• A somewhat different version of this film figures prominently in Howard Waldrop’s alternate-history story “Fin de Cycle,” in which the film’s creative team includes some of the most noted artists and writers of the day: composer Erik Satie, painter ‘Jean-Jacques Rousseau’, novelist Marcel Proust, and playwright Alfred Jarry, as well as the young Pablo Picasso.
• This film was banned in France in 1899 because, during showings, it caused fights between pro and anti-Dreyfusards.
• Mlis divided this film into 11 individual films of one scene each for exhibitors to select which ones they wanted to purchase.

"L'Affaire Dominici" is a different matter ,for it is based on truefacts.Three English tourists (a lord's family) are murdered on acountry road .The suspects are the Dominici family ,whose farm was nearthe tragedy,and whose patriarch (Gabin) shows himself inflexible.

The Dominici family seems to come from another world,from anothertime.They always contradict themselves (the audience does not know ifthey protect themselves or if they wash their dirty linen inpublic).Gabin gives an impressive disturbing performance ,but VictorLanoux is equally good as his son.There's also a young Gerard Depardieuas a half-wit nephew who's got three or four lines to say.

The Dominici affair remains a mystery.But there are other strangethings that do not even concern them: why for instance,do those wealthytourists have to sleep by the roadside?

Directing is average made-for-TV quality but the whole cast makes themovie a minor winner.

History is given a rough ride though:in the movie,Mademoiselle deFontanges is poisoned by Madame de Montespan.But now,let’s see what amodern historian,Mrs Simone Bertière ,writes in her recent book"lesfemmes du roi soleil":the autopsy proved that the unfortunate Angéliquedid not need any poison to go to her grave :she had TB!Then to sweetenthe screenplay,Madame de Montespan is asked to leave the court afterthe affair;this is untrue:although in disgrace ,she lived in Versaillesfor more than ten years afterward.The king could not chase her out of

his court:he would have admitted she was guilty.Opinions differ aboutMadame de Montespan’s culpability:historian Simone Bertière does notrule out the fact that the marquise was fond of magic potions andfortune-tellers ,but she does not think she might have taken part inone of those carnivalesque black masses.

Henri Decoin ’s metier was film noir.And the poisons affair was tailormade for him:it’s really a film noir in costume.He gathered a perfectcast:his favorite actress,Danielle Darrieux,as Montespan,VivianneRomance ,who played bitch parts in Duvivier’s works (panique,la belleéquipe),as La Voisin,Paul Meurisse (who had just made Clouzot’s "lesdiaboliques:it was an extraordinary choice),Anne Vernon as LaDesoeillets,LA Montespan’s tool.He created a misty demonicatmosphere,using skillful lights.Oddly ,King Louis XIV is only afigure. Shot in color,at a time when only a few French movies were,ithas a passé charm,that of yellowed photos.

In this made-for -TV remake,the writers focus the action on themother,her fight ,her suffering,her belief in her son's innocence (he'saccused of a little girl's murder).Catherine Frot gives a restrainedsensitive portrayal of this unfortunate mother,who was always afraid oflosing her only son.(She had to leave a brutal alcoholic husband andshe had to hide to keep him from abducting their son).

Of course ,we will never know the truth.But too many details are verystrange and it's impossible to be sure .Anyway:

-Either Christian was guilty and a life sentence would have made himthink of the horrible thing he had done ,alone in a cell…

-Or he was innocent (his last words to his mother were:"clear my name")and is it what we call justice in the land of Voltaire and Hugo?

Both the husband's and Viggo's psycho babble about meteors and theplanets was laughable. "In wine there is truth" Did the writers reallylisten to these lines?

It was not ever explained how a woman with no job always had money, thesame thing for Viggo. He didn't work, yet lived near the ocean, had aconstant supply of marijuana and other drugs, and always had money togo out to the clubs.

When we saw Starr's penis painting and then when she started herchanting, we were rolling in laughter.

It would have benefited from the inclusion of explicit sex and beingmarketed as an adult feature and we would have maybe appreciated itbetter after a few dozen bong hits and bottles of wine.

