Afternoon:
10°c
Derek Malcolm's rating
A very middle class romance
By
Derek Malcolm
2 Aug 2007
When David Lean's classic was previewed in Rochester in 1945, a coarse laugh from near the front enlivened the first love scene between Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard. By the end of the film the audience was apparently rolling in the aisles.
The cinema was next to Chatham dockyards, which perhaps explains the initial verdict on this marvellous but very middle-class tragic romance.
Later, reviewers took so different a view that Rank advertised it in the industrial north as being good "in spite of the wild praise of the London critics".
Another amusing story about the film tells of the fight between Howard, who thought there ought to be a sex scene included, and Lean who knew jolly well that he couldn't get away with it at the time. "God, you are a funny chap," said Howard when denied his request.
"Funny chap or not," said Lean, "This is the way we're going to play the scene. Now come on!" Go and see it again - and try not to giggle at the clipped accents.
Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.
