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{{Short description|1945 British film directed by David Lean}}
{{other uses}}
{{AI-generated|date=November 2025}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Infobox film
| name           = Brief Encounter
| image          = BriefEncounterPoster.jpg
| caption        = Theatrical release poster
| director       = [[David Lean]]
| screenplay     = {{Plainlist|
* [[Noël Coward]]
* [[Anthony Havelock-Allan]]
* David Lean
* [[Ronald Neame]]}}
| based_on       = {{based on|''[[Still Life (play)|Still Life]]''<br />1936 play|Noël Coward}}
| producer       = {{Plainlist|
* Noël Coward
* Anthony Havelock-Allan
* Ronald Neame}}
| starring       = {{Plainlist|
* [[Celia Johnson]]
* [[Trevor Howard]]
* [[Stanley Holloway]]
* [[Joyce Carey]]
* [[Cyril Raymond]]
}}
| cinematography = [[Robert Krasker]]
| editing        = [[Jack Harris (film editor)|Jack Harris]]
| music          = [[Sergei Rachmaninoff]]
| distributor    = [[Eagle-Lion Distributors]]
| released       = {{Film date|df=yes|1945|11|26|London premiere}}
| runtime        = 87 minutes<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/brief-encounter-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0zmzaxndq |title=Brief Encounter |work=[[British Board of Film Classification]] |access-date=30 October 2021}}</ref>
| country        = United Kingdom
| language       = English
| budget         = $1 million<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/stream/variety164-1946-12#page/n192/mode/1up |title=US Life or Death to Brit Pix |date=25 December 1946 |magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |page=9 |access-date=30 October 2021}}</ref> or $1.4 million<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/variety160-1945-11/page/n138/mode/1up?q=%22pic+cost%22|accessdate=18 March 2023|magazine=Variety|title=London West End Has Big Pix Sked|page=19|date=21 November 1945}}</ref>
}}

'''''Brief Encounter''''' is a 1945 British [[Romance film#Romantic drama|romantic]] [[tragedy]] film directed by [[David Lean]] from a [[screenplay]] by [[Noël Coward]], based on his 1936 [[one-act play]] ''[[Still Life (play)|Still Life]]''. The film stars [[Celia Johnson]] and [[Trevor Howard]] in lead roles, alongside [[Stanley Holloway]], [[Joyce Carey]], [[Cyril Raymond]], [[Everley Gregg]] and [[Margaret Barton]].

''Brief Encounter'' tells the story of two married strangers living in pre-World War II England, whose chance meeting at a railway station leads to a brief yet intense emotional affair disrupting their otherwise conventional lives.

The film premiered in London on 13 November 1945, followed by its wide release on 25 November. It received widespread critical acclaim, with Johnson and Howard's performances earning high praise, and moderate commercial success at the box-office.

''Brief Encounter'' received three nominations at the [[19th Academy Awards]] for [[Academy Award for Best Director|Best Director]] (Lean), [[Academy Award for Best Actress|Best Actress]] (Johnson) and [[Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay|Best Adapted Screenplay]]. The film was one of eleven winners in the ''[[Palme d'Or|Grand Prix]]'' category at the [[1946 Cannes Film Festival]], while Johnson won the [[New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress]].

Many critics, historians, and scholars consider ''Brief Encounter'' as [[List of films voted the best|one of the greatest films of all time]]''.'' In 1999, the [[British Film Institute]] ranked it the [[BFI Top 100 British films|second-greatest British film of all time]]. In 2017, a [[Time Out (magazine)|''Time Out'']] poll of 150 actors, directors, writers, producers, and critics ranked it the 12th-best British film ever.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Huddleston |first=Tom |title=The 100 best British films |url=https://www.timeout.com/london/film/100-best-british-films#tab_panel_4 |access-date=24 October 2017 |magazine=[[Time Out (magazine)|Time Out]]}}</ref>

== Plot ==
In a railway station [[Railway refreshment room|refreshment room]], a man and a woman are sitting glumly at a table. One of the woman's friends comes in and immediately begins chatting away. After some terse pleasantries, the man leaves to catch his train. The woman explains that the man is about to move to Africa. After the man leaves, the woman abruptly disappears but soon returns, explaining that she wanted to see the express train pass by. After a short interval, the two women head for their own train.

At home, Laura Jesson, the woman at the table, sits in the living room with her husband Fred. Laura silently reflects on her recent experiences, which she retells in the form of a confession to her husband.

Laura visits [[Milford, Surrey|Milford]] every week to shop and watch a matinée film. During one such outing she meets idealistic doctor Alec Harvey, who works at the local hospital on Thursdays. Alec charms her by gently removing a piece of grit from her eye.

