THE END OF THE AFFAIR

US/UK, 1999, 102 minutes, Colour.
Ralph Fiennes, Julianne Moore, Stephen Rea, Ian Hart, Jason Isaacs, James Bolam.
Directed by Neil Jordan
Civil servant, Henry Miles, and novelist, Maurice Bendrix, meet in 1946. Maurice remembers his affair with Miles' wife, Sarah. It began before the outbreak of the war. In 1944, after a bombing raid, Sarah suddenly breaks off the affair without any explanation to Maurice.

Henry is again suspicious of Sarah. He agrees to Maurice hiring Parkis, a private detective. Parkis is always accompanied by his son, Lance, who works as a lookout. Lance has a very visible birthmark on his face.

Parkis steals Sarah's journal. The truth is revealed. In 1944 Sarah had found Maurice unconscious after the bomb hit and promised God that, if he allowed Maurice to live, she would end the affair. Maurice miraculously revived.

Sarah is now visiting Fr Smythe who is instructing her in the Catholic faith. When she and Maurice encounter each other again, she decides to go away to Brighton with him, knowing that this is breaking her promise to God. When they are confronted by Henry, Maurice learns that Sarah is dying of cancer. Parkis and Maurice meet at her funeral. Parkis tells him that Sarah had kissed Lance and his birthmark had disappeared.

Confession and guilt over sexual sins are key themes of many Graham Greene novels. Neil Jordan (who has an Irish Catholic background and has directed movies like Mona Lisa, The Crying Game, The Butcher Boy) has adapted Greene's novel and made an adult, intelligent drama. It raises questions of God, faith and self-sacrifice. These are successfully geared to a contemporary sensibility even though the story is set in the 1930s and 1940s. A rather restrained ('sanitised') version of The End of the Affair was released in 1955 with Deborah Kerr and Van Johnson.

Ralph Fiennes brings his usual intensity to the role of the novelist. Julianne Moore is the surprise with her Oscar-nominated performance as Sarah. An American, she seems perfect as the Englishwoman. Stephen Rea is the prim but grieving husband and Ian Hart is excellent as Parkis.

Sarah, a lapsed Catholic, begins an exploration of her relationship with the demanding, even jealous God, going to a priest for advice. Despite her broken promise to God, she grows in holiness. The movie differs from the novel: Jordan has Sarah going back on her word to God and risking damnation (a typically Greene theme, explicitly explored in The Heart of the Matter) by going back to Maurice. Nevertheless, her love for God has a literally miraculous effect on the son of the private detective. Greene and Jordan challenge their audiences to ask: what is faith, what is holiness, what is love and self-sacrifice?


1. The writing of Graham Greene? His novels? In the 1940s and 50s? Issues of God, faith, prayer? The role of the church, priests? Catholicism? Theology and spirituality? The plot echoing the themes and the perspectives of the 40s and 50s?

2. This film as an interpretation for the 21st century, the focus on love, sexuality, fidelity and infidelity, the role of God, prayer, belief and lack of belief, renunciation, miracles? The contrast between the attitudes of Sarah and Maurice?

3. London 1939, during the blitz of 1933-44, the peace years, 1946? London pre-war, post-war? Ordinary London? Miles and his government circle, Maurice and his literary circle? Peace, the celebration, VE Day? A portrait of London during the war? Michael Nyman’s score and its insistent style? The song?

4. The title, expectations? Love and sexuality, infidelity, the consequences? Making this explicit?

5. The structure of the film: Maurice, his book, Sarah’s diary, hating Sarah? 1946 and his memories? The flashbacks, pre-war, during the war? The encounter with Sarah? The recurring flashbacks? Maurice’s viewpoint? Sarah’s viewpoint – and the same scene shown? In the restaurant, from the words of Sarah’s diary? The affair and the bomb? Prayer and faith?

6. Ralph Fiennes as Maurice, British writer, typing (and the credits)? His voice-over? His motivations, love-hate? Meeting Miles, the rain, their talking? The issue of the detective? His decision, going to the agency? Discussing with the manager? Parkis and his getting the job, his son? His taking Henry to the house, the encounter with Sarah on the stairs, the tension? Her phone call, suggesting Thursday for their meeting? The cafe, talking, her leaving? The setup for his behaviour?

7. Sarah and Henry, married ten years, 1939, the party, meeting Maurice, their clicking, talking, the later meetings and kiss? The beginning of the affair, its duration? The visualising of the meetings, the passion? The talk of love, the loved one being absent yet love remaining? The end of an affair – but love continuing?

8. Maurice, his career as a writer, his self-absorption, love for Sarah, his ability to deceive Henry? As he remembered himself from 1946? In the light of Sarah’s diary?

9. Sarah, her life, in the shadow of her husband, ready for an affair, needing passion? Meeting Maurice, her willingly beginning the affair? And yet her faithfulness to stay with Henry?

10. The lovemaking, the explosion, Maurice and his warning, going out, falling down the stairs, being killed by explosion, the visuals of the explosion and his fall? The scene being repeated from Sarah’s experience of it? Her prayer, kneeling, speaking to God, not knowing how to address God? Maurice alive? Her promise, decision to keep her promise, leaving Maurice?

11. The passing of two years, her life, her illness? With Henry? Going to the church, her prayer, visiting the priest, confiding in him?

12. Parkis, his personality, his son? His skill in following Sarah? The report about the restaurant – reporting about Maurice himself? His using Lance to follow Sarah? The various reports? Parkis as a decent man, his codes? His going to Sarah’s room, taking the journal? The Brighton photos? Lance, his encounter with Sarah, her catching him, kind to him, taking him to the Underground, the kiss? Lance and his reasons for considering his healing a miracle? Sarah a saint?

13. Sarah and her promise, meeting Maurice again, her inability to keep her promise? Going to Brighton, the pier, the photos?

14. Henry and his concern about Sarah’s illness? Inviting Maurice into the home? Maurice and his protectiveness? His using Parkis’s (**? Or Parkis as?) information, discovering Father Smythe, his being taken aback? His hostility? Preventing Sarah from seeing Father Smythe? The funeral, the discussion – and Maurice’s continued antagonism? The stances taken by Father Smythe?

15. The God-language in the film, addressing God, the experience of God, grace, happiness, issues of baptism and Sarah being baptised as a Catholic as a child? The role of confessing, of absolution? Belief in God’s love – even though God was never seen?

16. Maurice’s stances against God, his control, having to let go, staying with Henry and helping him? His being graced in some way by Sarah’s death? The discovery of Lance’s healing? Bewilderment?

17. Graham Greene and his Catholicism of the 20th century, the intellectual and stern interpretation of doctrine, of sin and penalties? A 21st century interpretation of these issues and themes?