Brief Encounter

Brief Encounter
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	David Lean
Written by	Noël Coward Anthony Havelock-Allan David Lean Ronald Neame
Based on	Still Life 1936 play by Noël Coward
Produced by	Noël Coward Anthony Havelock-Allan Ronald Neame
Starring	Celia Johnson Trevor Howard
Cinematography	Robert Krasker
Edited by	Jack Harris
Music by	Sergei Rachmaninoff
Distributed by	Eagle-Lion Distributors
Release dates	13 November 1945 (1945-11-13) (London Premiere) 26 November 1945 (1945-11-26) (UK)
Running time	87 minutes[1]
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English
Budget	$1 million[2] or $1.4 million[3]

Brief Encounter is a 1945 British romantic drama film directed by David Lean from a screenplay by Noël Coward, based on his 1936 one-act 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 in supporting roles.

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.

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

At the 19th Academy Awards, Brief Encounter received 3 nominations – Best Director (Lean), Best Actress (Johnson) and Best Adapted Screenplay. but failed to win in any category. However, the film won the Palme d'Or at the 1st 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 one of the greatest films of all time. In 1999, the British Film Institute ranked it the second-greatest British film of all time. In 2017, a Time Out poll of 150 actors, directors, writers, producers, and critics ranked it the 12th-best British film ever.^[4]