A Room with a View (1985)

In a Florence pensione circa 1900 with English guests, George and his dad offer their rooms with views to Lucy and her chaperone. Lucy and George get acquainted but Lucy returns to England. George and Lucy meet again but now she's engaged.

Director:

James Ivory

Writers:

E.M. Forster (novel), Ruth Prawer Jhabvala (screenplay)

Stars:

Maggie Smith, Helena Bonham Carter, Denholm Elliott

Won 3 Oscars. Another 22 wins & 22 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Maggie Smith	...	Charlotte Bartlett, a Chaperon
Helena Bonham Carter	...	Lucy Honeychurch, Miss Bartlett's cousin and charge (as Helena Bonham-Carter)
Denholm Elliott	...	Mr Emerson, an English tourist
Julian Sands	...	George Emerson
Simon Callow	...	The Reverend Mr Beebe
Patrick Godfrey	...	The Reverend Mr Eager, Chaplain of the Anglican Church in Florence
Judi Dench	...	Eleanor Lavish, a novelist
Fabia Drake	...	Miss Catharine Alan
Joan Henley	...	Miss Teresa Alan
Amanda Walker	...	The Cockney Signora
Daniel Day-Lewis	...	Cecil Vyse (as Daniel Day Lewis)
Maria Britneva	...	Mrs Vyse, Cecil's mother
Rosemary Leach	...	Mrs Honeychurch
Rupert Graves	...	Freddy Honeychurch
Peter Cellier	...	Sir Harry Otway, a landlord

Storyline

When Lucy Honeychurch and chaperone Charlotte Bartlett find themselves in Florence with rooms without views, fellow guests Mr Emerson and son George step in to remedy the situation. Meeting the Emersons could change Lucy's life forever but, once back in England, how will her experiences in Tuscany affect her marriage plans?

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Plot Keywords:

male nudity | nude bathing | pubic hair | male pubic hair | piano | 

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Taglines:

From Merchant-Ivory, the team who brought you "THE EUROPEANS" and "HEAT AND DUST" comes a brilliant movie adaptation of E.M. Forster's classic novel "A ROOM WITH A VIEW"

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Merchant Ivory Productions [United States]

Country:

UK

Language:

English Italian

Release Date:

11 April 1986 (UK)

Also Known As:

A Room with a View

Filming Locations:

Emmetts Garden, Sevenoaks, Kent, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$3,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$42,970, 9 March 1986, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$20,966,644

Company Credits

Production Co:

Goldcrest Films International, National Film Finance Corporation (NFFC), Curzon Film Distributors

Technical Specs

Runtime:

117 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The re-release in Spain was only in 3 theaters: Madrid (Conde Duque, Verdi) and Barcelona (Verdi). The film was only projected 1 day in subtitled version.

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Goofs

In the opening, Lucy and Charlotte complain that their rooms face north, and thus they have no view of the Arno river. They switch to south-facing rooms. But the view out of their new window faces both the Arno and the Duomo, the latter of which is north of the Arno. Thus, the new rooms must face north; it is the only vantage point from which one may view both the Arno and the Duomo.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Charlotte Bartlett: This is not at all what we were led to expect.
Lucy Honeychurch: I thought we were going to see the Arno.
Charlotte Bartlett: The signora distinctly wrote, South rooms, with a view and close together, instead of which she has given us North rooms without a view and a long way apart.

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Connections

Spoofed in Bob's Burgers: Broadcast Wagstaff School News (2013)

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Soundtracks

O mio babbino caro
from "Gianni Schicchi"
by Giacomo Puccini
Performed by Kiri Te Kanawa with the London Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by John Pritchard (as Sir John Pritchard)
Courtesy CBS Masterworks
(from the album "Kiri Te Kanawa - Puccini & Verdi Arias") (uncredited)

User Reviews

Edwardian love

A Room with a View possesses a fabulous cast, beautiful cinematography, an awesome adapted script, and a tale of oppressed desire during the paradigm shift from the repressive Victorian age to the more liberal Edwardian time. The film moves at a deliberate pace of country strolls and carriage rides filling the viewer with literary awakenings and music compositions. Poppies, barley, and Florence architecture decorate the screen.

The film is witty if anything with carefree individuals roaming about with leisure on their minds. Pure love and desire aches throughout and Italy is the place to bring the lovers together.

It is a handsome picture. Detailed period pieces and costumes. The cast is phenomenal! Helena Bohnam Carter portrays the peevish Lucy Honeychurch on her way to becoming her prudish Cousin and chaperone, Charlotte Bartlett (The Great Maggie Smith.) However The spirit of Italy will prevent such an occurrence and fill Miss Honeychurch with pure desire for George, the man who was brought up from the evils and hate of the world.

The adaptation is superb. Fun. It is a film to live in and swim in the sacred lake. One of the best films of the 80's. Terrific!