Trains and Constrains: Re-Examining the Griersonian Documentary Influence upon David Lean’s Brief Encounter (1945)

Abstract

Early British documentary cinema, pioneered by John Grierson, undeniably had a heavy influence on later wartime-era cinema. One such film is David Lean’s beloved Brief Encounter. Lean’s utilization of a first-person, omnipresent narrative structure mirrors the philosophy behind these earlier documentary films. By first providing an overview of the history of documentary film, Lean’s depiction of the banality of middle England is then re-examined through the lens of Laura and Alec’s affair. Particular focus is placed upon his depiction of class, empire, and female voices, which are compared and contrasted to these aforementioned British documentaries.