This is romance: Brief Encounter (1945)

Between now and Valentine's Day, I thought it might be a nice warm-up in this bleak winter to post some romantic moments from favorite films for those who enjoy a good love story. A moment or two to savor how people connect--however tenuously--might be just the mini-vacation we crave just now.

I'll start with one of the best--and naturally, one of the most poignant. Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard directed by David Lean in a slight but potent Noel Coward story -- Brief Encounter (1945). Celia Johnson's sensitive face registers everything that needs to be said; though the tenderness in Trevor Howard's eloquent hand on Celia's shoulder resonates with me.