Men on Purpose

Home

The Browning Version

Start with "Goodbye to Mr. Chips", take out the songs and the unlikely romance and you have the story of The Browning Version.  In this very British film (and stage play) of the 1940's all the emotions are understated compared to today's standards but the subject matter is timeless.      Andrew Crocker-Harris (Michael Redgrave) has been slowly dying inside for years.   At middle age his promising career as a schoolmaster is in ruins and his wife openly cheating on him.  Heart problems forces him into partial retirement while he waits to hear from the school board regarding the fate of his pension.   The film paints a dreary picture until first a boy, then his wife's lover begin to speak their mind.

Themes:  The classically British tone of the film is appropriate as the story is about men staying silent because they don't see how they can ask for what they want or express their passion.  There is a heavyness to the plot until men and boy begin to speak the truth.

Director: Anthoy Asquith      Screenplay: Terence Rattigan from his play
Winner Canness Film Festival, Best Actor & Best Screenplay
1951, B&W, 90 minutes

The Valley of Decision

[ Home ]

Webmaster: Cortlandt Wilson  (webmaster@cortsoft.com)                 Last Revised: 05-May-1999 02:05:58 AM