Why was Alec's friend mad?
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carolyn_davis2 — 18 years ago(January 28, 2008 08:47 AM)
The scene between the two men is said to have been the inspiration for Billy Wilder's
The Apartment,
a story of a junior executive of Madison Avenue who tries to advance professionally by loaning his apartment to his bosses for their extra-marital flings. Wilder said that he wanted to shoot the story from the perspective of the man (in
Brief Encounter
) who had to climb back into that bed. I agree with roghache that Steven was angry at his flat's use (or attempted use) for that purpose. I'd be angry if a "friend" tried to use my residence to have an affair.
Learning is what most adults will do for a living in the 21st century.- S.J. Perelman
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roghache — 18 years ago(January 28, 2008 09:35 AM)
That's an interesting tidbit about
The Apartment
, Carolyn. I've never actually seen this movie but will keep on the lookout for it on TCM!
Alec would have made Steven something of an unwitting party to the affair by using his apartment and his car (Steven mightn't have been thrilled about that either!). There was the potential embarrassment to Steven if he had arrived at
his own
flat unexpectedly while the two of them were in bed (if it ever got that far). Alec seemed to play pretty fast and loose with his "friend's" possessions generally, both the car and especially the flat, which made me not have a whole lot of respect for him. I didn't blame Steven in the least for asking Alec to return his key. -
steve-2801 — 18 years ago(February 04, 2008 01:20 AM)
I have to say for some reason that is one of the most fascinating, terrifying scenes I have ever watched in a movie. The more you see of Steven, the scarier he is. Perhaps it's to do with his weird about-turn where he seems to condone Alex's behaviour then in the same breath condemns him. I think he did fancy Alex. What genius to cast career creepy-guy-to-be Vallentine Dyall in that role.
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Hancock_the_Superb — 18 years ago(March 19, 2008 05:47 PM)
Alec's friend is a homosexual. He is middle age but unmarried and he speaks with a slight effeminate twang. Obviously, Alec is having an affair with his friend, since he has the key to the apartment. Therefore, the friend is angry at Alec for bringing someone into their love nest.
In all honesty, this is what I thought too. I'm glad I'm not crazy.
I think the tone Alec's friend takes with him indicates that their relationship is rather intimate. But, that's just me.
There may be honor among thieves, but there's NONE in politicians! -
Gular-Scute — 18 years ago(March 26, 2008 10:43 PM)
I'm sure Stephen was meant to be gay but the hints were subtle, as they had to be in those days. Remember his arch look at Alex when he says that the restaurant "caters for all tastes"? The line doesn't make sense taken literally. Combine that with his petulance over his place being used for a (hetero)sexual liaison, his self proclaimed disappointment, effeminate voice and mannerisms and we have a man with a crush on his friend.
That's a 40s stereotype of homosexuality by the way, not mine. -
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SusanHampson — 16 years ago(August 12, 2009 04:56 PM)
I really don't think Stephen was gay. I think that the fact that both Alex and Stephen are both middle-class doctors AND it is the 1930's, it was MOST improper to have an affair outside of marriage here in England. The middle class in England at the time were very 'proper' and Stephen's ire was just the disappointment coming out about his friend's very 'ungentlemanly' conduct. I think you have to be English to recognise this. Back then, in England, people behaved in a certain way. The class system is very much in evidence in this film and most of the characters in this film are middle class which means that 'being proper, good and correct' is very important. It is only the upper classes (the toffs) and the working classes (now known as 'chavs') that don't feel the need (ie are a bit more careless) to follow a moral code. Even now, the middle class in England try to behave properly although infidelity is tolerated a bit more. Back then it really REALLY wasn't. So, in my opinion, Stephen wasn't having a jealous tiff, he believed that an old friend of his was behaving amorally and this was enough to make him disapprove of his friend.
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fran_b_man — 17 years ago(May 01, 2008 11:52 AM)
"I thought this is rather obvious.
Alec's friend is a homosexual. He is middle age but unmarried and he speaks with a slight effeminate twang. Obviously, Alec is having an affair with his friend, since he has the key to the apartment. Therefore, the friend is angry at Alec for bringing someone into their love nest.
This gay subtext isn't that ridiculous, considering that it is written by Noel Coward."
What!?
I didn't interpret it that way at all.
Johnson is here, Johnson is here! You're SUCH a good mate! -
CGA_Soupdragon — 16 years ago(April 13, 2009 11:44 PM)
Having Dyall play Stephen the way he did and having him ask for his key back were clues as to the underlying relationship between the two men. I have come to the conclusion that our Dr. Alec Harvey is a bit of an odd chap. He prefers to spend his Thursday afternoons skiving off from his important job at the hospital to be with a married woman. He lives at an apartment rented by an old "bachelor" friend and is all in all a bit of a dreamer. A bit fly, as it were. Pointing to Alec's bi-sexuality spices things up no end.
