The Passionate Friends

Lean's sixth Cineguild film was adapted from a 1913 story by H.G.Wells, which had been filmed before (d. Maurice Elvey, 1922). Wells' heroine was clearly intended to be one of the new breed of emancipated and intellectual young women who flourished at the turn of the 20th century, but most of this is lost in Eric Ambler's screenplay. Mary seems to modern eyes to be merely selfish and mercenary, preferring a comfortable, if loveless, life with her rich banker husband to romantic passion with old flame Steven.

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