2) Belgian Carl Colpaert has a solid reputation as the founder ofCINEVILLE Releasing, as a producer of some very fine small films (Mrs.Palfrey at the Claremont, Where Eskimos Live, Surviving Eden,Hurlyburly, etc) and has directed and written a few less interestingones. This film THE AFFAIR (originally titled TOPANGA) tries hard to bea European flavored examination of relationships, but for this viewerit falls short not only in story (scripted by Colpaert and LisaLarrivee) and in a fuzzy cast of TV actors, but also in the directorialstance of being in control of a story that needs a lot of attention.

Jean (Kelsey Oldershaw) is a bored housewife living in a designer housewith her architect husband Paul (Horacio Le Don), a man of success whois so self-centered and controlling that he forgets his relationshipobligations to his wife. Jean has residual scars from a traumaticchildhood experience and her needs go beyond the wifely role, searchingfor some degree of excitement, passion and fulfillment not available inher marriage. At a local dance club she meets Viggo (Andy Mackenzie), abohemian passionate, live for the moment guy who sweeps Jean off herfeet in an affair that produces disaster in her marriage. The storyconcentrates on the intricacies of this love triangle, offeringalternative ways to approach love, needs, and responsibilities.

The notion is solid (if quite over used) and there are aspects of thefilm that suffuse the atmosphere with tension and artsy techniques. Butin the end the story and the actors elude our concern and we are leftfeeling like window peeping voyeurs, wondering why we are sneaking apeek. Grady Harp

3) I was fortunate enough to catch a screening of this film, which I heardhad just garnered several top awards at the Worldfest in Houston. I wasparticularly anxious to see the movie after learning it was helmed byCarl Colpaert, a talented producer/director originally from Belgium whohas had the unique "Midas Touch" of discovering unknown talent andgiving them their first big break. In fact, Kevin Spacey, Salma Hayek,Vincent D’Onofrio, and Renee Zellweger are just some of the "unknowns"who got their start in Colpaert’s films and went on to stellar careers.THE AFFAIR is a very well-crafted dramatic love story, reminiscent ofthe simpler love story films of the 60s and 70s. Parts of the filmwhich take place on the road reminded me of Stanley Donen’s classic1967 film TWO FOR THE ROAD, with Audrey Hepburn and Albert Finney. Thebeautiful Kelsey Oldershaw plays Jean, a young woman who constantlyseeks an ever-elusive fulfillment in her life, largely due to atraumatic childhood experience. She is married to Paul, played by thetalented Horatio Ledon, who is overbearing, authoritative, and seeks tocontrol every facet of Jean’s life. Jean finds a breath of fresh air ina hot affair with Viggo, played by Andy Mackenzie, a product ofTopanga’s Bohemian set who is the exact opposite of Paul. Viggo is likea wild stallion, untamed, unfettered, and eager to fill the gaping voidin Jean’s life. The film offers a quite surprising, non-traditionalview of how Paul and Jean deal with this, for lack of a better term,bizarre love triangle. The film was shot beautifully on HD, with aclassy fade-to-black cut after each sequence, to give one the sense ofwatching individual vignettes, Chekovian "slices of life," strungtogether in a linear yet loose and free fashion. With their excellentperformances, Oldershaw, Ledon, and Mackenzie definitely have a greatshot at joining the pantheon of Hollywood stars that Colpaert has hadthe knack of discovering in the past.

4) The film is a fresh breeze of 70th-style realism in our screen. Themagnificence of the film is that it's deeply philosophical withoutbeing snobbish. In a few words the film shows how craziness ofmodern-day life destroys families without putting blame on eithergender, but instead emphasizes on the affect of the society onrelationships probably best described in the monologue of the"Frenchy". But the film perfectly avoids the diseases of manyphilosophical films: it does not fall into a "statement" movie shovingthe ideas down your throat nor does it "artistically" over-complicatesthem. What makes it great that the film walks the fine line neverfalling into either of these categories. It's perfectly dynamic,watchable and enjoyable without compromising integrity. Did we becometoo dumbed down by media and rotten with all the aliens, vampires andviolence garbage that we cannot watch a "normal" story anymore? I haveno other explanation how this terrific film that received 4 goldenawards went unnoticed by public and is even out if print now. Some usercomments here confirm my point. What probably does not add to itspopularity is that the film is rather gloomy and does not have a happyending, it's simply truthful. On top of great plot and directing thefilm has an outstanding cast which is also probably out of the favor ofthe media. I have no other explanation why I never heard of theseterrific actors. First and foremost is of course Kelsey Oldershaw whoseemed to have no limits. She can show such a variety of emotions justby the expression on her face – it's amazing. Another great actor isAndy Mackenzie who has a wide palette of his own. My overall score:perfect 10.

