Encounter is not the most exciting film in the world, but it is very enjoyable if you're in the right mood for it. I studied it as part of my film studies course in high school, and have been seriously considering purchasing the DVD or recent blu-ray release so that I can see it again.

Brief Encounter stars Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard, and was made a very long time ago. Before the war, I think - though exactly which war I cannot be certain. I do know that that guy is in it...Valentine Dyall. That's the chap. He isn't in it for very long though.

Anyway, the film is about two people who meet at a train station and through various coincidences and so forth end up having a relationship - the 'Brief encounter' of the film's title, no less. It's nothing too intense or raunchy - they're not Swingers, after all - but it is touching and somewhat moving to see them having dinner by candle light and knowing that their relationship cannot last, because she's got a family and he's a doctor. I think he was also going off to Africato dosomething exciting out thereas well, perhaps race elephants or something, which obviously wouldn't help their relationship at all.

Anyway, over one of these dinners by candle light all sorts of meaningful looks and affectionate gestures are exchanged between the two main characters, since everything was very restrained and repressed in those days. One could not be allowed to be seen cavorting in public with a complete stranger, no matter how exciting that might be to a modern audience. Perhaps that is what the film is due now, an Exciting action packed blockbuster of a remake,with lots of explosions and helicopter chases and shoot-outs, instead of just lots of dinners by Candle light.

Actually, I don't think I would want that. It's a cracking little film and no one should come along to remake it and turn it into something it was never meant to be. Frankly, that just wouldn't be on at all as far as I'm concerned.