Laura continues visiting Milford on Thursdays. The following week, she runs into Alec at the [[Pharmacist|chemist]]. The week after that, they eat lunch and watch a film together. Although they are both married with children, their innocent, casual relationship begins to deepen. The situation makes them uneasy, though they admit they love each other.

[[File:BriefEncounter-TrainWindow.jpg|thumb|250px|left|Laura (Celia Johnson) and Alec (Trevor Howard) say their penultimate goodbyes at the railway station]]

Laura and Alec continue meeting in public until they unexpectedly run into some of Laura's friends, necessitating the first of many deceptions. Eventually, they agree to make love at the flat of Alec's friend Stephen, who has dinner plans. However, Stephen returns unexpectedly. Stephen overhears Laura sneaking out and subtly chides Alec for his infidelity. A distraught Laura wanders the streets for three hours until a concerned police officer urges her to go home.

At the railway station, Laura and Alec admit that their relationship is unworkable. For the sake of his family, Alec decides to end his relationship with Laura by taking a job in [[Johannesburg]].

The next week, Laura and Alec have their final meeting in the railway station refreshment room, as previously shown in the opening scene. As they prepare to part for the last time, Laura's acquaintance Dolly Messiter interrupts them, oblivious to their anguish.

Alec’s train arrives before they can say a proper goodbye. He discreetly squeezes Laura’s shoulder as he departs. Laura, overcome with emotion, nearly commits suicide by jumping in front of an express train. However, she gathers herself and returns home to her family.

At home, Fred acknowledges Laura's emotional distance, though whether he knows the cause remains unclear. He thanks her for coming back to him and she weeps in his arms.

A parallel subplot involves the interactions of the station and refreshment room staff. Two of the staff flirt with each other but cannot engage in public displays of affection during work hours, which humorously contrasts with Laura and Alec's ability to meet openly with each other and inability to have a relationship outside of work hours.

==Cast==
{{Cast listing|
* [[Celia Johnson]] as Laura Jesson
* [[Trevor Howard]] as Dr Alec Harvey
* [[Stanley Holloway]] as Albert Godby, the ticket inspector
* [[Joyce Carey]] as Myrtle Bagot, the cafe owner
* [[Cyril Raymond]] as Fred Jesson
* [[Everley Gregg]] as Dolly Messiter
* [[Margaret Barton]] as Beryl Walters, tea-room assistant
* [[Marjorie Mars]] as Mary Norton
* [[Alfie Bass]] (''uncredited'') as the waiter at the Royal
* [[Wallace Bosco]] (''uncredited'') as the doctor at Bobbie's accident
* [[Sydney Bromley]] (''uncredited'') as Johnnie, second soldier
* [[Noël Coward]] (''uncredited'') as the railway station announcer
* Nuna Davey (''uncredited'') as Hermionie Rolandson, Mary's cousin
* [[Valentine Dyall]] (''uncredited'') as Stephen Lynn, Alec's friend
* [[Irene Handl]] (''uncredited'') as cellist and organist
* [[Richard Martin (British director)|Richard Thomas]] (''uncredited'') as Bobby Jesson, Fred and Laura's son
* Henrietta Vincent (''uncredited'') as Margaret Jesson, Fred and Laura's daughter
}}

==Adaptation==
{{main|Still Life (play)}}''Brief Encounter'' is based on [[Noël Coward]]'s [[one-act play]] ''[[Still Life (play)|Still Life]]'' (1936), one of ten short plays in the cycle ''[[Tonight at 8.30]]'', designed for [[Gertrude Lawrence]] and Coward himself, to be performed in various combinations as triple bills. All scenes in ''Still Life'' are set in the refreshment room of the fictional Milford Junction railway station.

As is common in films adapted from stage plays, the film includes settings that are only mentioned in the play, such as Dr. Lynn's flat, Laura's home, a cinema, a restaurant and a branch of [[Boots (company)|Boots the Chemist]]. Several scenes were added for the film, including a scene on a lake where Dr. Harvey gets his feet wet, Laura wandering alone in the dark and smoking on a park bench where she is confronted by a police officer, and a drive in the country in a hired car.

Some scenes were altered to be less ambiguous and more dramatic in the film adaptation. The scene in which the lovers are about to commit adultery is toned down; in the play, it is left to the audience to decide whether they actually consummate their relationship, while in the film, they do not. In the film, Laura has only just arrived at Dr. Lynn's flat when the owner returns, prompting Dr. Harvey to quickly escort her out via the kitchen service door. Additionally, when Laura contemplates suicide by throwing herself in front of a train, the film makes her intention clearer through voice-over narration.

In the play, the characters at Milford station—Mrs. Bagot, Mr. Godby, Beryl and Stanley—are aware of the growing relationship between Laura and Alec and occasionally mention it in an offhand manner. In the film, these characters pay little attention to the couple. The film's final scene, where Laura embraces her husband after he acknowledges her emotional distance and possibly suspects the cause, is not present in the original play.

