Maurice [DVD]

The film is another one of those beautifully made period dramas the Merchant/Ivory partnership has produced so many of. It is one of three adaptions of E.M. Forster novels made by them (the other two are 'A Room With a View' and 'Howards End').Maurice is set in England in the early 20th century, in the years before WW1 and it tells the story of Maurice (James Wilby), a young homosexual, and his experiences in a time when love among men was a criminal offense. In his student days at Cambridge Maurice meets and falls in love with fellow student Clive (Hugh Grant). While Maurice can't suppress his sexual desires, Clive eventually withdraws from their relationship and, conforming to the social norm, marries a woman. A later visit from Maurice is rather awkward as Clive tries to avoid him and deny their past relationship. And then Maurice meets Alec (Rupert Graves), a seductive young man in service with Clive's family...The story may not appeal to everybody, and for various reasons. The rigid rules of the English society of the time with its prejudice and lack of acceptance will be infuriating for many. However, as an adaption of the book, the film is rather wonderful. Besides the lovely visuals, there is much else to like about it, not last the excellent performances by the rather exciting cast. The young Hugh Grant (several years pre Four Weddings fame and the ensuing romcom fame) shows what an excellent actor he is in portraying the rather spineless character of Clive. James Wilby is quite impressive as Maurice and Rupert Graves is well cast as his young lover Alec. These are courageous performances by the three young actors, back in 1987, at the height of the AIDS epidemic, when acceptance of homosexuality was still a far cry from what it is now. Many well known faces of British stage and screen acting appear in supporting roles, among them Simon Callow, Denholm Elliott, Billie Whitelaw and Judy Parfitt.The picture and sound quality of the DVD are good. English subtitles are available for those who may need them.

If you are a gay man who grew up in the 1950s and 1960s in England, you will recognise so much of the emotional and historical truth of this film. Today, with gayness largely accepted in many civilised countries around the world (although in some cultures with a more barbaric attitude, it still is not), it is hard to imagine what giant leaps forward have been taken.When I was a boy, you could still go to jail for two years, simply for being gay. Being gay was indeed regarded as the 'unspeakable' - it was almost deemed as bad as being a murderer, and worse than being a (straight) rapist.E.M. Forster, who wrote the novel on which this film is based (a novel that Forster suppressed throughout his life - so shameful still was the stigma that attached to being gay), wanted to create a story of two gay men who found true love and could symbolically walk off happy into the woods forever. He wanted to create a gay couple who were NOT tragic and doomed to misery and loneliness. He succeeded - and so does this gorgeous film. Hugh Grant and all the other lead actors are simply magnificent. If you are gay - your heart will be touched; if you are straight, I hope that your heart will be touched too. At the very least, this film will show you just how difficult it was, within the living memory of many of us, to be born gay in an England that still regarded gayness as a heinous and despicable crime. But the film will also show you how love can triumph in the end - if one is honest with oneself, as Maurice is (but his self-deceiving friend, Clive, is not).An excellent film. One of the most beautiful and sensitive gay-themed films out there. It is simple, not over-played - and it touches the heart.

EM Forster is my favourite writer but I had never seen this film. All his work is very sensitive and nuanced and this held true for 'Maurice'. This era is one that has always fascinated me. It seems idyllic viewed from the 21st century but Maurice reveals the tensions underlying the halcyon innocence of the decade before WW1. We know, as viewers, that probably all three of the central characters will die within five years and this only adds to the poignancy.The other thing I particularly liked about this film is that it was about romantic love, not sex per se, and the intimate portrayal of a couple falling in love was conveyed beautifully against the backdrop of society's constraints at the time. But love is love is love.

A fantastic film with subtitles on is crucial for me to understand what is it story about. A lovely gay lovers in secret romantic but sad film in the end, they had go separate life as it was at the time around 1900s was criminal for illegal homosexual, one of them was married with other woman and other person gone a new life.

What is not to like about this film. So english. So tender. Surprising ending. A total favourite

I had memories of this film, good memories, and for years it was not available. Watching it 30 years later, the film was still exquisite. The three main men turn in memorable performances and the mixture of wanton desire, romanticism and sexual delight is still a beauty to watch. Even Mr. Forster may have been happy.

Super

I first saw this film about 10 years ago and it had a huge impact on me then. I recently rewatched it, and haven’t been able to get it out of my mind since. What a stunning film and fabulous acting. I adore James Wilby here - he deserved so much more recognition for his role. I have read the book as well, and the film is faithful to it - great, elegant adaptation.