There's a certain charm to movies that were restricted due to war efforts, especially European films made during World War II. The 1946 French version of "Beauty and the Beast" is possibly the best example of that, with its grand fantastical scope while being made under Nazi occupation, while others like "Rome, Open City" and the entirety of the Italian Neorealism film movement changed the way on-location filming was handled.
But British filmmakers handled it differently from the French and Italians. In France, they most made films to distract from the war and take the audience away from the pain. Italy embraced that pain and suffering, showing just how terrible war can be on the common man. But the British chose to focus on telling grounded yet sympathetic stories where our cast of characters often find hope in a bleak world where love seems lost.
One of the best examples of this is David Lean's "Brief Encounter," a tale about Laura (Celia Johnson), a married woman trying to lead a normal life in the middle of WW2, whose life becomes far more complicated when she has a chance encounter with a complete stranger, Alec (Trevor Howard). The two slowly but surely fall in love and this leaves Laura in a difficult position with her husband and children.
"Brief Encounter" is like if "Mrs. Miniver" was made on an extremely limited budget and did not have the benefit any big name stars, instead relying on realism and film noir-like lighting and sets. Laura desperately tries to run her life like the war does not exist, but it is taking a colossal psychological toll on her. Without ever showing a bullet or bombshell explosion, this movie emphases how bleak and empty life is when there's someone so close by that wants to exterminate your way of life.
Yet at the same time, the film offers a ray of hope and optimism with Alec, who makes every moment matter. The relationship between these two feels genuine, especially when you see the utter joy Alec brings to Laura's life.
I'd recommend "Brief Encounter" over "Mrs. Miniver" because of how authentic and genuine Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard's performances feel, as well as David Lean's superb use of camera angles and lighting. The film is minimalist, but that certainly gives it a distinct charm.
Final Grade: B-
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