Two editions of Coward's original screenplay for the film adaptation are available, both listed in the bibliography.

==Production==
Much of the film was shot at [[Carnforth railway station]] in [[Lancashire]], then a junction on the [[London, Midland and Scottish Railway]]. Although it was a busy station, it was far enough away from major cities to avoid the [[Blackout (wartime)|blackout]] for film purposes, allowing shooting to take place in early 1945 before [[World War II]] had ended. At two points in the film, platform signs indicate local destinations such as [[Leeds]], [[Bradford]], [[Morecambe]] and [[Lancaster, Lancashire|Lancaster]], even though Milford is intended to be in the [[home counties]]. Noël Coward provided the station announcements in the film. The station refreshment room was recreated in a studio. Carnforth station retains many of the period features from the time of filming and has become a place of pilgrimage for fans of the film.<ref>{{cite web |date=28 October 2014 |title=Cumbria on Film – Brief Encounter (1945) |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/cumbria/features/cumbria_on_film/brief_encounter.shtml |access-date=10 March 2016 |website=BBC}}</ref> Some of the urban scenes were shot in London, [[Denham, Buckinghamshire|Denham]], and [[Beaconsfield]], near [[Denham Film Studios|Denham Studios]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Whitaker |first=Brian |url=https://archive.org/details/notesqueries01whit |title=Notes & Queries |publisher=Fourth Estate |year=1990 |isbn=1-872180-22-1 |url-access=registration}}</ref>

The country bridge the lovers visit twice, including on their final day, is Middle Fell Bridge at [[Dungeon Ghyll]] in [[Cumbria]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Brief Encounter, Middle Fell Bridge, Dungeon Ghyll, Cumbria, UK |url=http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM9HRH_Brief_Encounter_Middle_Fell_Bridge_Dungeon_Ghyll_Cumbria_UK |access-date=30 October 2021 |website=Waymarking.com}}</ref>

The poem that Fred asks Laura to help him with for his [[crossword]] is by [[John Keats]]: "[[When I Have Fears|When I have Fears that I may Cease to Be]]". The quote Fred recites is "When I behold, upon the night's starr'd face, huge cloudy symbols of a high romance".

In addition to the Keats reference, there is a visual reference to an Arabic love poem.<ref>{{cite web |title=طلال مداح - لسان الهوى |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtVebqMQskw |website=Youtube.com |access-date=9 November 2024}}</ref> In Dr. Lynn's apartment, a wall hanging is prominently displayed twice—first over the dining table when Laura enters, and later over Alec's left shoulder when Stephen confronts him.

The original choice for the role of Alec Harvey was [[Roger Livesey]], but David Lean cast Trevor Howard after seeing him in ''The Way to the Stars''.<ref>Brownlow p 195</ref> [[Joyce Barbour]] was originally cast as Dolly, but Lean was dissatisfied with her performance, and she was replaced by Everley Gregg.<ref>Brownlow p 198</ref>

==Music==
Excerpts from [[Sergei Rachmaninoff]]'s [[Piano Concerto No. 2 (Rachmaninoff)|Piano Concerto No. 2]] recur throughout the film, performed by the [[National Symphony Orchestra (UK)|National Symphony Orchestra]] under [[Muir Mathieson]], with [[Eileen Joyce]] as the pianist.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Reid |first1=John Howard |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oI67AwAAQBAJ&pg=PA28 |title=140 All-Time Must-See Movies for Film Lovers |date=2012 |publisher=Lulu |isbn=978-1-10575-295-7 |page=28 |access-date=18 November 2019}}</ref> Additionally, there is a scene in a tearoom where a salon orchestra plays ''Spanish Dance No. 5 (Bolero)'' by [[Moritz Moszkowski]].

==Release==

===Box office===
According to trade papers, ''Brief Encounter'' was a "notable box-office attraction" and was the 21st most popular film at the British box office in 1946.<ref>{{cite book |last=Murphy |first=Robert |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xtGIAgAAQBAJ&q=hungry%20hill%20film%20box%20office&pg=PA209 |title=Realism and Tinsel: Cinema and Society in Britain 1939–48 |date=2003 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-0-41502-982-7 |location=London, UK |page=209}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=15 January 1947 |title=Hollywood Sneaks in 15 Films on '25 Best' List of Arty Britain |newspaper=The Washington Post |page=2}}</ref>

