Personal Affair

A quietly flashy (the image even turns to negative at one point) cross between 'Le Corbeau' and 'Term of Trial' adapted from her own play 'A Day's Mischief' by Lesley Storm that once more lifts the lid on the passions simmering not far below the surface of conservative fifties Britain.

Obligatory American star Gene Tierney melds unobtrusively with a cast of largely female Brits ranging from bitter, chainsmoking maiden aunt Pamela Brown to an unbilled Nanette Newman as a gossiping teenager; the best performance as usual coming from Megs Jenkins as Glynis Johns' careworn mother.

You can't really call it a noir because it's not like the characters here are unsympathetic, nor can you call it a crime drama because it's not clear until the end whether or not any crime has even taken place.

The film revolves around Stephen Barlow (Leo Genn), who teaches Latin to teen-aged girls at the nearby school. 17 year old Barbara Vining (Glynis Johns) is a student in the school with a major league crush on the rather bland Barlow who appears as a cultured and even rather mysterious man of the world in her young eyes. Barlow's wife, Kay (Gene Tierney), is for some reason jealous of the girl and suspicious of the entire relationship. One night, when Barbara is at their home studying Latin with Stephen, Kay waits until she and Barbara are alone and confronts the girl about her feelings for Stephen. Barbara flees from the house understandably humiliated about the subject of their conversation. Stephen, angry with his wife for embarrassing Barbara, runs out after the girl to try to put things right.

That would be the end of it except that Barbara Vining does not return home that night nor the next day, and her parents contact the police and initiate a search. Tongues in the small town begin to wag about the fact that this 30-something schoolmaster was walking about in the middle of the night with his teen-aged student. Barbara's father is a newspaper reporter and, having seen murderers who are quite calm after the passion of the crime is over throughout his career, does not have his fears allayed by seeing Stephen's composed and civilized demeanor. Even Stephen's own wife has her doubts when she catches Stephen in a lie relating to that night's events. Add to all of this that some male obscene caller keeps phoning the Barlow home - did he kill or abduct the girl himself and is he tormenting this very public suspect?.

Plus, one of the creepiest persons ever committed to celluloid is Barbara's own aunt. Now about 40, she is morbidly consumed with a love affair that ended disastrously for her some twenty years before and seems almost elated that history might have repeated itself for her niece. Neither Rebecca's Mrs. Danvers nor Uncle Fester have anything on Aunt Vi Vining in the way of weirdness.

This movie is more about character development than action, but it is by no means boring and should keep you engaged if not on the edge of your seat throughout. One strange thing about the casting - Gene Tierney is playing a woman about her own age at the time - 33. However, Glynis Johns is playing a teen aged girl when she was less than three years younger than Ms. Tierney. However, both carry out their roles quite convincingly.

"Personal Affair" is from Rank Films and stars Leo Genn, Gene Tierney, and Glynis Johns. Johns was nearly 30 when she played Barbara Vining, a student in love with her teacher, Stephen Barlow (Genn). Stephen has Barbara come to his home for tutoring; while she's there, Barlow's wife Kay confronts Barbara about her feelings. Embarrassed and upset, Barbara runs from the house. A distressed Stephen calls her at home and arranges to meet her in an out of the way area. When Barbara doesn't come home, suspicion falls on Stephen.

This is a really neat and suspenseful film, thanks to its good cast, writing, and direction. The audience (this audience anyway) isn't really sure what went on between teacher and student, if anything, so it keeps you guessing as to what happened, and the gossip condemns Barlow.

Pamela Brown is terrific as Barbara's bitter aunt who seems to get a lot of pleasure out of the suffering of others; Walter Fitzgerald and Megs Jenkin are wonderful as Barbara's agonized parents. Johns is very sweet and comes off as very young and innocent. Leo Genn is always good. Tierney has probably the most interesting role as a beautiful, somewhat snobby woman who nevertheless is insecure. She does it very well.

Well worth seeing.

This contrived British suspense drama could have been a quality "Gone Girl" sort of thriller, but the screenplay by Lesley Storm misses the boat with cliches and unnecessary hokeyness.

Gene Tierney stars as the beautiful wife of Latin teacher Leo Genn, who becomes jealous when he's tutoring a young student played by an overage Glynis Johns (30-year old established star playing a 17-year-old). Contrived circumstances lead to Genn accused of murdering her after small-town rumors mount when she's disappeared for three days, and everyone, especially her aunt well-played (as pure evil, unfortuntely per the script) by Pamela Brown, assumes he's guilty without a shred of real evidence.

No faulting the actors, who all are convincing, but the final twists are dumb, and the last reel melodrama thoroughly manipulative. The quality of British understatement is at war with almost an exploitation movie level of gimmickry and the result is a mishmash.

Obviously a very young (or for cinema's sake, underage-looking) actress in Glynis' role would have maximized the impact of the story, and the main theme of unrequited love could have been handled better, so an audience with a high tolerance for being jerked around by the filmmakers is necessary to enjoy this hokum.

Really liked the idea for the story and it is the sort of film that appeals to me. While there were reservations of seeing 'Mary Poppins' Glynnis Johns as a teenager, which has been one of criticisms directed against it, and seeing mixed reviews here and from trusted users, just seeing the stunning Gene Tierney (star of 'Laura' and 'The Ghost of Mrs Muir') was reason enough to see 'Personal Affair'. As well as seeing Leo Genn as a lead. The potential was definitely there.

This potential was not fully realised in my view (which is in a way frustrating), but it is a long way from squandered either, the latter of which would have annoyed me much more as that is a peeve of mine. Could 'Personal Affair' have been a better film? Yes, it definitely could have been with a tightening up and more subtlety. Is it worth watching? Yes it is, and no it is not just for Tierney though she certainly is one of the reasons as to why 'Personal Affair' is worth the viewing.

'Personal Affair's' script can be too talky and could have done with a bit more succinct trimming or tightening up. The story can get over-heated in places.

Do agree that Johns is far too mature for her role and it is not easy at all to overlook.

However, Tierney is radiant and sincere, would have liked more development to her character but she plays her very well and didn't feel out of place to me. Genn is smooth and doesn't overplay or look disengaged, he does just fine as a leading man and actually had no problem at all with his chemistry with Tierney. My favourite performance comes from Pamela Brown, sinking her teeth into a fun and formidable part.

It is directed with thought and control, and the film is pretty gorgeously shot. The script does have thought-provoking and intriguing moments and the story is crisply paced enough and doesn't feel stagy, treating the viewer with respect.

Overall, pretty good if not great. 7/10