'Brief Encounter' (1945) Trivia Quiz

Answer: Noel Coward

The film was based on Coward's one act play called 'Still Life'. There were actually three other writers who contributed to the screenplay, including David Lean the director, but only Coward was credited. Coward (1899-1973) earned fame for several theatre and cinema hits of the 1920s, 30s and 40s.

The Second World War was a particularly creative period for him, with 'Blithe Spirit', 'This Happy Breed', 'Present Laughter' and 'In Which We Serve' all produced during the war years. 'Brief Encounter' was produced in 1945, the last year of the war.

Answer: Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No.2

The title sequences of the film were accompanied by the opening bars of Rachmaninov's Second Piano Concerto. Throughout the film, music from the concerto provided a stirring and emotive background to the emotional turmoil experienced by the main protagonists.

Answer: David Lean

'Brief Encounter' was the second collaboration between Noel Coward and David Lean. They worked together on 'In Which We Serve'(1942), the story of the crew of a Royal Navy warship. Lean's later works included 'Oliver Twist', 'Great Expectations', 'Lawrence of Arabia', 'Doctor Zhivago' and 'The Bridge over the River Kwai' to name but a few of what are undoubtably some of the most notable British films.

Answer: Milford

Milford was a fictional town in the south-east of England. For the street scenes, the town of Beaconsfield in Buckinghamshire was the chosen location. The railway station scenes were filmed at Carnforth, in the north-west of England. This location was chosen because it was far enough away from London to receive sufficient warning of an air raid.

Answer: Dolly Messiter

Dolly Messiter's character was played by Everley Gregg. At the beginning of the story, she unwittingly intruded on Alec Harvey and Laura Jesson's last farewell. The rest of the story then became a series of flashbacks and memories narrated by Laura. At the end, it returned to the Carnforth Station cafeteria, with the loquacious Mrs Messiter still chatting away.

This circular structure is a common feature of Noel Coward plays and films.

Answer: Preventative medicine

Symbolically perhaps, his vocation served to 'prevent' their relationship becoming fulfilled, when he left to work abroad at the end of the story.

Answer: Celia Johnson

Dame Celia Johnson (1908-1982) was more famous as a stage actress, and only made a handful of films. Her film debut was in Coward's earlier film, 'In Which we Serve' (1942).

Answer: Trevor Howard

Trevor Howard (1913-1988) was a prolific screen actor who jumped effortlessly between starring and supporting roles. He became a ubiquitous character actor of 1950s, 60s and 70s, who played in a number of famous war films, among other genres, such as 'The Battle of Britain', 'Von Ryan's Express' and 'The Charge of the Light Brigade'.

Answer: Bobby and Margaret

Bobby and Margaret Jesson were played by Richard Thomas and Henrietta Vincent respectively. Like most of the actors who played smaller parts in 'Brief Encounter', they were uncredited.

Answer: Completing a crossword

Fred Jesson is the cuckolded husband of the love triangle. He was played by Cyril Raymond (1897-1973), a prolific character actor whose film career spanned nearly 50 years, from 1916 to 1964.