E.M. Forster's subtle novels have been a rich source of material for director James Ivory, including 'Maurice', in which Forster explored his own homosexuality with uncommon directness. The first part of this film is lush and predictable, a story of beautiful young chums at Cambridge, but it takes on an edge as life in the real world forces choices upon its characters. A young Hugh Grant is unexpectedly good as Clive, who makes the transition from floppy haired boy to Edwardian moralist. While it lacks the panache of 'A Room with a View', 'Maurice' grows to become a deeper work. My only quibble is with the end, which suddenly swivels back to Clive's point of view, a viewpoint largely abandoned throughout the film's second half - the ending fits the synopsis, but somehow not the execution. Nonetheless, a good film.
Review of Maurice
