Ivory-Merchant at their best - Wonderfully Romantic (A Room With A View [1986] (DVD))

Name: BizzyB

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Product:	A Room With A View [1986] (DVD)
Date:	17.10.00 (82 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: All star cast, beautiful scenery and score

Disadvantages: Since being made we've all overdosed on Helen Bonham-Carter in period costume

A Room With A View

This Ivory-Merchant period comedy-drama boasts an impressive cast: Helen Bonham-Carter, Maggie Smith, Judi Dench, Daniel Day-Lewis, Simon Callow and Denholm Elliot to name but a few and not one of them lets the side down.

The film is based on E.M Forster's novel of the same name and is remarkably faithful to the book. Set shortly before the First World War it opens with Lucy Honeychurch (Helen Bonham-Carter) and her spinster cousin and chaperone Charlotte (Maggie Smith) arriving in Florence as they tour Europe. In their Florence pension they meet an array of British tourists who will change their lives. Among the mixed bag of travelers are the Emmerson's, an unconventional father and son (Denholm Elliot and Julian Sands), a lady novelist Eleanor Lavish (Judi Dench), the elderly spinster sisters the Misses Alans and a familiar face from home - their vicar Rev Beebe (Simon Callow).

The scenery of Florence and the surrounding countryside makes this a beautifully visual film and it is in this setting Lucy's approach to life is challenged by George Emmerson (Sands) who's unorthodox and informal embrace on life is at odds with the starchy social requirements leftover from the Victorian era. The glorious Italian setting perfectly echoes the awakening passions of this young Edwardian woman.

On her return to England the binds of her life become more apparent, especially embodied in her fiancé Cecil (Daniel Day-Lewis) who is every inch the nerd! Fate deems that her experiences in Italy and her comparatively dull, uptight English life will meet and need to be resolved but what will she choose when George Emmerson unexpectedly re-enters her life?

I'm not going to go into any more story detail in fear of spoiling it for those who have yet to see the film. And yes, this is the film with Simon Callow, Rupert Graves and Julian Sands running naked around a pool but in Kenny Everett's
words 'it's all in the best possible taste' and the outcome is very funny!

If you enjoy costume and period drama I would highly recommend this film. Of all Ivory-Merchants offerings I would say this has to be their best. I have seen this film many times and I never tire of it. As I said before, it is a visually stunning film, very atmospheric with excellent performances from all concerned. It is wonderfully romantic and an amusing satire on the social constraints on of the time. It has a superb score including extracts from Puccini operas which add to the ambience perfectly. Sit back for 2hrs with a bottle of Italian wine and enjoy!

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