THE PASSIONATE FRIENDS
UK, 1948, 87 minutes, Black and white.
Ann Todd, Trevor Howard, Claude Raines, Betty Ann Davies, Isabel Dean.
Directed by David 'Lean.
The Passionate Friends is an early David Lean film, just after his Brief Encounter, and at the same time as Great Expectations and Oliver Twist. It is a love story centring on a woman who is loving but selfish. The man she really loves tells her that her life will be a failure. It almost is. This is a fine, short film (much shorter than the films David Lean has made in recent years) and Ann Todd (Lean's wife) gives an excellent performance. (Ann Todd also appeared in Madeleine; The Sound Barrier). At the beginning of the film she appears as quite girlish, going on holiday, but at the end appears at the brink of despair. Lean uses her expressive face to convey much of her turmoil. A young Trevor Howard (Brief Encounter; Ryan's Daughter) is excellent, as is Claude Raines. The screenplay was by novelist, Eric Ambler. As a product of talented artists, and as a moving human drama. The Passionate Friends is a good film.
1. What made this version of 'the eternal triangle' different from others?
2. How did Mary's personality appear at the beginning and at the end of the film? What had happened in the meantime and how had this change been communicated to the audience?
3. How did the flashbacks work? How many levels were there? Was this structure effective?
4. Why did Mary refuse to marry Steven even though she loved him?
5. Explain Mary's personality, wanting to be herself and belong to no one but herself? Steven said she could never be happy this way - her life would be a failure. Was he right?
6. Compare the characters in the New Year's Eve sequence - Mary, Steven, Howard.
7. Discuss the use of close-ups of faces to convey moods, thought and development of character, especially Ann Todd.
8. The love affair - was the confrontation of Howard and Steven well presented? Why didn't Mary leave Howard?
9. After fifty minutes of flashbacks, the Swiss section resumes. How does this affect our appreciation of the scene begun so much earlier?
10. Nine years after the affair both are happy - almost strangers to each other. How does the picnic sequence show this?
11. Discuss the irony of Howard discovering their meeting - watching Mary wave goodbye and her tears.
12. Was Howard justified in seeking a divorce?
13. What future did Mary have with Howard divorcing her and Steven happily married?
14. Why did Mary try to kill herself? The irony of Howard telling Mary that he loved her?
15. Here you satisfied with the ending of the film?
16. In recent years, David Lean has made films of about three hours' length. This film is just under half that time. Comment on the amount of information, mood, atmosphere and character development given in such a comparatively short running time.
