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Summary: A Classic,Classy Drama
Review: This film works like SENSE AND SENSIBILITY with the story of the two sisters and the threat to their home after it is sold from under them. This adaptation of E.M.Forster's novel stays pretty close to the original story,with glowing performances from Thompson,Helena Bonham Carter,Prunella Scales,Samuel West,Anthony Hopkins and Vanessa Redgrave. A must for Forster and Thompson fans.
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Summary: Adrian Ross Magenty is adorable!
Review: This is a great movie. I also love the book. That guy who plays Tibby is wonderful!
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Summary: All Around Great!
Review: This is a very good movie, with great actors/performances, and a bitter-sweet plot. It is especially delicious for those of us who love British period pieces.
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Summary: Slow, Dull.. Good?
Review: This is a very odd film. I'm never quite sure whether I hate it for being slow-paced, a tad boring, a bit wooden - or whether I like it for being intelligent, moving, and rather intriguing. Maybe it's just me..The actors are always great, you can't deny that. Anthony Hopkins is complex as the arrogant yet sympathetic upper class man, his children are complete dolts (for some reason), and Emma Thompson is perfect as the wise and fun-loving but rather cowardly young rich woman. Her sister, Helena Bonham Carter, the rebellious and passionate younger sister, has very intersting chemisty with Sam West. His character is above all the best in this film. He's destitute, married to an obnoxious woman he does not love, and being pushed around by these stuffy aristocrats. The fact that under all this he can still recognize sincerity and love in Bonham Carter's character makes him truly fascinating. If for no other reason, watch the film simly to see him. The plot often seems buried under the characters - in fact, there is so little plot that one can almost argue that the film's characters ARE it's plot. A woman is left a lovely English cottage by a dying woman (Venessa Redgrave), but the request is in pencil, and her family (Anthony Hopkins and his dim children) throws it away and pretends that their motive is a purely unselfish one, when in fact they just resent a lower class, single woman being left such a valuable peice of property. When the relationship between the two sisters and this family starts to unfold, the plot very nearly sinks amid the subplots and the characters and setting developements. Maybe the filmmakers intended this? Or maybe they didn't. The movie struggles to keep afloat, failing at times and yet in other scenes rising above the usual period movie stuffiness to become quite beautiful.
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Summary: Wonderful
Review: This is a wonderful movie - you appreciate it even more upon a second viewing. I especially love the opening credits with Vanessa Redgrave's dress trailing in the grass - it's straight from the book. All the characters are fabulous - and while the story is very subtly changed from the book, it was really interesting to see that full lines of text were kept in the movie.
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Summary: First Class version of a first class title !!!!
Review: This is an excellent transfer of a first rate film. If you like this film...you will love this disc.
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Summary: Superb Independent Film!
Review: This is likely the best of all the Merchant and Ivory films in terms of its gravity and social statement, which uses the superb cast to great advantage here in telling this tale of social class privileges and prejudices in turn-of-the century British society. Of course, Sir Anthony Hopkins' performance as the overbearing scion of an upper class family who rubs shoulders, ankles, and misfortunes with an upper-middle class family headed by Emma Thompson. The storyline is complex, full of nuances and twists and turns that bear amazingly well on the whole character of the English class system and the way it both benefits the upper classes as well as the ways in which it bedevils and obstructs everyone else. For example, just to listen to one of Sir Anthony's tirades about how the misfortune of another was brought on by themselves and therefore deserved is to instantly understand how little compassion, insight, or indulgence the upper class was likely to extend to its less fortunate brothers and sisters. It is a quite intelligent sociological exploration of the nature of the class system and how differences in perception, expectation, and resources create a panoply of emotions, circumstances, and consequences when the classes and the different generations clash. What comes across most clearly is the attitude of entitlement and privilege the upper class brings to each and every social situation. Something about having all that money and power that lends itself to an air of confidence! Some things never change. The story is adapted from an E. M Forrester story, so has all the earmarks of authenticity one would expect from such an English author. The acting is uniformly superb, from Hopkins to Thompson to Vanessa Redgrave to Helena Bonham Carter, and the sets are absolutely superb, as well. This is serious drama, taken from the pages of a chronicle of personal lives entwining in such memorable ways and seething with passion, love, courage, betrayal, and tragedy. Yet, as we see it the end, all comes round to a remarkable example of typically English stoicism and endurance. This is a lovely period piece film, and one I am sure you will like. Enjoy!
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Summary: My favorite movie!
Review: This is my all time favorite movie. I only wish I could give it more stars to counter those fools who gave it only one! I guess they are like the people who foolishly chose the movie Unforgiven for best picture instead of this masterpiece! I am completely in love with Emma Thompson. Their is just a quality about her that is perfect for this role. And Helena Bonham Carter should have earned at least an Oscar nomination for her part here. Vanessa Redgrave, Anthony Hopkins, the gentle yet at times intense score everything about this movie is wonderful. From the opening scenes of Vanessa in her long gown walking around Howards End in the twilight you will be sucked into this film. It is not flashy hollywood. There are no special effects just the telling of a simple gentle beautiful story. I saw it in the theatres three times and have watched it on cable and on tape many times!
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Summary: Exquisite, enthralling.
Review: This is not a dull film. It is subtle, and beautiful, glowing with color. From the first shot of Vanessa Redgrave's skirt trailing through the flowers, I was gripped. It builds upon layers and layers of the human soul, and leaves your mind reeling even after the movie is over. Merchant and Ivory truly understand the importance of all aspects in excellent film: beauty, coherence and subtlety. This is on my list of top ten films, and is in every way what a film should be.
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Summary: This movie is GREAT!
Review: This is one of the best movies I have ever seen!!! Not only is my favorite actor in it(Sir Anthony Hopkins) who gives a brilliant performance as usual but the story is quite strong, also. Normally I don't enjoy period pieces too much but the acting in this film is spectacular! I love the way that Thompson plays a character that is strong, independent and yet so weak when it comes to her husband(Hopkin's). If you have enjoyed Hopkins and Thompson's work before you will not be dissapointed by this great film.
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