A story of the most precious moments in a woman's life!
Returning home from a shopping trip to a nearby town, bored suburban housewife Laura Jesson is thrown by happenstance into an acquaintance with virtuous doctor Alec Harvey. Their casual friendship soon develops during their weekly visits into something more emotionally fulfilling than either expected, and they must wrestle with the potential havoc their deepening relationship would have on their lives and the lives of those they love.
Brief Encounter (1945) is a drama and romance film directed by David Lean, released on November 24, 1945 with a runtime of 1h 26m. It stars Celia Johnson, Trevor Howard, Stanley Holloway and Joyce Carey. Viewers rate it 7.7 out of 10 across 727 ratings.
Watch the official trailer for Brief Encounter before you stream it.
Official trailers, teasers, clips and featurettes for Brief Encounter.
Trailer
Featurette
Featurette
Featurette
Featurette
Celia Johnson
as Laura Jesson
Trevor Howard
as Dr. Alec Harvey
Stanley Holloway
as Albert Godby
Joyce Carey
as Myrtle Bagot
Cyril Raymond
as Fred Jesson
Everley Gregg
as Dolly Messiter
Marjorie Mars
as Mary Norton
Margaret Barton
as Tea Room Assistant Beryl Walters
Wilfred Babbage
as Policeman at War Memorial (uncredited)
Alfie Bass
as Waiter at the Royal (uncredited)
Wallace Bosco
as Doctor After Bobbie's Accident (uncredited)
Sydney Bromley
as Johnnie, the Second Soldier (uncredited)
Directed by David Lean, written by Noël Coward and Noël Coward, produced by Anthony Havelock-Allan, Noël Coward and Ronald Neame.
Average viewer score of 7.7/10 from 727 ratings.
Based on Noël Coward's play "Still Life" this is a super adaptation from David Lean as Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard meet in a railway station café and 90 minutes later we have been on a roller-coaster of emotions, all delicately and subtly discussed, as these two eminently middle class English people challenge their long established "civilised" values and conventions of behaviour. It's style is it's simplicity -…
Reviewed on March 28, 2022
Brief Encounter (1945) Directed by David Lean David Lean's Brief Encounter tells the story of two married people (Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard) who meet by chance at a railway station and fall into a brief, impossible love affair. The acting is incredible, both leads conveying volumes through restraint and glances. Lean's direction is assured, understanding exactly how to frame repressed emotion and stolen…
Reviewed on February 12, 2026
2002
2007
2008
2014
1946
1999
2022
2023
1994
2025
2004
2024
2014
2003
2021
2024
2020
2006
2018
2007
2014
2021
2022
1957
2014
1998
1982
1996
2014
2019
2002
2006
2003
2009
1949
1993
1998
2015
1962
2023
Brief Encounter (1945) is available to stream on HBO Max Amazon Channel, Criterion Channel, FlixFling and HBO Max, and to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home and FlixFling. Streaming availability is checked against JustWatch data and can change by region.
The main cast of Brief Encounter (1945) includes Celia Johnson, Trevor Howard, Stanley Holloway, Joyce Carey and Cyril Raymond. The film was directed by David Lean. You can see the full cast and crew list, with character names, further up this page.
Brief Encounter was released on November 24, 1945 and runs for 1h 26m.
Brief Encounter (1945) holds an average rating of 7.7 out of 10 from 727 viewer votes, and is a good pick if you enjoy drama and romance films. Read the viewer reviews on this page to decide for yourself.
Yes. The official Brief Encounter trailer is embedded in the trailer section of this page and plays instantly, no download or sign-up required.
