David Lean directs Noel Coward films [DVD]

During the 1940s, playwright Noel Coward and filmmaker David Lean collaborated to create some of cinema’s greatest films. Their partnership began with the wartime military drama sensation, In Which We Serve, and continued with a series of literate, socially engaged, and enormously entertaining pictures that ranged from epic domestic dramas to whimsical comedies and poignant romances. These films not only showcased Coward’s artistic legacy, but also introduced Lean’s visionary talents to the world.

In the midst of World War II, Noel Coward engaged a young film editor named David Lean to help him bring his vision to life for an action drama about a group of Royal Navy sailors fighting the Germans in the Mediterranean. Coward and Lean ended up co-directing the large-scale project, a major breakthrough for both filmmakers, and a sensitive and stirring piece of propaganda.

David Lean brought to life Noel Coward’s epic chronicle of a working-class family in the London suburbs with This Happy Breed. The film follows the Gibbons family over the course of two decades, chronicling their joys and tragedies from the tail end of the First World War to the beginning of the Second. This quintessential British domestic drama features a remarkable supporting cast and subtly expressive Technicolor cinematography.

Blithe Spirit is a delightful film version of Noel Coward’s theater sensation, brought to life by David Lean. The film stars Rex Harrison as a novelist who invites a medium to conduct a séance, leading to unexpected consequences when she summons the spirit of his dead first wife. This sprightly supernatural comedy features Oscar-winning special effects and winning performances.

Brief Encounter tells the story of a married doctor and a suburban housewife who enter into a passionate but ultimately doomed love affair after a chance meeting on a train platform. With evocative setting and remarkable performances, David Lean’s film deftly explores the thrill, pain, and tenderness of an illicit romance.

These films highlight the collaborative genius of Noel Coward and David Lean, and their impact on cinema has been long-lasting.

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