5) Besides the Hollywood star-power I found this very grown up story greatto watch and amazingly true to a society that needs to accept the powerof passion and love. A commitment to finding an inner truth in a womenof the present day! Kelsey Oldershaw convinces and finds great companywith Andy McKenzie and Horatio LeDon. The look of this movie is soperfect and the mood is so unpretentious as I did not see it in a longtime since the best relationship dramas from France at their peak inthe early 70- s. The whole environment is so very true to thecontemporary situation in a troubled or maybe every relationship asquestions and situations of truth and motivation come to a surface andfind adults often unprepared. A very beautiful film that does stillleave a lot of room to enjoy and listen and reflect into personalexperiences.

2) I was sitting at home, minding my business, flipping through the channels,and this comes on HBO yesterday. I’m a Courtney Vance fan, and I thoughtI’d take a chance on this movie, since I’m not a war movie fan. He wasfantastic. The movie was fantastic and heart-wrenching. I’d recommendthismovie to anyone who wants to see a good drama.

3) I think this film is a very good television movie that did not receivea lot of credit or attention. Interracial romances have always beencontroversial from L.A. Law to All My Children. Remember MichelleGreene got more hate mail regarding her kiss of African American actor,Blair Underwood, than when she kissed female Amanda Donohoe and thatwas in the early nineties. Courtney B. Vance plays an African Americansoldier during World War II who meets and falls in love with KerryFox’s character, an unhappy wife of a British soldier and mother. Thecasting is excellent with Ned Beatty and Rolf Saxon reminding theAfrican American soldiers to keep their hands off the British women. Ifelt this film showed another side of the war. It was just as ugly. Thesegregation of black and white soldiers is unforgivable part ofAmerican history. I disliked the unhappy ending so I gave it a 9 butother than that. I felt this is a movie that should be seen anddiscussed about for years to come.

4) I saw this movie and thought it was excellent. Although I am a blackwomen who wanted to rip this white women’s head off for throwing herblack lover to the wolves, I kinda understood that she was face with aterrible decision to make, The man she loved, or her child. but I alsofelt that she should have thought about that before hand. I becamecaught up in their love affair and was even rooting for them. But whenshe turned on him in court, It ripped my heart out. To be honest, Imust say she never thought the outcome would be what it was. And asalways, she was what we might call "A day late and a dollar short" Intrying to save him. I thought this movie was excellent from beginningto end and have been looking it on video or DVD for over 5 years. WhereIn The Hell Is It???!!!!!!!

5) HBO and BBC make excellent partners. This is an engrossing, powerful,emotional, brutally realistic and superbly done film which pulls nopunches. I too am surprised it had so little notice. (We discovered iton ‘Bravo’ here in Canada.) I gave it a 9 rather than a 10 because ofthe excessive amount of graphic sex. One "humping scene" would havemade the point. However, despite that shortcoming, this is a powerfulportrayal of the racial hypocrisy of the Americans and the socialhypocrisy of the British set against an accurately pictured wartimeBritain.Nor, unlike so many modern films and remakes is it a "black"movie designed for black audiences. This film carries a big punch forboth blacks and whites, for both Brits and Americans. Nor —SPOILER???MAYBE A SMALL ONE!!!— is it cursed with the mandatory happy Hollywoodending. A real thought provoker and Friday night treat for us!

2) Standard late night cable soft core fare, with lots of pretty people thatwas relatively tame on the sex, and heavy on an implausible cheesystory.

Nothing makes me laugh more than things that happen in this genre of filmthat could never, EVER, happen in real life. This film certainly had a fewof those.

