A Room With a View

James Ivory, UK, 1985, 117 minutes

This story of a young girl's visit to Italy, and the subsequent events it sets off, is probably the least message-laden of all of E M Forster's novels. Bonham Carter in the first of her two Merchant Ivory films to date, gives an appealing, if not very deep performance as Lucy Honeychurch, as does the other main lead, Samuel West. But the best thing about this film, is its secondary characters. Particularly good is Maggie Smith as Lucy's poor cousin Charlotte, her companion on the trip. She is out of place both at Lucy's home, where she is patronised by Lucy's mother, and in Italy, where she feels awkward and deserted and is forced to accompany Judi Dench's wonderfully garrulous writer of "women's fiction". Perhaps the best of all is Daniel Day-Lewis as Cecil Vyse, Lucy's rejected fiance, who manages to make Cecil more than simply a stock figure of fun. Although it has its graver moments, it's mostly very lighthearted. A beautifully made film, which deservedly won seven Oscars, it's probably the most accessible of Merchant Ivory's films, and certainly nobody does this kind of thing better, or could attract so many excellent actors. Plus, there's some lovely Italian scenery and nude bathing. There you are, something for everyone!

Review by Katherine Edge
Taken from EUFS Programme 1994-95