Head-to-Head: Celia Johnson v.s. Sophia Loren, 'Brief Encounter' 1945/1974

Celia Johnson and Sophia Loren both played Ms (Laura/Anna) Jesson in 'Brief Encounter', in David Lean's 1945 version and Alan Bridges' 1974 version, respectively (P.S. for the sake of convenience, I will refer to both actresses by their real names only throughout as the name-change really does not matter much, it was possibly done only to take into account the Italian background of Loren)

                         (Left) Sophia Loren as Anna Jesson (Right) Celia Johnson as Laura Jesson

Even prior to watching the 1974 version of 'Brief Encounter' I was pretty certain that it would take an AMAZING performance to even think of challenging Celia Johnson's definitive performance, not just as Laura Jesson, but as the embodiment of a truly great lead performance: one which not only dominates the film but literally seeps throughout it, so in control of the film while still being contingent within it. Never a huge star, Johnson's filmography is comparatively small in contrast to many of her 1940's contemporaries who would go onto bigger productions in the Hollywood scene, but within her brief career (which she forsook for concentrating on her family life, acting taking a secondary place to that and stage work), she made the most out of every performance. In her first substantial role in 'In Which We Serve' she basically steals the film away from acting heavyweights Coward and Mills with her heartfelt, poignant portrayal of a woman impacted by war, goes against type marvellously in 'This Happy Breed', a wonderfully deadpan figure in the delightful 'The Captain's Paradise', and her outstanding supporting work to Maggie Smith in 'The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie'. In contrast, I must confess to being unfamiliar with a large part of Loren's work. I thought she was very good in 'A Special Day', and 'Marriage Italian Style', both films where she shared the screen with the excellent Marcello Mastroianni, but besides those two I really have not seen her in much. This however does not really matter when evaluating two performances in themselves together.

It is 'Brief Encounter' Celia Johnson's former collaborators Coward and Lean--who had worked with her on 'In Which We Serve' and 'This Happy Breed'--sought her talents to play the great role of Laura Jesson. Johnson deserves to be placed among Peter O'Toole in 'Lawrence of Arabia', Daniel Day-Lewis in 'There Will Be Blood', Marion Cotillard in 'La Vie en Rose', James Stewart in 'It's a Wonderful Life', Vivien Leigh in 'Gone With the Wind', and Toshiro Mifune in any of his lead roles, as a great example of how an actor/actress can take hold of the silver screen and fully earn the camera's love. She was born to play the role, something that cannot be said for Loren, whose stiff, unnatural handling of both her character is just...uncomfortable, from the outset. Dr Harvey's comment on how she seems to 'try to be very English to me' is an unwittingly spot-on description of just how silly Loren sounds trying to act like a British housewife; an explanation is given as to the origins of her accent, but the film really cheats this point by also trying to mould her into a woman of her environment, an embodiment of the British middle-class lady. Which she really isn't; I have to say, I could never get past the glamorous, movie star Loren being not only a housewife, but also a professional woman.

I don't think Loren fares nearly as badly as Burton firstly because she does put some sort of life to her character. In fact, I do find her fairly endearing in some portions of the film, particularly in her scenes with her husband (although it's problematic that she has more chemistry with him than her illicit lover), The only problem with her charm I guess is that it feels much too exotic, an approach that works wonders with the other work I've seen from her but which makes her a bit too, as I said, glamorous. In terms of stylistic approach, Johnson is miles ahead of establishing the vary particular position of a lady in dilemma; as I've mentioned before, she has perhaps the benefit of a recurring voiceover narration. Then again, this could also have been a major minus point on her behalf, as narration can sometimes comes across as wholly unnecessary (see 'The Killing'), incredibly dull (see Kevin Costner + 'Dancing with the Wolves'), or just very 'meh' and not add very much to the film.

Johnson's voicework adds so much to the tapestry of the film precisely because she delivers it in such a manner that is most dialogic and realistic, like she's really talking to us/her husband. It feels wholly natural that Laura would be relaying these thoughts internally due to her reserved nature, but the narration really flourishes also as an added layer to Johnson's portrayl. Loren, on the other hand, has to make do with a series of subplots that don't really go anywhere. She actually plays them about as well as anyone could possibly do with the dire dialogue and damnably boring co-stars, but she's still very much miscast in a very particular sort of role.

Johnson as I mentioned fits perfectly into the tapestry of the film, but beyond that she does even more than just being lovely and polite. Early on in her performance she shows hints of boredom with her family life and husband Fred, particularly with the latter, and I really do love how she and Cyril Raymond generate this sort of amiable dynamic between the two which shows that passion is waning, but their affection hasn't yet. Loren and her onscreen husband unfortunately go for the more standard route of 'love is lost, we're here for the kids', although I have to admit they're Tristan and Isolde compared to Burton's poor excuse of a love interest.

As the relationship between herself and Dr Harvey progresses, we get to the main meat of Celia Johnson's performance which is suffice to say, effortlessly wonderful stuff. Lean basically takes what she did so well in 'In Which We Serve'--those subtle longing looks of affection and regret, insecurities brimming in her eyes, anguish at having deceived her family--and makes it the heart of his film. And she is marvellous, especially at showing how her neuroses are intertwined with her joys of spending time with Alexlc.

Loren does her best but can't quite make good on her claim that 'every second is agony'. At least, not in the way I assume the film intended, as some scenes she seems more tormented by Burton's lack of interest with her, than any sort of burgeoning passion that Johnson does with aplomb. In fact, I will say that one single reaction shot of Johnson's, after she's been on the phone to a friend over a 'white lie'; her realisation that perhaps she's gone much too far is so beautifully conveyed through her poignantly haunted expression, her inwards glancing. In a mere few seconds she brings more weight to the affair than Loren does in a whole film, though I can't blame her wholly for that.

I've always found that the last 20 minutes of romance films are what makes or breaks them for me. The 1974 version ends on a very sour note for me because it's handled in such an undignified, rather crude way, and there's not much sense of a departure on either side of the affair. Loren, as she watches Burton's train ride away, shows a sadness that unfortunately is not well-earnt, at all. Johnson on the other hand, handles her story's end fabulously. Walking around town late at night pondering her future, hearing of Dr Harvey's departure, her final moments with him are so quietly moving, not in a Richard Burton sort of way, but by having set up the magnitude of their love before, impacts the viewer deeply with the tragic now.

And that face. Externally her last few minutes of her performance are almost completely silent. Within a few seconds she runs the whole range of disappointment, depression, and pragmatic realisation of her need to survive. She doesn't know what kept her from killing herself, she states, but the audience knows: it is strength of her character, of the underlying sort which she showed through her selfless love for others and not just her own affective pursuits, which Johnson bookends her performance beautifully, turning the downer end of the affair into a hopeful future ahead. Her final reconciliation with her husband Fred really strikes a chord as we feel the enormity of her internal journey hitting us right in the moment. Whereas with Loren it all just ends like another day, another two people reconciling. Loren is destitute and broken enough I guess, but not much more beyond that. Realistic enough I guess, but makes you wonder: I sat through all that, for THAT?

The unfortunately cast Loren tries her best and unlike Burton does make some sort of impact, but I can't, simply can't, deny an undeniable performance. Therefore, my results are as such:

1. Celia Johnson (5/5) 
2. Sophia Loren (2.5/5)

Next up: I'll give it some thought, but Louis, Luke and GM have all made some excellent recommendations.

Photo Credits:
https://fanwithamovieyammer.wordpress.com
https://thestorytellinghour.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/celia_johnson_brief_encounter1.jpg

http://www.lorenarchives.com/film_1974_brief_encounter.html