He often admits that he is being foolish, but it doesn't stop him from sniffing around.
My sympathies are definitely with Laura, who is a bit swept off her feet by the obviously charming doctor. Johnson's performance is great. Those eyes!
Team
Europe -
Hazekiah — 13 years ago(March 22, 2013 01:16 AM)
Very interesting to see people still contesting the homosexual subtext here.
I mean, a middle-aged unmarried and effeminate male character created by a famously gay playwright skips out on his regularly-scheduled dinner date with another man (because of a sore throat, lol) so he can rush back home and spend the evening with the man to whom he's not only loaned his home but his car as well, only to turn exceedingly catty and snarky upon discovering a woman's scarf in the "service flat" he proudly and suggestively remarks "caters for all tastes," all the while saying that Alec needn't explain or apologize since they "live in the modern age" and have "been friends for years" and declaring himself to be "the most broad-minded of men" and essentially condoning his friend's unfaithfulness to his wife just before clarifying that he's "not angry, just disappointed" as he basically breaks up with him and demands his key's return before kicking him out for good.
Nope, no subtext THERE, lol. -
BillyFisher — 16 years ago(July 26, 2009 03:50 PM)
I watched this film as a teenager and (as a then-terrified closeted homosexual) instinctively knew Stephen was gay.
I've never thought there was any intimacy implied between him and Alec, though.
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stephen-morton — 16 years ago(August 20, 2009 03:09 PM)
I didn't get the impression that Stephen was gay at all, though I suppose since this was Noel Coward there is that possibility. Certainly Alec and Stephen aren't having an affairthat would destroy all sympathy the audience has with Alec; he's not only cheating on his wife, but cheating on Laura as well, at the same time as saying he loves her.
Alec had the key because he specifically borrowed it from Stephen. He had borrowed Stephen's car that day to go out driving with Laura, which is shown onscreen and explained in the voiceover. Stephen gave him the key so that he could take the car back, and told him he wouldn't be home until late. There is no reason this needs to have homosexual connotations.
As to Stephen's anger, that's a little more mysterious. There could be some alternative, ulterior motives that are not explained. However, I think it seems pretty reasonable to assume that Stephen disapproved of Alec's infidelity. This was a different time and place, and the movie continually emphasizes the strict social rules, with both protagonists expressing fear of being caught repeatedly. This is the only time one of them is actually caught, and Stephen's reaction is exactly as they feared: He is irritated and resentful and self-righteous at finding Alec using his apartment as a place for sex behind his back. (Yes, they don't actually have sex, but Stephen doesn't know that.) This interpretation is supported by the way Alec tells him (paraphrase) "I'm sure you think this terribly vulgar and crude, but actually it's nothing of the sort." He is clearly fighting back against Stephen's moral opprobrium.
In a side note, I felt it was a good thing they broke up at the end. It's a shame they never found each other before now, but to run off and leave their spouses and children really would be wrong. Just because you think you've found personal happiness doesn't give you the right to hurt other people like that. Laura's husband was a good man and he deserved better. -
stuffic — 16 years ago(September 29, 2009 08:53 PM)
Whew! When that poster said it was obvious Stephen was gay and he and Alec were having an affair, and then several people concurred that feeling, I thought I was going crazy!!
I didn't think he was gay, just a Brit from the 30s/40s. Almost all of them seemed gay, didn't they?
I thought he was just disapproving of Alec's infidelity, and resented that he was using his apartment for the tryst.
It's possible Stephen was gay, but even so, they weren't having an affair. As the other poster said, he just had a crush on his friend.
I agree with the English poster earlier. I think it's just hard for us Americans, especially in 2009, to picture things being so strict and proper once upon a time.
"I'm not trying to get in the middle of 'crazy'." -
Pharaoh Osmosis — 16 years ago(October 20, 2009 08:35 AM)
"I didn't think he was gay, just a Brit from the 30s/40s. Almost all of them seemed gay, didn't they?"
No, only to USians, especially ones who go on about Brits rather than Englishmen, Scotsmen et al, many such USians still think "Brits" seem "gay", as well as thinking there is something wrong with being homosexual.
"Nothings gonna change my world!" -
McArty — 16 years ago(October 21, 2009 09:50 AM)
I agree with SusanHampson. We must interpret the scene having in account that was England in the 40s, so that would be a normal reaction.
Maybe in today standards seems weird, but things were really different back there.