bkoganbing After watching Personal Affair my major question is who over at Two Cities Films had the brilliant idea of casting 30 year old Glynis Johns as a love struck teenager? The horrible miscasting ruined what could be a decent film about the damage of idle gossip.The best speaking voice in the English language Leo Genn plays a school teacher in rural England who teenage Glynis has conceived a passionate crush on. When Genn rolls out those Latin phrases who wouldn't be enthralled, the only voice better is that of Ronald Colman. But Genn's already married to Gene Tierney and that's beauty enough for anyone. Still after a meeting with Genn where he rejects her advances, Johns disappears and the police start investigating after her father Walter Fitzgerald reports her missing. After that the questions, speculation, and gossip start.Another problem is something another reviewer pointed out, Tierney and Genn have no real chemistry together. This was another case of American star imported to the United Kingdom to give some American box office draw to one of their films. Who really gives a fine performance is Pamela Brown, Glynis's maiden aunt who is one warped frustrated old maid. Seems like Brown is a modern day Miss Favesham who was jilted and takes it out on whatever humanity happens to be around.Some better casting and Personal Affair would rate a notch or two higher.

MtnShelby I'm a huge Gene Tierney fan, but apparently not enough of one, because I only discovered this film while browsing through Amazon. Wish I'd known about it years ago. The quality is good, the pace is fast, the acting solid, the themes surprisingly brazen for the times (or so it seems to me). There's a touch of melodrama, mystery, even film noire. The Aunt Evelyn character is almost as wicked as dear old Mrs Danvers. If you're debating about watching this film, don't. It's worth the time, especially for a fan of classic black and white films. Thanks to the viewers who took the time to rate this film! otherwise I would never have discovered it.

rpvanderlinden "Personal Affair" is a crisply written, beautifully photographed, thoughtfully directed thriller about a teenage girl (Glynis Johns) who disappears, one night, from a small town and the schoolteacher (Leo Genn) who is suspected of being implicated in her disappearance. People do notice things and people in the town have noticed that there was something between them. They don't know what, he's an outsider, anyway, so they figure he's guilty. The film is a study of how feverish imagination becomes gossip, and gossip becomes the truth, how suspicion breeds fear and undermines love and trust, how crazy you can become from the whispers and half-truths swirling around you and you don't have a rock to hold onto.The schoolteacher has a beautiful American wife (Gene Tierney) who loves him deeply but becomes detached from that rock when certain suspicions she has regarding her husband and the girl turn out to have weight. He's innocent of any criminal culpability, but he hasn't quite told the truth, which has something to do with love. The film talks a lot about this tricky emotion. At various points in the film each of the main characters - the teacher, his wife, the girl, her parents, her aunt - bring up the subject of love, and their own experiences with it. It is the aunt who has been damaged by love who harbours all kinds of toxic feelings and spreads the most lies and chaos.The stage play and screenplay, I note, were both written by one Lesley Storm. The film has been nicely opened up, runs a tight 88 minutes and is very cinematic. Do note that beautiful metaphor at the end of the film - turbulent waters and still waters. Really a lovely little film.

John Seal This next to unknown feature from Two Cities Films is an intelligent, mature, and well-made feature about secrets, sex, and gossip. Leo Genn delivers a finely nuanced performance as Stephen Barlow, a schoolteacher who has a budding relationship with student Barbara (Glynis Johns). Stephen also has an American wife (Gene Tierney) who is both jealous and suspicious, and she quickly discerns that he is taking a special interest in the teenager. When Barbara disappears after meeting with him late one night, jaws start flapping, the police begin an investigation, and the girl's father (Walter Fitzgerald) suspects foul play. Beautifully shot by Reginald Wyer, Personal Affair also benefits from superb supporting performances from Megs Jenkins and Pamela Brown as Barbara's mother and aunt.