Encounter proves a success By Louise Browning I've always wanted to see 'Brief Encounter', primarily due to its Carnforth connection. But after seeing this classic during a special screening at the Dukes Cinema on Sunday, I realised it could have been filmed at any railway station. There was no reference to Carnforth, which was transformed into Milford Junction. Only a fleeting glimpse of a sign directing trains to Grange and Bradford showed that this film was in fact set in the north and not, as the cast's accents would suggest, in a southern middle-class area. However, it was thrilling to see a station I've visited many times at the centre of such a classic piece of cinema and to know that Such renowned greats as David Lean and Noel Coward led its direction and production. And it's a credit to 'Brief Encounter' that 50 years on it still has pulling power as it was almost a full-house at the Dukes' first Screening. There's no doubt that this is a very dated film thanks to the terrible English restraint of its stars Trevor Howard and Celia Johnson but it never bored me. In fact 'Brief Encounter' was a refreshing change. The only disappointment was the announcement before the film began that the documentary footage of the film's making in Carnforth could not be shown. Apparently the only copy has been lost in the vaults of ITN so now the only memories of this unique happening in Carnforth rest with some of the townspeople who were extras in the film. Lancaster Guardian 10 th March 1995
|
|||||||