The very hot albeit naive girl, who is as innocent as a newborn, and wouldnever do anything the least bit adventurous, always having as a bestfriendone who can claim to doing both football teams, the mascot and the band isone. I also found humor in their jogging between cigarette breaks. Thedumband equally naive guy who is as gullible as they come, but he loves hisgirl, even though he is obligated not to trust her for plot development,hadme shaking my head. Can someone also tell me how he survives a motorcyclecrash, takes a dirt nap on an embankment for a while to sober up anddrivesoff without a scratch to his hunky head?The girl selling car wash tickets had me rolling, and her sole purpose wassimply so that she could turn up in the end of the film, showing us thatourrich diva who will not be denied what she wants, indeed can get what shewants. Even turning an innocent college sophomore into what is now nodoubta wild raging nympho lesbian sex slave.

The acting.. ehhh, these people aren’t cast for their acting abilities,givethem credit for trying. It is refreshing though to not see the plastic andsurgically implanted Barbie dolls that permeate these types of filmsnow.

3) colour me surprised. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but this wasn’t it.You see these b-grade sex movies on late night cable and you expect softcore porn, bad acting and bad (or non existant) plots.

What I found was one out of three. Yes, it was soft core porn, but not toogratuitious. It had a plot. It had characters. I’m not saying this isAmerican Beauty or anything, but for what it was I quite enjoyedit.

As I was watching, it occurred to me that this is what porn movies shouldbelike. I mean it had naked women, it had plenty of sex, but it also hadromance, story and character. If the sex was a bit more graphic, it wouldhave been perfect.

The acting was entirely adequate for what it was. No one is going to win asoscar off this, but they said their lines and had expressions enough to getthe point across. Oh yes, and the women were apropriately beautiful andnaked.

I really give my thumbs up to the writer and director of this movie for notmaking a (too) sleazy or cheap piece of trash.

Oh, and one final thing: what was up with the sorority girl sellingtickets.Why was she there?

2) This melodramatic and superamerican "comedy" is now terribly dated, notinteresting but made with feeling and thus another routine job done by RoyRowland. It’s nice to see epicman Mature in a setting other than the arenaor biblical backgrounds.

3) I really enjoyed this film. I have never seen a black and white moviefilmed with the theme of flashbacks. the plotline is interesting and eventhough it is from the 50’s everyone can relate. It is clearly a moviethatwill stand the test of time. The best thing about the movie is the waythelead actor can so eloquently portray the man who lives off a dream. Thelead actress also does a great job, in my opinion she is very good and iwould like to see more of her movies. This film is special because it wasthe first to film a child actor. That was told to me by my grandmother soIam sincerely sorry if I am wrong about the child actor thing. All in allthis is a great movie and I give it 9 stars.

4) I do not like Victor Mature (VM) in films – put it down to his greasyhair, chain-smoking habit and uncultured voice.He seems particularlymiscast in this film as a playwright.A modern playwright should be likeArthur Miller, Robert Bolt or Tennesee Williams.I just did not "buy"our delightful export to Hollywood, Miss Jean Simmons (JS) wanting tohave a relationship with VM's character which sponged off her, took herchicken legs food and generally forced his attentions onto her.HoweverI did not buy the DVD to see VM but to see the beautiful brunette JS atthe peak of her looks.Basically "Affair With a Stranger" is the storyof a struggling playwright who cannot sell his plays to the producersof commercial theatres.He meets JS on New Years eve and starts arelationship poncing off her job as a model.JS has faith in his abilityto produce a hit play and of course Hollywood comes to his predictableaid when "Venus Films" agrees to buy the screen rights.During his lifeof penury VM gets a job as a waiter at a posh restaurant and slips hismanuscript into the pile a famous producer is considering at histable.To keep body and soul together VM visits a restaurant and mixestogether a soup from various condiments with hot water.This scene hasalways stayed in my mind over the years when I only saw it on TV(although you do not have access to hot water today in the restaurantsI know).

JS and VM marry but lose the child they wanted and VM is told by themale doctor dealing with JS that she cannot have any more children.Ilaughed when I saw them both lighting up in his surgery.I will notreveal any more of the plot which is predictable.I rated it 6/10.It isone of two JS films I taped off the TV some time ago – the other wasAdam and Evelynne (1949) which is the better of the two.My ratingreflects the performance of JS and the able supporting actors who did agood job with the script.

2):
While in a cruise from Europe to New York, playboy Nicky Ferrante (Cary Grant) meets the gorgeous former night-club singer Terry McKay (Deborah Kerr) and they have a romance. Nicky is traveling to meet his fiance, the inheritor of one of the greatest fortunes in USA, and Terry is returning to the arms of her supportive boy-friend. They schedule a meeting on the 102nd floor of the Empire State Building six months later to decide whether they should marry each other, but Terry has an accident and she is not able to reunite with him.