===Critical reception===
''Brief Encounter'' received widespread critical acclaim, with Johnson and Howard's performances earning high praise;<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/88-brief-encounter |title=Brief Encounter |last=Turner |first=Adrian |date=26 June 2000 |website=[[The Criterion Collection]] |access-date=17 March 2017 |quote=On its initial release, ''Brief Encounter'' was hailed as a groundbreaking piece of realism [...]}}</ref> although there were doubts that it would be "generally popular".<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2010/oct/16/brief-encounter-romance-archive-review |title=Brief Encounter |author-link=C. A. Lejeune |first=C. A. |last=Lejeune |date=25 November 1945 |newspaper=[[The Observer]] |access-date=30 October 2021}}</ref> ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' praised the film, stating, "Coward's name and strong story spell nice US chances."<ref>{{cite magazine |date=28 November 1945 |title=Brief Encounter |url=https://archive.org/details/variety160-1945-11/page/n200/mode/1up?q=%22brief+encounter%22 |magazine=Variety |page=17}}</ref>

It was a moderate success in the UK and became a major hit in the US, leading to Johnson's nomination for the [[Academy Award for Best Actress]].

Today, ''Brief Encounter'' is widely acclaimed for its black-and-white cinematography and the evocative atmosphere created by its steam-age railway setting, elements particularly associated with David Lean's original version.<ref>{{cite book |last=Huntley |first=John |title=Railways on the Screen |publisher=Ian Allan |year=1993 |isbn=0-7110-2059-0 |location=[[Shepperton]]}}</ref> On the review aggregator [[Rotten Tomatoes]], the film holds an approval rating of 91% based on 46 reviews, with an average rating of 8.6/10. The site's critical consensus states: "''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 performances."<ref>{{cite web |title=Brief Encounter (1945) |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1003094-brief_encounter |access-date=5 April 2021 |website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=26 November 1945 |title=Brief Encounter |url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1003094-brief_encounter/ |access-date=10 March 2016 |work=Rotten Tomatoes}}</ref> On [[Metacritic]], the film has a [[weighted arithmetic mean|weighted average score]] of 92 out of 100, based on 16 critics, indicating "universal acclaim."<ref>{{cite web |title=Brief Encounter Reviews |url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/brief-encounter |access-date=30 September 2020 |website=[[Metacritic]]}}</ref>

===Awards and nominations===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|-
! Award
! Category
! Nominee(s)
! Result
! Ref.
|-
| rowspan="3"| [[19th Academy Awards|Academy Awards]]
| [[Academy Award for Best Director|Best Director]]
| [[David Lean]]
| {{nom}}
| rowspan="3" align="center"| <ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1947 |title=The 19th Academy Awards (1947) Nominees and Winners |publisher=[[Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences]] |access-date=August 19, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706093757/http://www.oscars.org/awards/academyawards/legacy/ceremony/19th-winners.html |archive-date=July 6, 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| [[Academy Award for Best Actress|Best Actress]]
| [[Celia Johnson]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay|Best Screenplay]]
| [[Anthony Havelock-Allan]], David Lean, and [[Ronald Neame]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[1946 Cannes Film Festival|Cannes Film Festival]]
| colspan="2"| [[Palme d'Or|Grand Prix du Festival International du Film]]
| {{won}}
| align="center"| <ref name="awards">{{cite web|url=http://www.festival-cannes.fr/en/archives/1946/awardCompetition.html |title=Awards 1946: Competition |publisher=[[Cannes Film Festival]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161025185247/http://www.festival-cannes.fr/en/archives/1946/awardCompetition.html |archive-date=October 25, 2016 |df=dmy}}</ref>
|-
| [[National Board of Review Awards 1946|National Board of Review Awards]]
| colspan="2"| [[National Board of Review: Top Ten Films|Top Ten Films]]
| {{draw|4th Place}}
| align="center"| <ref>{{cite web |url=https://nationalboardofreview.org/award-years/1946/ |title=1946 Award Winners |publisher=[[National Board of Review]] |access-date=July 5, 2021}}</ref>
|-
| [[1946 New York Film Critics Circle Awards|New York Film Critics Circle Awards]]
| [[New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress|Best Actress]]
| Celia Johnson
| {{won}}
| align="center"| <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nyfcc.com/awards/?awardyear=1946 |title=1946 New York Film Critics Circle Awards |publisher=[[New York Film Critics Circle]] |access-date=July 5, 2021}}</ref>
|}

==Legacy==
In her book ''Noël Coward'' (1987), Frances Gray notes that ''Brief Encounter'' is, after Coward’s major comedies, his most prominent work. The film has frequently aired on television to high viewership consistently.  <blockquote>Its story is that of an unconsummated affair between two married people [....] Coward is keeping his lovers in check because he cannot handle the energies of a less inhibited love in a setting shorn of the wit and exotic flavour of his best comedies [....] To look at the script, shorn of David Lean's beautiful camera work, deprived of an audience who would automatically approve of the final sacrifice, is to find oneself asking awkward questions (pp. 64–67).</blockquote>

