You are here:

The End of the Affair

Name: The End of the Affair
Director: Neil Jordan
Released: 1999
Duration: 102 min

Representation Score

2.1/10

Limited

1999

Director

Neil Jordan

Runtime

102 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

Neil Jordan’s drama prioritizes psychological and spiritual depth over demographic breadth. While the film lacks diversity in terms of race and sexual orientation, it challenges traditional gender roles by giving the female lead a significant role in driving the story. The narrative structure replaces rigid religious dogma with a nuanced, subjective exploration of faith and human desire. This deconstruction of certainty provides a level of moral complexity that offsets the lack of demographic variety. Ultimately, the film functions as a period piece that reflects the historical constraints of 1940s London, resulting in a homogeneous social environment that lacks modern representation.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does The End of the Affair have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film focuses entirely on heterosexual relationships and does not include any LGBTQ+ characters or discussions of gender identity. There is no presence of LGBTQ+ themes or characters.

How does The End of the Affair portray gender?

Fair

The narrative centers on the female protagonist's autonomy. Sarah Miles makes decisions that assert her spiritual independence rather than submitting to male figures, giving her a significant role in driving the story.

How racially and ethnically diverse is The End of the Affair?

Limited

Set in post-war London, the cast is predominantly white and reflects the upper-middle-class European social strata. The film maintains a homogeneous social landscape without diverse ethnic perspectives.

How does The End of the Affair represent religion and culture?

Fair

The film explores the tension between institutional religion and personal spirituality. It treats Sarah's private relationship with the divine as a valid, disruptive personal truth.

Does The End of the Affair include disability representation?

Minimal

There are no prominent depictions of visible or invisible disabilities, neurodivergence, or chronic illness within the central character arcs.

Present on Screen

The film challenges the cliché of the passive female object by giving Sarah Miles a significant role in driving the story and spiritual independence.
It offers a sophisticated exploration of religious institutions, moving beyond simple morality to explore subjective faith.

Limited or Absent

The narrative lacks LGBTQ+ representation, focusing exclusively on heterosexual relationships.
The social landscape is homogeneous, lacking racial and ethnic diversity within the post-war London setting.

Official Synopsis

On a rainy London night in 1946, novelist Maurice Bendrix has a chance meeting with Henry Miles, husband of his ex-mistress Sarah, who abruptly ended their affair two years before. Bendrix's obsession with Sarah is rekindled; he succumbs to his own jealousy and arranges to have her followed.

How are these scores produced? →