3):
Nicky Ferrante is an international, European playboy setting forth on a cruise ship headed for New York to meet his wealthy fiance. Terry McKay, a former night-club singer, is sailing to New York to be with her long-time boyfriend, who flew on ahead to close a business deal. Nicky and Terry meet on the long cruise, and romance, replete with complications, ensues.

• Continuity: When Terri Mckay is teaching the little kids to sing, two of the kids go and do a dance, then walk back around and behind the little girl. In the close-up of the cute little blond girl there is no-one behind her, and in the next shot the boy and the girl are there behind her again.
• Revealing mistakes: An open water shot of the Constitution shows the wake from the camera boat.
• Continuity: At the end of the movie, Nickie is drying Terry’s tears with his right hand. In the next shot, he is using his left hand.

• Continuity: Nickie’s position when leaning on the piano changes.
• Crew or equipment visible: A camera shadow falls on a man and a plant when Terry comes out of the dress shop.
• Miscellaneous: Terri moved to a new apartment after becoming paraplegic, yet she chose an apartment where she has to descend two steps between the door and the living room.

I think it is almost impossible for a movie with Cary Grant in it to beanything other than first rate entertainment. Not only is he handsome,charming, and sophisticated, but he also knows how to grab the viewers’attention and manage to keep. Each time we see his movies,connects withus in a way that fascinates us, and yet it is comforting and familiar.Deborah Kerr is a lady who knows how to capture the audience’s heart.She can always manage to get us rooting for her.

I love "An Affair to Remember" because it showcases the incomparabletalents of my two favorite stars at their best. I know some people saythat this movie is too sentimental and corny, but part of its allure isthat it is not too realistic. It gives us an escape into the idealworld where everyone is good looking and charming. Nowadays, movieslike to play on the realism of life. This movie is for all theromantics out there who are looking for a film to fall in love with!

2) Grant's charming philanderer Nicky Ferrante, a renowned bachelor, andKerr's American nightclub singer Terry McKay meet aboard atransatlantic luxury liner steaming back to New York via Naples andsurrender—in the midst of good humor—to their undeniable chemistry…

Unfortunately, both are hampered with others lovers… At the end of thevoyage, they make a promise… In six months, if both are free they willreunite at the top of the Empire State Building, "the nearest thingthey have to heaven in New York."

In the day of the meeting, the reformed Grant put his paintbrushes awayand luckily paces the skyscraper's roof, but Kerr, looking up to heavento see him, is involved in a serious accident…

What fallows is almost unbelievable as Grant yields to pompouscynicism, unaware Kerr is too proud to let him know the truth…

With four Oscar nominations, and with attractive settings as the FrenchRiviera, and two appealing beautiful people sharing pink champagne, LeoMcCarey's pretty good romantic film gives off flashes of gaiety andsways with longing hearts to be filled with love and life…

3) This is an absolutely beautiful flim, with two beautiful, shining stars. Deborah Kerr, always the epitome of British lady-like reserve… that daintyface and that curled red hair… always bringing a grace to the roles sheplays (except for Karen Holmes in "From Here To Eternity"… but that’sanother story). She’s breathtakingly grand as Terry McKay, the class-actwho falls in love with a playboy (Grant), though she is engaged to another. And Cary … the most gorgeous person to EVER grace this earth! He’sabsolutely marvelous as playboy Nickie Ferrante, who finds himself fallingquickly in love with someone other than his fiancee. I have never seenchemistry on screen like this! Although the movie may be classified as"sap" or "a love story"… it’s got it’s funny moments ("Do you think itwill ever take the place of night baseball?", "Top of the mornin’ toya!"–"And the rest of the day to you!"). But there are some scenes thatjust absolutely take your breath away… like when they are visitingNickie’s grandmother (in my opinion, the point that they realize their deeplove for each other). Also, when they meet their fiancees in New York andwhile Terry’s hugging Ken, Nickie gently kisses his fingertips and placesthem on her glove, and then she holds her glove to her cheek. Truly divine. However, the defining moment of this film (believe me, you better have somehankies handy!) is at the end… the look on Grant’s face whenever he seesthe portrait is PRICELESS. And of course, Kerr’s voice trembling at thewords "Darling, don’t look at me like that." I give this movie a definite10.