''Brief Encounter'' has earned a lasting legacy in cinema history. In 1952, it was voted one of the 10 greatest films ever made in two separate critics' polls.<ref>{{cite web |title=Brief Encounter (1945) |url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/69696/brief-encounter#articles-reviews |access-date=17 March 2017 |website=Turner Classic Movies}}</ref> In 1999, the [[British Film Institute]] ranked it #2 on the [[BFI Top 100 British films]] list, behind only ''[[The Third Man]]'', and in 2004 ''[[Total Film]]'' magazine named it the 44th greatest British film of all time. Film critic Derek Malcolm included it in his 2000 column ''The Century of Films''. British historian Thomas Dixon remarked that ''Brief Encounter'' "has become a classic example of a very modern and very British phenomenon—weeping over the [[stiff upper lip]], crying at people not crying. The audiences for these wartime weepies could, through their own tears, provide something that was lacking in their own lives as well as those of the on-screen stoics they admired."<ref>{{cite book |last=Dixon |first=Thomas |title=Weeping Britannia: Portrait of a Nation in Tears |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2015 |isbn=978-0-19-967605-7 |location=Oxford, UK}}</ref>

Director [[Robert Altman]]'s wife Kathryn Altman said, "One day, years and years ago, just after the war, [Altman] had nothing to do and he went to a theater in the middle of the afternoon to see a movie. Not a Hollywood movie: a British movie. He said the main character was not glamorous, not a babe. And at first he wondered why he was even watching it. But twenty minutes later, he was in tears, and had fallen in love with her. And it made him feel that it wasn't just a movie." The film was ''Brief Encounter''.<ref>A quote from the final scene in the 2014 documentary ''[[Altman (film)|Altman]]''.</ref>

The film's influence extends into other works. The British play and film ''The History Boys'' features two characters reciting a passage from ''Brief Encounter''.

The episode "Grief Encounter" of the British comedy series [[Goodnight Sweetheart (TV series)|''Goodnight Sweetheart'']] features a reference to Coward and includes a scene filmed at Milford railway station, echoing ''Brief Encounter''. Similarly, "[[Mum's Army]]", an episode of ''[[Dad's Army]]'', appears to be loosely inspired by the film.

''Brief Encounter'' also serves as a plot device in ''[[Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont]]'' (2005), a comedy-drama film based on [[Elizabeth Taylor (novelist)|Elizabeth Taylor]]'s [[Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont (novel)|1971 novel]]. In the story, the aging widow Mrs. Palfrey reminisces about ''Brief Encounter'' as her and her late husband’s favorite film, leading to a significant connection between her young friend and writer Ludovic Meyer and his eventual girlfriend.

In the 2012 [[Sight and Sound|''Sight & Sound'']] polls of the world’s greatest films, ''Brief Encounter'' received votes from 11 critics and three directors.<ref>{{cite web |title=Votes for Brief Encounter (1946) |url=http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b6a66b375/sightandsoundpoll2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202080944/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b6a66b375/sightandsoundpoll2012 |archive-date=2 February 2017 |access-date=28 January 2017 |website=[[British Film Institute]]}}</ref>

==Social context==
{{tone|section|date=March 2017}}
Frances Gray acknowledges a common criticism of the play: why do the characters not consummate the affair? Gray argues that the characters' restraint is rooted in [[class consciousness]]. While the working classes might be seen as vulgar and the upper classes as frivolous, the middle class, which sees itself as the moral backbone of society, upholds these values. Coward, whose principal audience was the middle class, was reluctant to question or jeopardize these norms.<ref>{{cite book |last=Gray |first=Frances |title=Noel Coward |publisher=Macmillan International Higher Education |year=1987 |isbn=1-3491-8802-6 |series=Macmillan Modern Dramatists |location=London, UK}}</ref>

In her narration, Laura emphasizes that what ultimately holds her back is not class consciousness, but her deep-seated horror at the thought of betraying her husband and her moral principles, despite being profoundly tempted by her emotions. This tension between desire and duty is a key element that has contributed to the film's enduring appeal.

The values that Laura precariously, but ultimately successfully, upholds were widely shared and respected at the time of the film's setting. For instance, the stigma associated with divorce was significant enough to cause [[Abdication of Edward VIII|Edward VIII to abdicate]] in 1936. Updating the story to a more contemporary setting might have rendered these values obsolete, thereby undermining the plot's credibility—a factor that may explain why [[Brief Encounter (1974 film)|the 1974 remake]] failed to resonate as strongly.<ref>{{cite book |last=Handford |first=Peter |title=Sounds of Railways |publisher=[[David & Charles]] |year=1980 |isbn=0-7153-7631-4 |location=[[Newton Abbot]]}}</ref>

