Adapted from Graham Greene’s 1951 novel, writer Maurice (Ralph Fiennes) and Sarah (Julianne Moore) embark on an affair, her civil servant husband Henry (Stephen Rea) the cuckold. Told in flashback and largely set in Blitz London, Maurice’s frustration at her refusal to leave her husband overshadows their relationship but is superseded when his home is hit by a rocket attack. In keeping with Greene’s interest in Catholicism, Sarah veers towards the supernatural, Maurice not, and this difference becomes pivotal to their relationship, with Jordan expertly dramatising their distinct points of view in a highly effective flash-back structure.
