| Personal Affair | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Anthony Pelissier (as Anthony Pélissier) |
| Written by | Lesley Storm from her play "A Day's Mischief" |
| Produced by | Antony Darnborough |
| Starring | Gene Tierney Leo Genn Glynis Johns |
| Cinematography | Reginald H. Wyer |
| Edited by | Frederick Wilson |
| Music by | William Alwyn |
| Production company | Two Cities Films |
| Distributed by | United Artists |
| Release dates |
|
| Running time | 82 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Personal Affair is a 1953 British drama film directed by Anthony Pelissier and starring Gene Tierney, Leo Genn and Glynis Johns. It was made at Pinewood Studios by Two Cities Films. The screenplay by Lesley Storm was based on her play "A Day's Mischief."
Plot summary
Teenager Barbara Vining (Glynis Johns) has an unrequited crush on her Latin-language teacher, Stephen Barlow (Leo Genn) and goes to his house for private tutoring. Barlow's wife Kay (Gene Tierney) notices Barbara's infatuation and cruelly confronts her. Barbara, who is humiliated, runs out of their house. Stephen phones Barbara at her home and asks her to meet him at the village weir, late at night, which she does.
Barbara does not return home to her parents Henry (Walter Fitzgerald) and Vi (Megs Jenkins). By the next day Vi becomes distraught and is heavily sedated, while Henry angrily confronts Stephen. The police are brought in and Stephen lies to them about meeting Barbara at the weir. By the second day, Stephen is accused by the community, without any evidence, of having had an affair with Barbara or even of causing her death by murder or suicide.
Barbara's gossipy spinster Aunt Evelyn (Pamela Brown), who lives with the family, makes the situation considerably worse with her innuendo, by projecting her own, much earlier unrequited love experience onto her niece. As the police drag the river to find Barbara's body, an irate group of concerned mothers meet with the school's headmaster, causing Stephen to lose his job. He confesses his original lie to Kay, but Aunt Evelyn tells Kay that Stephen was having an affair with Barbara. Kay flees her home, much as she had earlier caused Barbara to do. After three days, Barbara returns, alive, but questions remain.
Cast
- Gene Tierney as Kay Barlow
- Leo Genn as Stephen Barlow
- Glynis Johns as Barbara Vining
- Walter Fitzgerald as Henry Vining
- Pamela Brown as Aunt Evelyn
- Megs Jenkins as Vi Vining
- Michael Hordern as Headmaster Griffith
- Thora Hird as Mrs. Usher
- Norah Gorsen as Phoebe
- Nanette Newman as Sally
- Martin Boddey as Police Inspector
Critical reaction
The film was reviewed by Bosley Crowther of The New York Times in the 23 October 1954 edition. Crowther called the film "a decent, eventually tedious film".
References
- Variety film review; 28 October 1953, page 6.
- Harrison's Reports film review; 9 January 1954, page 6.
- Monthly Film Bulletin review; 1953, page 160.
- Crowther, Bosley (23 October 1954). "Personal Affair (1953) - The Screen in Review". New York Times. Retrieved 29 July 2009.
External links
- Personal Affair at the TCM Movie Database
- Personal Affair at IMDb
| Films directed by Anthony Pelissier | |
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- 1953 films
- British black-and-white films
- 1953 crime drama films
- British crime drama films
- Films about educators
- Films shot at Pinewood Studios
- Films set in England
- Films directed by Anthony Pelissier
- Films scored by William Alwyn
- 1950s English-language films
- 1950s British films
- English-language crime drama films
- Crime drama film stubs
- 1950s British film stubs