The film was released against the backdrop of the Second World War, a period when "brief encounters" were common, and women experienced greater sexual and [[economic freedom]] than before. In ''British National Cinema'' (1997), Sarah Street argues that "''Brief Encounter'' articulated a range of feelings about infidelity that invited easy identification, whether it involved one's husband, lover, children, or country (p.&nbsp;55). In this context, [[Feminism|feminist]] critics have interpreted the film as an attempt to stabilize relationships and restore the pre-war social order.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Crowther |first=Bosley |date=1946-08-26 |title=THE SCREEN IN REVIEW |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1946/08/26/archives/the-screen-in-review.html |access-date=2023-02-06 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

In his 1993 BFI book on the film, [[Richard Dyer]] notes that, with the rise of homosexual law reform, gay men also identified with the characters' plight, seeing it as analogous to their own social constraints in forming and maintaining relationships. [[Sean O'Connor (producer)|Sean O'Connor]] further considers the film an "allegorical representation of forbidden love," informed by Coward's experiences as a closeted gay man.{{sfnp|O'Connor|1998|p=157}}

==Further adaptations==

===Radio===
[[File:Brief Encounter.JPG|thumb|alt=ALT TEXT|Jenny Seagrove and Nigel Havers rehearsing]]''Brief Encounter'' was adapted as a radio play on the 20 November 1946 episode of ''[[Academy Award (radio series)|Academy Award Theater]]'', starring [[Greer Garson]].<ref>{{cite news |date=16 November 1946 |title=Greer Garson Stars in "Brief Encounter" On Academy Award—WHP |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/3225864/harrisburg_telegraph/ |access-date=14 September 2015 |newspaper=Harrisburg Telegraph |page=17 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}} {{Open access}}</ref> It was also presented three times on ''[[The Screen Guild Theater]]'': on 12 May 1947 with [[Herbert Marshall]] and [[Lilli Palmer]], on 12 January 1948 with Marshall and [[Irene Dunne]], and on 11 January 1951 with [[Stewart Granger]] and [[Deborah Kerr]]. Additionally, ''[[Lux Radio Theatre|Lux Radio Theater]]'' adapted the film on 29 November 1948 with Garson and [[Van Heflin]], and again on 14 May 1951 with [[Olivia de Havilland]] and [[Richard Basehart]].

On 30 October 2009, as part of the celebrations for the 75th anniversary of the [[BBC]]'s [[Maida Vale Studios]], [[Jenny Seagrove]] and [[Nigel Havers]] starred in a special [[BBC Radio 2|Radio 2]] production of ''Brief Encounter'', performed live from Maida Vale's studio 6 (MV6). The script used was a 1947 adaptation for radio by Maurice Horspool, which had been in the BBC's archives and had never been performed since its creation.

In addition, ''Theatre Guild on the Air'' broadcast two adaptations of ''Brief Encounter'' in its original form, ''Still Life''. The first aired on 6 April 1947 on [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] featuring [[Ingrid Bergman]], [[Sam Wanamaker]] and [[Peggy Wood]]. The second aired on 13 November 1949 on [[NBC]], starring [[Helen Hayes]] and [[David Niven]].

===TV===
* In 1961, ''Brief Encounter'' was adapted for television, starring [[Dinah Shore]] and [[Ralph Bellamy]].<ref>[https://archive.org/details/variety-1961-03/page/30/mode/1up?q=%22brief+encounter%22 Review of production] at Variety</ref>
* A [[Brief Encounter (1974 film)|1974 television remake]], aired in the United States on ''[[Hallmark Hall of Fame]]'', featured [[Sophia Loren]] and [[Richard Burton]]. However, this version was not well received by critics or audiences.<ref>{{cite news |last=O'Connor |first=John J. |date=12 November 1974 |title=TV - 'Brief Encounter' - Burton and Miss Loren Portray Lovers on Hallmark Film at 8.30 on NBC |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1974/11/12/archives/tv-brief-encounter-burton-and-miss-loren-portray-lovers-on-hallmark.html |access-date=10 March 2016 |newspaper=The New York Times}}</ref>

===Theatre===
The first adaptation of ''Brief Encounter'' to source from both the screenplay and Noël Coward's original stage material was created by Andrew Taylor and starred [[Hayley Mills]]. This production embarked on its first national tour in 1996 and later transferred to the [[West End theatre|West End]], where it played at the [[Lyric Theatre, London|Lyric Theatre]], [[Shaftesbury Avenue]], in 2000, featuring [[Jenny Seagrove]] in the lead role.

