The End of the Affair 563328 216971666 2008-06-04T01:13:03Z DMCer 2862797 Why would you use this term without a wikilink? /off {{infobox Book | <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Novels or Wikipedia:WikiProject_Books --> | name = The End of the Affair | title_orig = | translator = | image = [[Image:GrahamGreene TheEndOfTheAffair.jpg|200px|First edition cover]] | image_caption = First edition cover | author = [[Graham Greene]] | cover_artist = | country = [[UK|Britain]] | language = [[English language|English]] | series = | genre = [[Novel]] | publisher = [[Heinemann (book publisher)|Heinemann ]] | release_date = [[1951 in literature|1951]] | media_type = [[Hardcover]] (first edition) | pages = 237 p. (first edition) | isbn = NA | preceded_by = | followed_by = }} '''''The End of the Affair''''' (1951) is a novel by [[United Kingdom|British]] author [[Graham Greene]], as well as the title of two feature films (released in 1955 and 1999) that were adapted for the screen based on the novel. Set in [[London]] during and just after [[World War II]], the novel examines the obsessions, jealousy and discernments within the relationships between the central characters, writer Maurice Bendrix, Sarah Miles, and her husband, civil servant Henry Miles. Graham Greene's own affair with Lady Catherine Walston played into the basis for the The End of the Affair. The British edition of the novel is dedicated to "C" while the American version is made out to "Catherine." Greene's own house at 14 [[Clapham Common Northside]] was bombed during [[The Blitz]]. <ref>[http://tls.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,25338-2323675,00.html Graham Greene, uneasy Catholic - TLS Highlights - Times Online<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> ==Synopsis== The novel focuses on Maurice Bendrix, a rising writer during [[World War II]] in [[London]], and Sarah Miles, the wife of an important civil servant. Bendrix is loosely based on Greene himself, and he reflects often on the act of writing a novel. Sarah is based loosely on Greene's mistress at the time, [[Catherine Walston]], to whom the book is dedicated. Bendrix and Sarah fall in love quickly, but he soon realizes that the affair will eventually end, as quickly as it began. He picks fights with her out of jealousy, and she remains patient. He is frustrated by her refusal to divorce Henry, her amiable but boring husband. When a bomb blasts Bendrix's flat as he is with Sarah, he nearly dies. After this, Sarah breaks off the affair with no explanation. Two years later, Bendrix is still racked with jealousy when he sees Henry crossing the Common that separates their flats. Henry has finally started to suspect something, and Bendrix decides to go to a private detective to discover Sarah's new lover. Through her diary, he realizes that she has made a promise to God not to see him, because she promised it when she thought he was dead after the bomb hit his flat. Greene describes Sarah's struggles with [[Catholicism]], though it is an odd version of the faith, more like [[Jansenism]]. After her sudden death from pneumonia, several almost-miraculous events occur, though it is not clear what Greene expects the reader to think. By the last page of the novel, Bendrix has come to believe in a God as well, though not to love him. ''The End of the Affair'' is the fourth and last of Greene's explicitly Catholic novels, and is widely regarded as his best work. Though Greene disliked being referred to as a Catholic writer, his most powerful novels were about Catholic themes. He discusses faith in an unusual way in the novel, often referring to it as an infection or a disease, something one can catch like a cold. Unlike his other Catholic novels, there is no talk of damnation, only a kind of salvation. The introduction of supernatural elements is also new for Greene. ==Adaptations== In 1955, the book was made into a film, directed by [[Edward Dmytryk]], with the screenplay adaptation was by [[Lenore J. Coffee]]. [[David Lewis (producer)|David Lewis]] was the producer and David E. Rose executive producer. It starred [[Deborah Kerr]] as Sarah Miles, [[Van Johnson]] as Maurice Bendrix, [[John Mills]] as Albert Parkis, and [[Peter Cushing]] as Henry Miles. In 1999, the novel was again made into a movie (''[[The End of the Affair (1999 film)|The End of the Affair]]''), directed by Irish director [[Neil Jordan]]. Jordan also wrote the screenplay and produced the film with [[Stephen Woolley]]. It starred American actress [[Julianne Moore]] as Sarah Miles, English actor [[Ralph Fiennes]] as Maurice Bendrix, and Irish actor [[Stephen Rea]] as Henry Miles. Julianne Moore was nominated for an [[Academy Award for Best Actress]] for her performance as Sarah Miles. In 2004, [[Jake Heggie]] composed [[The End of the Affair (opera)|an opera]] based on the Graham Greene novel. It was premiered at the [[Houston Grand Opera]] in March of that year, and subsequently revised into its final form. The second version of the opera was recorded "live" in 2007 at the Lyric Opera of Kansas City with Emily Pulley (soprano) as Sarah Miles, Keith Phares (baritone) as Maurice Bendrix, Joyce Castle (mezzo-soprano) as Mrs. Bertram, Victor Benedetti (baritone) as Henry Miles, Robert Orth (baritone) as private Mr. Parkis and Gerard Powers (tenor) as Richard Smythe. ==References== {{Reflist}} == External links == * {{imdb title | title=The End of the Affair (1955) | id=0048034}} * {{imdb title | title=The End of the Affair (1999) | id=0172396}} * [http://www.seattleopera.org/operas/2005-2006/affair/synopsis.aspx Opera synopsis (Seattle Opera website)] <!-- Julianne Moore --> {{DEFAULTSORT:End of the Affair, The}} [[Category:Novels by Graham Greene]] [[Category:1951 novels|End of the Affair, The]] [[Category:1955 films|End of the Affair, The]] [[Category:1999 films|End of the Affair, The]] [[Category:British films|End of the Affair, The]] [[Category:Films based on fiction books|End of the Affair, The]] [[Category:Film remakes|End of the Affair, The]] [[Category:Films directed by Edward Dmytryk|End of the Affair, The]] [[Category:English-language films]] [[Category:Catholic films|End of the Affair, The]] [[de:Das Ende einer Affäre (1999)]] [[it:Fine di una storia (film 1999)]] [[ja:ことの終わり]] [[pl:Koniec romansu]] [[sv:Slutet på historien]]