The Passionate Friends
Opens Friday 6 June 2008
With Ann Todd, Trevor Howard, Claude Rains
91 mins. Cert PG
Newly restored by the BFI and Granada International, The Passionate Friends is one of the least known films in the director's distinguished canon, yet this absorbing love story is a fascinating companion piece to Brief Encounter and has been hailed by critic David Thomson as - of all Lean's works - "the film most deserving rediscovery".
Ann Todd stars as the enigmatic, emotionally reticent Mary who has chosen a comfortable life with her rich banker husband (Claude Rains) over romantic passion with her first love Steven (Trevor Howard). Turmoil ensues when Steven suddenly reappears in her life. With its subtle performances, nuanced direction and beautiful cinematography, The Passionate Friends, adapted from a story by H G Wells, is a triumph of visual storytelling from a master of the art.
19 - 21 August
22 - 23 August
24 August
Riverside Studios, Hammersmith
27 August
Chichester, Cinema at New Park
2 - 3 September
17 September
29 - 30 September
19 October
