Cathardincu Surprisingly incoherent and boring

VeteranLight I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

Listonixio Fresh and Exciting

CrawlerChunky In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

kijii This movie, based on a Graham Greene novel. Green was known as a Roman Catholic Novelist."Although Greene objected strongly to being described as a Roman Catholic novelist, rather than as a novelist who happened to be Catholic, Catholic religious themes are at the root of much of his writing, especially the four major Catholic novels: Brighton Rock, The Power and the Glory, The Heart of the Matter, and The End of the Affair; [6] which are regarded as "the gold standard" of the Catholic novel.[7] Several works, such as The Confidential Agent, The Third Man, The Quiet American, Our Man in Havana, and The Human Factor, also show Greene's avid interest in the workings and intrigues of international politics and espionage." --From WikipediaAlthough I am not a religious person, I remember being impressed by the story of the 1999 movie version, with Ralph Fiennes and Julianne Moore in the starring roles. TCM gave me the opportunity to see the 1955 version, with Van Johnson and Deborah Kerr in the starring roles. What impressed me was the strange nature of the two seemly unrelated subjects of religion (God) and extra-marital affairs and how well Green's treatment of this relationship plays out in both the 1999 and 1955 movie versions of the novel.Literature and movies are replete with stories about bargains made with the devil. However, I am not sure that most people would think of combining the two subjects of The End of the Affair. They wouldn't, that is, unless they were thrown into an intense emotional dilemma that made an extra-marital affair and a promise to God mutually exclusive. It is said that there are no atheists in foxholes. But, during the London bombings of WW II, it seems that the 'foxholes' had come to the city.This story plays out like a mystery. How could a married woman (Kerr) make a bargain (or prayer) to an unknown God in exchange for saving the life of her lover (Johnson) after she believed he was dead? And, what if she FELT that her prayer had been answered? What should her response be and to whom? A God that she didn't even believe in before her 'prayer' was answered? This becomes a spiritual quest for her. The sudden change in her attitude makes her appear suspicious to both her husband (Peter Cushing) and her lover (Johnson). So, without her husband knowing that her lover was his friend, the two have her followed by a private detective (John Mills) to discover who the lover is. However, the way the detective's mind works and what is really happening to her only adds to the mystery and puts the movie audience in the position of wondering how this story will all turn out.

Desertman84 The End of the Affair is a film directed by Edward Dmytryk.It stars Deborah Kerr, Van Johnson, Peter Cushing and John Mills. It is based on the novel The End of the Affair by Graham Greene.Maurice Bendrix is the clandestine lover of married Briton Sarah Miles. When Maurice disappears during the London blitz, Sarah feels responsible. She thought that if she hadn't been cheating on her husband Henry, Maurice might never have been placed in harm's way. She gets down on her knees and prays, promising to return to her husband and give him up Maurice if her lover's life is spared. The movie is definitely dated by today's standards as it told routine love story wherein everything is clichéd,formulaic and predictable.The performances of the cast saved this from being an average film even during the time it was released.Aside from that,the theme that Greene is trying to convey about morality and his belief in a demanding Catholicism that is not worried about pleasing anyone but God makes this film's message applicable even by today's time.

XweAponX I noticed in this film Van Johnson's voice has started to obtain gravel. Previously he just had a kind of whiny snide voice (Best example of this is in the 1948? 49? film "Battleground") I will always love Deborah Kerr, from my POV she can never do any wrong. It is all the better when she was handed a good script and a good director.I would classify this as one of the better scripts. This film is almost like a comedy of errors, instead it is a tragedy of errors. Actually it is quite a sad movie, I would have to read the original book that this was based upon.What attracted me to this film, are the spiritual aspects. If this film were to be remade today, and I see it was remade in 1999, I wonder how much of the spirituality would remain? I have yet to see the newer version. This film is a quest into the reason behind Faith. I can't explain it, but this film makes a lot of sense. Mrs Miles questions to the priest, to the atheist, and to God are all valid.Most people will see this film and will only consider the "affair" between Johnson's character and Kerr's... But that is not what this film is about at all: The affair is just a device author Graham Greene used to tell a story about Faith: What it means to have, and what is expected of us who have it.Of course this film has its melodramatic aspects. Also it has Peter Cushing, who is not chasing vampire Christopher Lee for once.The only weak things in this film are the confrontations between Van Johnson and Cushing- If I were Cushing and I had a wife that looked like Kerr I would have punched Johnson in the nose. But maybe the weakness of the encounters were to display that Cushing really did not care about his wife, being more interested in becoming a Lord or some important personage.

dbdumonteil This is the first version of the movie Neil Jordan remade in the late nineties.Based on a Graham Greene novel,it looks like a melodrama ( the chandelier scene is pure poetic melodrama) but with a strong metaphysical side.The construction of the film is complex,showing the same events from two points of view.Sometimes you may lose the vital lead ,for a lot of important things are not necessarily on the screen.If the movie is successful ,it's because of Deborah Kerr's extraordinary skills.She is sensational in her part of an unhappy woman,in search of something really worthwhile.Whereas Maurice (Van Johnson) is all passion and jealousy,her quest is much more demanding.A lot of us have ,at least once in our lives,asked God for something.And if this wish comes true,is it proof positive that God exists?And if the person who prayed Him is an atheist?Does it mean that she has got to change her way of thinking? That she is indebted to Him?That's Sarah's moral dilemma ,lost between her love for Maurice and her moral concern,and trying to find her way ,helped by two men Father Crompton and Smythe.Deborah Kerr's fans should watch this .At the time,Edward Dmytryk had probably moral concern too.