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65/100

Second viewing, last seen 1999. Vaguely recall having strongly disliked it then—the happy ending in particular—but can't imagine now why I or indeed anyone else would feel that way. (Maybe I somehow confused it in my head with Gone to Earth, which I genuinely do kinda hate.) It's a charming early example of what's since become a standard romcom premise: "Say, is it possible that I love this random stranger into whose constant company I've been thrown by unlikely circumstance more than I do the person I'm about to marry?" (Do I. Do I know where I'm going.) Likewise, the city slicker who's seduced by a geographically remote community has since become quite familiar, to the point where it's sometimes even divorced from romance entirely (as in Local Hero). Codifying future conventions is decidedly okay by me, and I no longer have any problem with the finale, which is admittedly a bit cheesy but entirely in keeping with what's mostly a lighthearted tone—stark psychological realism would feel false here. What holds me back from rapture is the lack of chemistry between Hiller and Livesey, who are both fine individually but never particularly look like a couple to me. Powell and Pressburger reportedly cut a tiny subplot about Catriona having the hots for Torquil, but Livesey and Pamela Brown still generate visible sparks in their brief scenes together, whereas Torquil's interest in Joan feels more like friendliness (and later, when he decides to join her on the boat, responsibility) than it does like passion. Livesey's inability to film on location might have played a factor in this—Hiller is often acting with his stand-in, as he was stuck in London performing onstage—but reading that the film was originally meant to star Deborah Kerr and James Mason inspired mental speculation that does the existing version's final clinch no real favors. Also doesn't help that I Know Where I'm Going! immediately followed A Canterbury Tale, my favorite Archers production by an order of magnitude; despite some impressive shots of the heavily symbolic Corryvreckan whirlpool, this feels downright tame by comparison. Still, it hits its marks, which is pretty damn good given that no such marks had as yet been placed. 

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Comments

Anonymous

Have you written about A Canterbury Tale anywhere? Also love that movie and find it very mysterious, would love to hear your thoughts on it.

gemko

I have not. Saw it in 2009, during the financial crisis, when I wasn’t really writing about anything for anybody.

Anonymous

Haven't seen this but "feels more like friendliness... than passion" sounds English as hell

Anonymous

Yes I agree... And yet the steamiest scene in Brief Encounter has them saying things like "Let me take that wet coat off. You'll catch your death of cold!"

gemko

Sparks don’t require groping. The strenuously polite intensity of Lean’s film is absent from IKWIG! (imo).