4) If you think you cannot stand another headline about people trying to blowup airplanes with shoe bombs, when you are on the verge of depressionbecause the world is so hard and immoral and unkind, when you want to returnto the Good Old Days of the 1950’s, then plop this video into your playerand watch two film STARS give lovely sweet performances in a GROWN UP,sensitive film called "An Affair To Remember". Ok, ok, so the Catholictouches go a bit overboard (Kerr in the chapel praying to the Virgin like agood Catholic, while she is a kept woman and playing around on her fiancewith Grant, the little kids singing about hell and the devil, etc.) butother than that this film is romantic and enjoyable, nostalgic and fun. Thetwo main characters grow emotionally and spiritually during the course ofthe film. That does not happen too often in modern films. And you don’tforget this film once you have seen it. It stays with you, it haunts yourconsciousness and your memories. How many modern films can you say thatabout? I forget their plots 10 minutes after I am out of the theater. Notthis film. You don’t want this film to end: you want to see the couple getmarried, have children, see them successful in their careers, grow oldtogether (and you know they do).

5) This is one of those movies that you can watch again and again due toits sweet nature and its refreshing look at how the world used to be.It is quaint yet still touching to those of us viewing it 50 yearslater. It is still relevant and it is still wonderful to watch thechemistry between the charismatic Cary Grant and the beautiful DeborahKerr. The movie is a reminder of how simple things could make you laughback in days when comedy was not sarcasm or needing negativity to befunny. "An Affair to Remember" is a wonderfully beautiful movie thatcreates a wonderful sense of how romance should be. It’s lastingquality can be seen in other movies that have followed by derivinginspiration from the use of the Empire State Building as an iconictower representing romance and this is a testament to the importanceand relevance of this movie decades later. Plus, Cary Grant is still acinematic icon 50 years later. This is a beautiful movie than spanstime and still touches hearts this many years later. And it willcontinue to touch hearts for many years to come.

6) Why do people hate this movie so much?It is a wonderful film , Cary Grant is so handsome and sexy,in my opinion-the sexiest man to ever have walked this earth.. and Deborah Carr is terrific as the love interest. The shipboard fun andthe kiss on the stairs , i know if Cary had kissed me i would have gonecrazy. The beautiful scenes in France and the shipboard romance wereterrific. I do admit that the musical numbers involving the children werevery unnecessary and somewhat annoying adding too much extra time to thefilm but they needed to show her life after the accident I guess. A shamethat Deborah Kerr did not sing ,her voice was dubbed in this movie as wellas in the King and I by Marnie Nixon but she was the leading lady and theyneeded a singing voice for her .That last scene where Cary sees the painting and the truth hits him , he isso overwhelmed with emotion that he wants to almost cry. I love that scene ,I could watch it over and over again . go watch with your favoritesweetheart and a good cuddly sofa. 4 out of 4

7) This film has to be the best romantic film that I’ve ever seen, even aboveGone With the Wind, and Casablanca, but on the same level as The EnglishPatient (my favorite film of all time). After I saw Sleepless in Seattlewhen I was in high school and caught the many references to this film, Idecided to check it out for myself. Needless to say, with the whole"shipboard romance" aspect of it, and the promise to meet again in sixmonths atop the Empire State Building of all places, I quickly becamehooked. The scene that takes place on the French Riviera with Nickie’sgrandmother playing the piano, oh God is it beautiful! Cary Grant is sodebonair and suave and Deborah Kerr is so ravishing and stunninglybeautiful, that it always demands repeated viewings from me (at least twicea year).

Seeing this film always makes me wonder if something like the kind ofrelationship describes within this film would actually BE possible in reallife. Would and could someone actually leave the person they were engagedto in order to marry a complete and total stranger they just met days ago? I’d like to think that it could, but then again I am nothing but a hopelessromantic. The final scene always tears my heart out no matter how manytimes I’ve seen it. I’m always sobbing. Watching this film around thefourteenth day of February (even if you are single) is always a treat. Itallows our fantasies to take wing so that we may think we are actually theone meeting our beloved atop the Empire State Building in athunderstorm.

