The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

In the 1945 British film Brief Encounter (directed by David Lean and starring Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard), a His Master's Voice portable (probably a 102) is both seen and heard playing George Butterworth's orchestral piece A Shropshire Lad. From what I remember (admittedly from many years ago), the sound-track initially gives the actual sound of the record, with the shallowness of tone usual when a small acoustic machine is heard over the microphone, but this afterwards merges into the sound of an orchestra recorded directly on film. A Shropshire Lad is based on a cycle of poems by A. E. Housman dealing with an ill-fated love affair. I do not remember seeing this musical reference mentioned in any account of the film.

Oliver Mundy.

The gramophone (a Columbia I believe) in this 1941 number comes to a very unfortunate end: [YouTube]http://youtu.be/jP1jJJsGyKs?t=30m[YouTube]

I'll save everyone else a bit of searching --- 30:00 through 31:30 at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jP1jJJs ... u.be&t=30m

Bob

Menophanes wrote:In the 1945 British film Brief Encounter (directed by David Lean and starring Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard), a His Master's Voice portable (probably a 102) is both seen and heard playing George Butterworth's orchestral piece A Shropshire Lad. From what I remember (admittedly from many years ago), the sound-track initially gives the actual sound of the record, with the shallowness of tone usual when a small acoustic machine is heard over the microphone, but this afterwards merges into the sound of an orchestra recorded directly on film. A Shropshire Lad is based on a cycle of poems by A. E. Housman dealing with an ill-fated love affair. I do not remember seeing this musical reference mentioned in any account of the film.

Oliver Mundy.

Thanks, Oliver, for the information. I was confused by the two posts immediately following yours, which have nothing at all to do with Brief Encounter, a lovely, evocative film shown over here on the Turner Classic Movie channel from time to time. Next time it comes around, I'll look for the HMV.

Pathé Logical wrote:I'll save everyone else a bit of searching --- 30:00 through 31:30 at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jP1jJJs ... u.be&t=30m

Bob

Thank you- I tried several times but couldn't link properly. Quite a few years later Arthur Askey did record "The Seaside Band"

Menophanes wrote:In the 1945 British film Brief Encounter (directed by David Lean and starring Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard), a His Master's Voice portable (probably a 102) is both seen and heard playing George Butterworth's orchestral piece A Shropshire Lad. From what I remember (admittedly from many years ago), the sound-track initially gives the actual sound of the record, with the shallowness of tone usual when a small acoustic machine is heard over the microphone, but this afterwards merges into the sound of an orchestra recorded directly on film. A Shropshire Lad is based on a cycle of poems by A. E. Housman dealing with an ill-fated love affair. I do not remember seeing this musical reference mentioned in any account of the film.

Oliver Mundy.

I've seen this film many times, and don't recall an HMV 102 gramophone. I just found a copy online and checked it scene for scene, and still can't find it. Where abouts is it?

Brief Encounter (1946) Full Movie -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGQ6xBMLfeQ

Henry wrote:Thanks, Oliver, for the information. I was confused by the two posts immediately following yours, which have nothing at all to do with Brief Encounter, a lovely, evocative film shown over here on the Turner Classic Movie channel from time to time. Next time it comes around, I'll look for the HMV.

Since you're familiar with the movie, you'll probably appreciate this parody -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajC4Az4wscc

OrthoFan

That's hilarious! Many thanks for the laughs. I wish I could understand Brit English better; they talk so fast! This calls for repeated viewings.

Now that you mention it, I don't recall a phonograph (a/k/a gramophone) in Brief Encounter, either.

Ok, I don't think it's been mentioned, but I happened to tune into an old British B&W movie about a year ago, which involved (I think) a child with an HMV101 and a large amount of stolen cash. The 101 got smashed to bits because it was thought the cash was hidden inside. The movie was over the airwaves, so I never caught the title.

Henry wrote:That's hilarious! Many thanks for the laughs. I wish I could understand Brit English better; they talk so fast! This calls for repeated viewings.

Now that you mention it, I don't recall a phonograph (a/k/a gramophone) in Brief Encounter, either.

I am beginning to wonder if I have transplanted the memory from some other film. I am sorry if I have unwittingly misled anybody; the recollection was so clear, and the scene could so easily be fitted into the story-line of Brief Encounter (as expressing either the lover's unfulfilled longing or the husband's dawning sense of loss - I thought it was the latter), that I did not think to question the image in my mind.

Oliver Mundy.

Not to worry, Oliver. Both of the films are of interest to us railroad fans! The one in the above posted you-tube links is The Ghost Train, which is unfamiliar to me, and I'm always happy to learn of a movie with a railroad connection. The Brief Encounter of that title takes place, for the most part, in a railway station, although there is a parlor scene of domestic bliss (such as it is). It's been a while since I viewed this movie, and my recollection of specifics is spotty, but there are one or two brief images of steam locomotives flashing by the station.