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.

a film about love or faith. or, more exactly, about the point when each becomes the other. far to be great, it is a beautiful film. for respect to novel, for the decent solutions, for the search to reflect nuances of story. its beauty is , in high measure, result of actors performance who becomes interesting frame from an old picture. Deborah Kerr is wise choice, mixture of fragility, desire and questions, axis of existence of the other, searching the fundamental answer as key for spiritual freedom. Van Johnson - decent performance, nothing new or impressive but perfect as Bendrix. a nice surprise - Peter Cushing who does its character as web of shadows. like many classic movies, the basic virtue is the flavor of lost period .

****SPOILERS**** Schmaltzy yet very penetrating film about forbidden love in the betrayal of one's spouse that leads to a series of life changing, as well as ending, events to all those involved. American writer Maurice Bendrix, Van Johnson,had been discharged from the US Army because of a trick knee and decided to spend the rest of the war in London writing a novel about the British civil service system. Meeting the Miles at a party Maurice notices civil servant Henry Miles',Peter Cshing, sexy wife Sarah, Deborah Kerr, smooching with a British Tommy out of the corner of his eye, in a back-room mirror, and feels that she's easy. The first time he's alone with Sarah in a pub, Maurice makes his move on her.Sarah is immediately smitten by the handsome and sweet talking American who's just the opposite of her dull by the books civil service husband Henry. Because Maurice has a very suspicious mind, unlike Henry, his affair with Sarah has a lot of bumps in it. The end comes when he's all alone with her while, like almost during the entire film, Henry is away at work. The Miles house is hit by a German V1 rocked knocking Maurice down a flight of stairs and burying him in the rubble. It's when Maurice miraculously recovers that he notices that the concerned for his life and safety Sarah had completely changed but the reason for her disaffection for Maurice is totally misunderstood by him. That's what leads to the crisis that follows in later driving both lovers to the brink of madness or even death and self-destruction.The movie cleverly has a number of parallel scenes inserted into it where we see what's the real reason behind Sarah's strange behavior, it has to do with her religious beliefs. Sarah is torn between her religion, Catholicism, and her love, while she's married to Henry, for another man Maurice. We also see that Marcice is determined to have Sarah all to himself and that he doesn't care it if would in the end not only kill Sarah but her weak and overly sensitive husband Henry ,who's life without her would be worthless.The ending is a bit too over dramatic even for this schmaltzy tear-jerker with Maurice almost on the brink of an emotional melt-down. He's****MAJOR SPOILER***told by the Miles family doctor that his beloved Sarah's, who at first was only suffering from a very bad cold, condition turned for the worse and with that she suddenly and unexpectedly passed away. It's the guilt of not leaving Maurice and getting on with her life with Henry that seemed to have driven Sarah, unconsciously not willfully, to kill herself! Even though it wouldn't conflict with her religious beliefs and in the end make everything turn out for the better in this three sided wild and forbidden love affair.Somewhat dated but still hits the spot with Deborah Kerr as both beautiful and sexy as ever, even with all her clothes on. Deborah or Sarah does her best and succeeds in showing how it's hard to overcome one's emotions when nature or what turned out to be the man of her dreams, Maurice, takes hold of them. You have to give both Deborah Kerr and her co-star Van Johnson credit in generating enough heat in the theater, or at home of those watching the movie, without having to turn to up the thermostat and thus saving a mint on the energy bill.

An American writer meets the wife of a civil service acquaintance and quickly starts an affair with her. However Maurice is plagued with feelings of guilt and jealousy against Henry having Sarah, and bitterness that Sarah is being deceitful to her husband and perhaps, him too. After a bombing falls near their love nest, Sarah leaves and Maurice assumes that she had wished him dead. When Henry confides in him about his wife's possible infidelity, Maurice poses as her husband and hires a private detective to follow her and find out what she's doing.I have not seen the remake but was quite interested to see how a 1950's movie would manage to depict the illicit affair between Maurice and Sarah without breaking every moral code of the day. The answer is – with lots of talking. The film is significantly shorter than the modern version and had less controversy (or at least, does now) but it still manages to bring things out. The plot is pretty good but relies very heavily on the extended flashback/journal sequence to keep things going. The talk heavy feel is a little tiring but does work well – the characters' emotions are brought out well without profanity or nudity.I don't think Johnson fitted the role that well but he was still good. His inner bitterness and guilt came out well at points and he brings his complex character out well. Kerr is also good although her role is less difficult. She does have to carry the whole journal sequence near the end and she doesn't let the film dip. Cushing only has a few scenes but he is very good. He gives an English gent performance but eventually you can see the cracks as he tries to hold his feelings together.Overall this is a solid adaptation of the book that manages to bring out the subject matter without the sexual excess of the modern version. While it is a little heavy on dialogue at times, the emotions come out with all the stilted control of the period and it works quite well as a subversive melodrama.