The Passionate Friends

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The Passionate Friends

1949

1h 35m

Romance

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

73%

Tomatometer

11 Reviews

59%

Popcornmeter

100+ Ratings

In this drama, based on the H.G. Wells novel, Mary (Ann Todd) longs for Steven (Trevor Howard), a lover she turned down years ago. Later, Mary is married to Howard (Claude Rains), but meets up with Steven while on vacation in the Swiss Alps. A seemingly platonic encounter fueled by pent-up passion leads to an affair between Mary and Steven, and she must choose between the two men -- the husband who loves her and the now-married man she rejected years earlier.

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Liz Hoggard

London Evening Standard

Jan 12, 2018

The Passionate Friends looks gorgeous and has a feverishly modern intensity.

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Variety Staff

Variety

Mar 26, 2009

Polished acting, masterly direction and an excellent script put The Passionate Friends in the top rank of class British productions.

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Peter Bradshaw

Guardian

Oct 18, 2008

A minor gem from the David Lean canon.

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Josh Larsen

LarsenOnFilm

Nov 14, 2024

3.5/4

David Lean returns to the type of tortured romance he had explored in 1945’s Brief Encounter.

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MFB Critics

Monthly Film Bulletin

Feb 8, 2018

It is not a restful film and does not, for example, possess the integrity such as was shown by David Lean in his treatment of Brief Encounter.

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Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

Aug 27, 2008

C+

The glossy direction of the talented Lean made it watchable but only mildly pleasing as soapy entertainment.

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Martin B

@RT44235356 May 14, 2025

One of the best movies of the era I can recall. Start with the fact it’s unique. No real good guys or bad guys just people being human intertwined in complex relationships. The ending perhaps a bit predictable but under the circumstances what we all wanted to see.

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Allan H

@RT32011085 Apr 24, 2025

Whenever I have seen a movie with Anne Todd in it, I come up with the word "dreary." 1949 being over 70 years ago makes Claude Rains' grimaces the only signal that trouble brewed.

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Steve D

@RT35616104 Jan 21, 2024

You have sen it all before.

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laurent b

@RT95576478 Feb 15, 2022

During almost the entire movie, I thought it was very well-directed, well-played, everything you can expect from this movie director. But everything changed after the movie had ended, something overwhelmed me, something very deep and moving. To me this is one of the director's greatest movie.

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May 25, 2020

70-year movie and still so relevant. characters with motifs, not acting as puppets for directional point. this dynamic is not taking a sides, making it still fresh and relatable love story

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Jan 6, 2015

I don't like this movie as much as Brief Encounter, but it is good enough to surprise you that a director of this sensibility to portray the subtle tremors of the heart made The Bridge of the River Kwai and Passage of India.

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David Lean

Director

Ann Todd

Mary Justin

Trevor Howard

Professor Steven Stratton

Claude Rains

Howard Justin

Betty Ann Davies

Miss Joan Layton

Isabel Dean

Pat Stratton

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Know Your Critic: Angelica Jade Bastién, Critic at Vulture/New York Magazine

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Synopsis

In this drama, based on the H.G. Wells novel, Mary (Ann Todd) longs for Steven (Trevor Howard), a lover she turned down years ago. Later, Mary is married to Howard (Claude Rains), but meets up with Steven while on vacation in the Swiss Alps. A seemingly platonic encounter fueled by pent-up passion leads to an affair between Mary and Steven, and she must choose between the two men -- the husband who loves her and the now-married man she rejected years earlier.

Director: David Lean
Producer: Ronald Neame
Screenwriter: Eric Ambler, David Lean, Stanley Haynes
Production Co: Cineguild
Genre: Romance
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): May 23, 2017
Runtime: 1h 35m

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