'''Emma Rice/Kneehigh Theatre adaptation'''

The [[Kneehigh Theatre]] production, adapted and directed by [[Emma Rice]], was a unique blend of the film and Coward's original stage play, incorporating additional musical elements. Produced by [[David Pugh (theatre producer)|David Pugh]] and [[Dafydd Rogers]], the adaptation premiered at [[Birmingham Repertory Theatre]] in October 2007 and later at the [[Leeds Playhouse|West Yorkshire Playhouse]] before opening in February 2008 at the Haymarket Cinema in London, which was temporarily converted into a theatre for the play.<ref>{{cite news |last=Billington |first=Michael |date=18 February 2008 |title=Theatre Review: Brief Encounter |url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2008/feb/18/theatre1 |access-date=26 April 2010 |work=[[The Guardian]] |location=London}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Cheal |first=David |date=8 February 2008 |title=Brief Encounter: 'I want people to laugh and cry. That's our job' |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/theatre/drama/3671045/Brief-Encounter-I-want-people-to-laugh-and-cry.-Thats-our-job.html |work=The Daily Telegraph |location=London}}</ref> The 2008 London cast included Amanda Lawrence, Tamzin Griffin, Tristan Sturrock, and [[Naomi Frederick]] in lead roles. The production ran until November 2008 and subsequently toured the UK from February to July 2009, with performances at venues including the Oxford Playhouse, [[Marlowe Theatre]] and [[Richmond Theatre (London)|Richmond Theatre]]. During the tour, the lead roles were played by [[Hannah Yelland]] and Milo Twomey.

The US premiere of the Kneehigh adaptation was held at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco from September to October 2009.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Noel Coward's 'Brief Encounter' |url=http://www.act-sf.org/0910/briefencounter/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091006202703/http://www.act-sf.org/0910/briefencounter/index.html |archive-date=6 October 2009 |website=American Conservatory Theater}}</ref> The production later moved to [[St. Ann's Warehouse]] in Brooklyn, New York, for performances in December 2009 and January 2010, followed by a run at the [[Guthrie Theater]] in Minneapolis from February to April 2010.<ref>{{cite web |date=2009 |title=Current shows & projects |url=http://www.kneehigh.co.uk/shows/brief-encounter/tour-dates.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090122214331/http://www.kneehigh.co.uk/shows/brief-encounter/tour-dates.php |archive-date=22 January 2009 |website=Kneehigh Theatre}}</ref>

A [[Roundabout Theatre Company]] production of the Kneehigh adaptation opened at [[Studio 54]] in New York City on 28 September 2010, starring Hannah Yelland, Tristan Sturrock, and other members of the London cast.<ref>{{cite web |last=Diamond |first=Robert |date=7 June 2010 |title=Noel Coward's 'Brief Encounter' to Open at Studio 54 in September |url=http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Noel_Cowards_BRIEF_ENCOUNTER_to_Open_at_Studio_54_in_September_20010101 |access-date=12 September 2010 |website=BroadwayWorld.com}}</ref> The limited engagement closed on 2 January 2011, after 21 previews and 119 performances, including a four-week extension.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Jones |first=Kenneth |date=2 January 2011 |title=Broadway's 'Brief Encounter', a Romance With Theatrical Lift, Ends Jan. 2 |url=http://www.playbill.com/news/article/146243-Broadways-Brief-Encounter-a-Romance-With-Theatrical-Lift-Ends-Jan-2 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110114054813/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/146243-Broadways-Brief-Encounter-a-Romance-With-Theatrical-Lift-Ends-Jan-2 |archive-date=14 January 2011 |magazine=[[Playbill]]}}</ref>

After an Australian tour in the autumn of 2013, Kneehigh's ''Brief Encounter'' was staged at the Wallis Annenberg Center in Beverly Hills and the Shakespeare Theatre in Washington, D.C., in the spring of 2014.<ref>{{cite web |date=2013 |title=Tour Dates |url=http://www.kneehigh.co.uk/show/brief-encounter.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131019182316/http://www.kneehigh.co.uk/show/brief-encounter.php |archive-date=19 October 2013 |access-date=20 October 2013 |website=Kneehigh Theatre}}</ref>

The production returned to the UK in 2018, opening at [[Birmingham Repertory Theatre]] (where it originally premiered) and [[The Lowry]] in [[Salford, Greater Manchester|Salford]] in February, before returning to the Haymarket Cinema in London from March to September 2018.

===Opera===
In May 2009, [[Houston Grand Opera]] premiered a two-act opera titled [[Brief Encounter (opera)|''Brief Encounter'']], based on the film's story. The opera featured music by [[André Previn]] and a [[libretto]] by [[John Caird (director)|John Caird]].<ref>{{cite web |date=2009 |title=Brief Encounter - Previn - World Premiere |url=http://www.houstongrandopera.org/page.aspx?pageid=12017629 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090330073220/http://www.houstongrandopera.org/page.aspx?pageid=12017629 |archive-date=30 March 2009 |website=[[Houston Grand Opera]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Walker |first=Lynne |date=24 October 2008 |title=Brief Encounter: The Opera |url=http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/classical/features/brief-encounter-the-opera-971252.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100725022154/http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/classical/features/brief-encounter-the-opera-971252.html |archive-date=25 July 2010 |newspaper=The Independent}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[BFI Top 100 British films]]
*[[Meghamalhar]]<ref>{{cite news | url=https://m.timesofindia.com/entertainment/malayalam/movies/news/Row-over-Kerala-State-Films-Award/articleshow/15137396.cms | title=Row over Kerala State Films Award - Times of India | website=[[The Times of India]] }}</ref>
* [[List of films featuring fictional films]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