Watch this film with a box of industrial-strength kleenexnearby.

My rating: 4 stars

It’s not difficult to see why AN AFFAIR TO REMEMBER has endured for so manydecades as a romantic drama, consistently rated as one of the most romanticfilms of all time.

The first half of the film was rather slow, as it introduced us tocharacters and established their backgrounds and links. It wasn’t so muchthe script as the interaction between Nicky (Cary Grant) and Terry (DeborahKerr) that was intriguing–the little stolen moments, the careful words, andeven that tiny, indirect farewell kiss Nicky bestows on Terry’s hand as theypart company when coming off the steamer. It all builds up to a terrificdenouement, and I have to admit to being thrilled when Nicky turns up atTerry’s door, and increasingly horrified as he baits her about missing theirmeeting atop the Empire State building.

Cary Grant is charming as always, and, at age 53, still able to get a girl’sheart to stop dead in its tracks. Who *wouldn’t* have been too busy thinkingabout him to get into a devastating car accident? Deborah Kerr is lovely aswell, and the direction of the film is excellent. We don’t get soundtrackslike this anymore, either–soft, romantically lush, with children serenadingthe audience as much as they do Terry.

If this movie had been made today, I would probably be cynical and think ofit as emotionally exploitative. But, with its impeccable cast playing eachline sincerely and truthfully, it works. The set-up is simple; the heart ofit is unforgettable: this is true of both Nicky and Terry’s relationship, aswell as the film as a whole.

9) What one has to consider about the Deborah Kerr/Cary Grant characters isthat they are both "kept" individuals: Kerr by a wealthy Texan named Ken(-doll, played by Richard Denning), Grant a gigolo engaged to an heiress(Neva Patterson). They meet on an ocean cruise, with this some cute and alsosilly comedy thrown in. Kerr & Grant are British and speak the accents yettheir characters are from the U.S.; a not too distracting error, however. Anunusually touching scene is when they de-bark in Italy and visit Grant’s82-year-old grandmother (Cathleen Nesbitt). It’s a beautiful setting withwonderful music and pathos. Back in the states the couple agree to meet atopthe Empire State Building in 6 months. One wonders why Kerr won’t marry thehandsome Denning, athletic, wealthy and kind (in real-life the actor wasmarried to the British-raised actress Evelyn Ankers, a beauty in theKerr-mold). Much of the second half is infused with un-necessary scenes ofsinging children but this all leads up the the final, long scene,beautifully acted and directed (by Leo McCarey). A mystery is very slowlyunraveled in layers until the peak of the scene, scored by the emotionaltitle theme song. This scene "gets" one every time, that’s how effective itis. Beautiful costumes, scenery, clever photography (note the scene wherethe open patio door reveals the Empire State Building in its reflection),great cast make this an enduring, never-forgotten goldenclassic.

10) This film has to be probably the best romantic film I’ve ever seen,
even above Gone With The Wind, but on the same level as The English
Patient (my favorite film of all time). I got intrigued by this film
back in high school when my sister dragged me to see Sleepless in
Seattle. I caught the references to this film that Meg Ryan made
throughout that film and thought that I’d like to rent this film
(Affair to Remember) to see what the commotion was about. Needless to
say, with the whole “shipboard romance” aspect of it, and the promise
to meet again in six months atop the Empire State Building of all
places, I quickly became hooked. The scene on the French Riviera with
Nickie’s grandmother playing the piano, oh God is it beautiful! Cary
Grant is so debonair and suave and Deborah Kerr is so ravishing and
stunningly beautiful, that it always demands repeated viewing from me
(at least three times a year).

Seeing this film always makes me wonder if something like the kind of
relationship that Nickie had with Terry in the film would really be
possible. Would and could someone actually leave the person they were
engaged to to marry a complete and total stranger that they just met
days ago? I’d like to think that it could, but then I am nothing but a
hopeless romantic. The final scene always tears my heart out, no matter
how many times I’ve seen it, I’m always sobbing. Watching this film
around Valentine’s Day (even if you are single) is always a treat. It
allows our fantasies to take flight so that we may think that we are
actually the one meeting our beloved atop the Empire State Building in
a thunderstorm.

Watch with a box of Kleenex nearby.

My rating: 4 stars