Anthony Pelissier directed films for just five years, so his output did not amount to much in terms of quantity. That said, all his films reflect a high degree of personal filmic style grounded in solid B&W cinematography. PERSONAL AFFAIR remains an example of that, though sadly the middle segment suffers excessive shots of backwater town settings and close-ups of people commenting on the disappearance of Barbara (Glynis Johns) and her possible amorous liaison with her Latin teacher Stephen Barlow (classily played by Leo Genn).
New York-born Gene Tierney is the American attraction so common in European films of the 1950s and 1960s. She plays Kay, Barlow's beautiful wife (perhaps too beautiful to marry a Latin teacher of dubious income, and even more incredibly, jealous of teenager Barbara). That ain't all, either: she appears in bursts during the film, and struck me as too tongue-impulsive to attract my sympathy. She had hardly spoken a word to Barbara and already accused her of improper feelings for hubby Stephen, then seemed to feel guilty about Barbara's disappearance, inexplicably leaving home to wander around, seemingly in two minds about her hubby's real role in the teenager's disappearance... messy characterization that simply does not work.
The other major flaw that I found very tough to swallow was Barbara's reason for disappearing for a couple of days, after a brief meeting at night with her teacher. The film never enlightens you as to what teacher and student discussed at night, or why an intelligent and polished teacher of Latin classics would risk his career over a young female supposedly carrying a torch for him.
Perhaps PERSONAL AFFAIR is intended as a cautionary tale for teachers engrossed in attractive alumni, but it misses the mark and in process wastes superior talent like Tierney, Genn, Johns, Walter Fitzgerald and Michael Hordern, among others in smaller parts in a dodgy script by - anyone heard of her? - Lesley Storm. 6/10.
