Still Life (play) "The Times" called it "a serious and sympathetic study of humdrum people suddenly trapped by love" and strongly praised Coward both for the play and his performance. After the successful production of the play, Coward expanded and adapted it into a full-length film script, "Brief Encounter" (1945), which was filmed by David Lean, with Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard in the roles originally played by Lawrence and Coward. A radio adaptation of the film was broadcast in 1955, and the following year Coward made a version for two voices which he recorded with Margaret Leighton. A French translation was given
Post Mortem (Coward play) the play "a fine effort, a really fine effort... As argument it is first rate. As imagination magnificent … and gave me a thrill to read it." The "Columbia Encyclopedia of Modern Drama" notes that "The British theater had abundant room for the comic Coward, but none for the angry, bitter Coward of "Post Mortem"", and that Coward had two playwriting personas: one "crowd-pleasing (and) comic", the other "darker (and) serious". The Encyclopedia does not record much appreciation, if any, even years later, for this play written by Coward's dark side. However, it bestows some backhanded praise by admitting that