Maurice (film)
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| Maurice | |
|---|---|
 DVD cover of Maurice |
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| Directed by | James Ivory |
| Produced by | Ismail Merchant Paul Bradley (associate) |
| Written by | Kit Hesketh-Harvey James Ivory (based on the novel by E. M. Forster) |
| Starring | James Wilby Hugh Grant Rupert Graves Denholm Elliott Simon Callow Billie Whitelaw Barry Foster (actor) Judy Parfitt Phoebe Nicholls Ben Kingsley |
| Music by | Richard Robbins |
| Cinematography | Pierre Lhomme |
| Editing by | Katherine Wenning |
| Distributed by | Cinecom (US) |
| Release date(s) | 18 September 1987 (US) |
| Running time | 140 min |
| Language | English |
| IMDb profile | |
Maurice is a 1987 film based on the novel of the same title by E. M. Forster. A tale of homosexual love in early 20th century England, it follows Maurice Hall from his school days, through university and beyond.
Produced by Merchant Ivory Productions and Channel Four Films, the film was directed by James Ivory and written by Ivory and Kit Hesketh-Harvey, produced by Ismail Merchant, with cinematography by Pierre Lhomme.
Starring James Wilby as Maurice, Hugh Grant as Clive and Rupert Graves as Alec. The supporting cast included Denholm Elliott as Dr Barry, Simon Callow as Mr Ducie, Billie Whitelaw as Mrs Hall and Ben Kingsley as Lasker-Jones.
Contents |
[edit] Cast
- James Wilby - Maurice Hall
- Hugh Grant - Clive Durham
- Rupert Graves - Alec Scudder
- Denholm Elliott - Doctor Barry
- Simon Callow - Mr. Ducie
- Billie Whitelaw - Mrs. Hall
- Barry Foster (actor) - Dean Cornwallis
- Judy Parfitt - Mrs. Durham
- Phoebe Nicholls - Anne Durham
- Ben Kingsley - Lasker-Jones
- Patrick Godfrey - Simcox
- Mark Tandy - Risley
- Kitty Aldridge - Kitty Hall
- Helena Michell - Ada Hall
- Catherine Rabett - Pippa Durham
- Peter Eyre - Rev. Borenius
- Michael Jenn - Archie
- Mark Payton - Chapman
- Orlando Wells - Young Maurice
- Maria Britneva - Mrs. Sheepshanks
- John Elmes - Hill
- Alan Foss - Old Man on Train
- Philip Fox - Dr. Jowitt
- Olwen Griffiths - Mrs. Scudder
- Chris Hunter - Fred Scudder
- Gerald McArthur - Undergraduate
- Breffni McKenna - Guardsman
- Miles Richardson - Third Undergraduate
- Phillida Sewell - Matron
- Matthew Sim - Featherstonhaugh
- Andrew St. Clair - Second Undergraduate
- Harriet Thorpe - Barmaid
- Julian Wadham - Hull
- Richard Warner - Judge
- Alan Whybrow - Mr. Scudder
Cameo
- Helena Bonham Carter - Lady at Cricket Match
- Adrian Ross Magenty - Dickie Barry
[edit] Awards
[edit] 1987 Venice Film Festival
- Won, Best Actor for James Wilby & Hugh Grant
- Won, Silver Lion (Best Director) for James Ivory
- Won, Golden Osella (Best Music) for Richard Robbins
[edit] 1988 Academy Awards
- Nominated : Best Costume Design (Jenny Beavan, John Bright)
[edit] Differences in the film
Maurice is 11 at the beginning of the film, rather than 14. The film omits almost all of the novel's philosophical dialogue, and also many subplots such as Maurice's love for the schoolboy Dickie. It expands the Wildean character of Lord Risley and his 6-month imprisonment with hard labor for homosexual conduct (he is not imprisoned in the novel), in order to dramatize the dangers of Edwardian homosexuality and provide a plot device by which Clive feels he must reject Maurice. No such plot device was in the novel. In one deleted scene released in the 2002 edition, Risley actually ends up committing suicide, but this was not shown in the film.
While undergoing hypnosis by Dr. Lasker-Jones in a desperate attempt to "cure" himself, Maurice reveals to him that he has slept with Alec Scudder. Lasker-Jones warns Maurice that at one time homosexuals were executed in Britain. In spite of this warning, Lasker-Jones, especially in the film, seems to be the most affirming character. Despite most of society's condemnations, he suggests that Maurice consider relocating to a country where homosexuality is not illegal, like France or Italy. Maurice asks him if England will ever change it's attitudes toward homosexuality, to which Lasker-Jones replied that "England has always been disinclined to accept human nature."
The place of the final tryst between Maurice and Alec Scudder has a certain homoerotic symbolism when seen in the movie; the pseudo-Elizabethan boathouse alludes both to the Arts and Crafts movement that was so associated with Edward Carpenter (a visit by E.M. Forster to Carpenter and his lover George Merrill inspired the writing of Maurice), and also to the Elizabethan England of Christopher Marlowe ("all they that love not tobacco and boys are fools") and the Sonnets of Shakespeare. In the novel the "greenwood and the night" serve as the place of refuge, and the boathouse is only alluded to.
[edit] DVD
In 2002 a special edition DVD of the film was released with a new documentary and deleted scenes with director's commentary.
