The End of the Affair (1955 film)

The End of the Affair
Directed by	Edward Dmytryk
Written by	Lenore J. Coffee
Produced by	David Lewis
Starring	Deborah Kerr Van Johnson John Mills Peter Cushing Michael Goodliffe Stephen Murray Joyce Carey
Cinematography	Wilkie Cooper
Edited by	Alan Osbiston
Music by	Benjamin Frankel
Production company	Coronado Productions
Distributed by	Columbia Pictures
Release dates	24 February 1955 (1955-02-24) (United Kingdom) May 1955 (1955-05) (United States)
Running time	105 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

The End of the Affair is a black and white 1955 film directed by Edward Dmytryk and starring Deborah Kerr, Van Johnson, Peter Cushing and John Mills. It is based on the novel The End of the Affair by Graham Greene. It was filmed largely on location in London, particularly in and around the picturesque Chester Terrace. The film was entered into the 1955 Cannes Film Festival.

Plot summary

The writer Maurice Bendrix (Van Johnson) recalls his time in London toward the end of World War II, and following its conclusion, when he meets at a sherry party Sarah Miles (Deborah Kerr), the wife of his London acquaintance Henry Miles (Peter Cushing). They become lovers. During their affair his rooms on the square are bombed, she quits their relationship and he suffers from the loss and delayed shock from the bombing. It is after their break-up and the end of the war that Bendrix encounters Henry on the square, who invites him for a drink at his home especially as Sarah will not be there. He admits that he suspects the infidelity of his wife, has looked into a private investigator and approaches Bendrix to act on his behalf—but retracts the idea. Sarah returns home before Bendrix has left and she is curt in her exchange with him. Bendrix follows through with hiring a private detective agency. They come across information that the portrayal of Bendrix's housing situation being bombed did not disclose some facts about what happened to Bendrix and Sarah's wish that he be alive. Sarah had to resolve her infidelity with Bendrix, her prayer for Bendrix to be alive, her relationship with God and her marriage during discussions, sometimes extended, she had at all times of the day with a priest.

Cast

• Deborah Kerr as Sarah Miles
• Van Johnson as Maurice Bendrix
• John Mills as Albert Parkis
• Peter Cushing as Henry Miles
• Michael Goodliffe as Smythe
• Stephen Murray as Father Crompton
• Charles Goldner as Savage
• Nora Swinburne as Mrs. Bertram
• Frederick Leister as Dr. Collingwood
• Mary Williams as Maid
• O'Donovan Shiell as Doctor
• Elsie Wagstaff as Bendrix Landlady
• Christopher Warbey as Lancelot Parkis
• Nan Munro as Mrs. Tomkins
• Joyce Carey as Miss Palmer

Remake

The film was remade in 1999, starring Ralph Fiennes and Julianne Moore.

Release

Home media

This film has been made available on a DVD-video and was released on 16 May 2000. It contains both the 1955 and 1999 adaptations together with supporting material about their making.

External links

• The End of the Affair at IMDb
• The End of the Affair at AllMovie
• The End of the Affair at the TCM Movie Database
• The End of the Affair at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films