===Sources===
*{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/davidleanbiograp0000brow/page/198/mode/1up?q=+%22brief+encounter%22|title= David Lean : a biography|last=Brownlow|first= Kevin|year=1997 |publisher= A Wyatt Book for St. Martin's Press }}
*{{cite book |last=Vermilye |first=Jerry |title=The Great British Films |pages=91–93 |date=1978 |publisher=Citadel Press |isbn=0-8065-0661-X}}
*{{cite book |last=Coward |first=Noël |title=Brief Encounter: Screenplay |location=London |publisher=Faber & Faber |date=1999 |isbn=0-571-19680-2}}
*{{cite book |last=Dyer |first=Richard |author-link=Richard Dyer |title=Brief Encounter |publisher=British Film Institute |location=London, UK |year=1993 |isbn=978-0-85170-362-6}}
*{{cite book |last=O'Connor |first=Sean |title=Straight Acting: Popular Gay Drama from Wilde to Rattigan |location=London, UK |publisher=Cassell |date=1998 |isbn=0-304-32866-9}}
*{{cite book |last=Street |first=Sarah |title=British National Cinema |location=London |publisher=Routledge |date=1997 |isbn=0-415-06736-7}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb title|0037558}}
* {{TCMDb title|69696}}
* {{rotten-tomatoes|1003094_brief_encounter}}
* {{Screenonline title|456083}}. Full synopsis and film stills (and clips viewable from UK libraries)
* {{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/oxford/stage/2004/11/still_life_review.shtml |title='Still Life' at the Burton Taylor |first=Alison |last=Ireland |date=November 2004 |website=BBC Oxford}}
* {{cite web |url=http://www.leninimports.com/brief_encounter.html |title=Brief Encounter: movie review |date=2014 |website=Leninimports |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180512073504/http://www.leninimports.com/brief_encounter.html |archive-date=12 May 2018}}
*{{cite web |url=http://www.britmovie.net/British-film-Locations/brief-encounter-1945.html |title=Locations: Brief Encounter |website=Britmovie |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100913133148/http://www.britmovie.net/British-film-Locations/brief-encounter-1945.html |archive-date=2010-09-13}}
* {{cite web |url=https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/88-brief-encounter |title=Brief Encounter |first=Adrian |last=Turner |date=26 June 2000 |website=[[Criterion Collection]]}}
* {{cite web |url=https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/2222--riskiest-thing-i-ever-did-notes-on-brief-encounter |title='Riskiest Thing I Ever Did': Notes on Brief Encounter |first=Kevin |last=Brownlow |date=27 March 2012 |website=Criterion Collection}}

'''Streaming audio'''
* {{cite web |url=https://archive.org/download/OTRR_Academy_Award_Theater_Singles/Academy_Award_46-11-20_ep35_Brief_Encounter.mp3 |title=Brief Encounter |website=[[Academy Award (radio)|Academy Award Theater]] |date=20 November 1946}}
* {{cite web |url=https://archive.org/download/ScreenGuildTheater/Sgt_47-05-12_ep347_Brief_Encounter.mp3 |title=Brief Encounter |website=[[Screen Guild Theater]] |date=12 May 1947}}
* {{cite web |url=https://archive.org/download/ScreenGuildTheater/Sgt_48-01-26_ep372_Brief_Encounter.mp3 |title=Brief Encounter |website=Screen Guild Theater |date=26 January 1948}}

{{David Lean}}
{{Noël Coward musicals}}
{{Navboxes
|title = Awards for ''Brief Encounter''
|list =
{{Palme d'Or}}
}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1945 films]]
[[Category:1945 romantic drama films]]
[[Category:British black-and-white films]]
[[Category:British romantic drama films]]
[[Category:Films about infidelity]]
[[Category:British films based on plays]]
[[Category:Films directed by David Lean]]
[[Category:Films produced by Noël Coward]]
[[Category:Films produced by Anthony Havelock-Allan]]
[[Category:Films produced by Ronald Neame]]
[[Category:Films set in 1938]]
[[Category:Films set in England]]
[[Category:Palme d'Or winners]]
[[Category:Rail transport films]]
[[Category:Eagle-Lion Films films]]
[[Category:Films adapted into operas]]
[[Category:1940s English-language films]]
[[Category:1940s British films]]
[[Category:English-language romantic drama films]]
[[Category:Films about adultery in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Films set in railway stations]]