Accident (12A)

The story centres on Stephen, a married Oxford professor played by Dirk Bogarde, who is experiencing a mid-life crisis. The world changes for him when he meets Anna, a beautiful young woman who is engaged to William, one of his students (film debut for Michael York). Following a car accident outside Stephen’s home in which William is killed and Anna is severely disoriented, she is obliged to remain with Stephen although his wife is out of town. The events of the build up to the accident are told in flashbacks and, while Stephen believes that he is in control of the events that will eventually lead to the destruction of his marriage, we soon discover that Anna is not so innocent. In fact, she is involved with Charlie, played by Stanley Baker, a colleague of Stephen’s.