Maurice (1987)

Directed by: James Ivory | 140 minutes | drama, romance | Actors: James Wilby, Hugh Grant, Rupert Graves, Denholm Elliott, Simon Callow, Billie Whitelaw, Barry Foster, Judy Parfitt, Phoebe Nicholls, Patrick Godfrey, Mark Tandy, Ben Kingsley, Kitty Aldridge, Helena Michell, Catherine Rabett, Peter Eyre, Michael Jenn

EM Forster (1879-1970) was a British novelist, known for ‘A Room with a View’ (1908), ‘Howards End’ (1910) and of course ‘A Passage to India’ (1924). He wrote a total of ‘only’ six books, of which ‘Maurice’ was written in 1913, but which was only allowed to be published after his death in 1971. Given the author’s popularity, one seriously wonders what his decision has meant for the (much too late) acceptance of homosexuals in England (and the rest of the world). Had the author published his love novel earlier, his own homosexuality would have come to light, but that could also have paved the way for the social turnaround. It’s typical that ‘Maurice’ is just about that.

‘Maurice’ was directed by James Ivory and its regular producer Ismail Merchant (who also filmed Forster’s novels ‘A Room with a View’ and ‘Howards End’). ‘Maurice’ fits right in their alley. It is set in the Edwardian era around two families from different classes. The title role is for James Wilby, who plays the blonde Maurice Hall. Maurice attends Cambridge, where he meets Lord Risley (Mark Tandy) and his roommate Clive Durham (Hugh Grant), also a member of the British upper class. Clive and Maurice click immediately, and when Clive expresses his feelings for Maurice, Maurice is shocked at first, but not much later he has to admit that he feels the same for Clive. The two enjoy spending time together, but Clive doesn’t want sex, despite Maurice’s insistence.

When Maurice is sent from Cambridge, the two keep in touch, but something breaks in Clive when Lord Risley is arrested for fornicating with a soldier. Not long after, Clive turns out to be getting married to Anne (Phoebe Nicholls) and insists that Maurice also finds himself a wife. Political and social reasons underlie this, but Clive seems happy with his decision.

‘Maurice’ is a beautifully shot coming-of-age film about a man who discovers his sexuality at a time when it was actually assumed that as a man you like women and vice versa. Homosexuality was seen as a disease even by gay men. Maurice actually visits a doctor to ask if he can be cured and also hopes that Dr. Lasker-Jones, a hypnotherapist (Ben Kingsley), can get him out of his feelings. The camera work is soft and tender, mostly with natural light, fitting the story. It perfectly captures the atmosphere of the era. The actors are excellently cast and believable in their roles. ‘Maurice’ didn’t really stand out at the time of its release in 1988, but thanks to the 4K restoration – just like ‘Howards End’ in 2017, the film is finally getting the recognition it deserves.