Brief encounters and train platforms

An evening with David Lean and Krzysztof Kieslowski

And once again it had something to do with a trains. As I pointed some time before trains or trains platforms offer us some really amazing chance meetings. All those strangers and people walking around, losing their bags, hurrying to catch their trains. Seriously, not catching your trains can seriously damage or change your life.

Famous film from the polish director Krzysztof Kieslowski Blind Chance is all about a guy who was too late or too soon to catch one particular train – and it´s about his life but from three different perspectives. Everything because of the one train. Catch it or not to catch it. Communist, rebel, or a successful doctor? That is rather serious question there.

Two strangers from the David Lean 1945 feature Brief Encounter are rather interesting “pair“. Good wife and successful doctor had also found each other by a chance. One day they met in the small café near the train platform (looks like something is in my eye trick will always work),they fell in love and tried to cheat on their husband and wife. It may sound bold, but that´s exactly what this movies is about – it´s about trying not to love, about suppressing your feelings. Too bad their love was strong and too bad her husband was just too good and understanding to be abandoned.
I suppose that was rather the point. It said a lot of about human affiliations and that ever-present guilt in our lives.

I didn’t know much about film or about the actors. Apparently it’s again some sort of British national film treasure, because everyone around me saw it before and obviously they didn’t mind seeing it again.  And to say it frankly, I am not that much into romance (and I do not consider film as Casablanca to be a romance – for me it’s amazingly written war drama with great tragic pair of heroes). However, when I do like something it’s because a reason. And David Lean Brief Encounter is an amazing study of a relationship between man and woman, with fine actors performances and believable settings. Film feels very realistic – like life itself. I would definitely suggest it to anyone, even to the most cynical individuals.

This film is also David Lean last encounter with the writer and playwright Noel Coward. Sometimes it´s really hard to say goodbye.

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