Maurice (1987)

After his lover rejects him, a young man trapped by the oppressiveness of Edwardian society tries to come to terms with and accept his sexuality.

Director:

James Ivory

Writers:

E.M. Forster (from the novel by), Kit Hesketh-Harvey (screenplay)

Stars:

James Wilby, Rupert Graves, Hugh Grant

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 3 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
James Wilby	...	Maurice Hall
Hugh Grant	...	Clive Durham
Rupert Graves	...	Alec Scudder
Denholm Elliott	...	Doctor Barry
Simon Callow	...	Mr. Ducie
Billie Whitelaw	...	Mrs. Hall
Barry Foster	...	Dean Cornwallis
Judy Parfitt	...	Mrs. Durham
Phoebe Nicholls	...	Anne Durham
Patrick Godfrey	...	Simcox
Mark Tandy	...	Risley
Ben Kingsley	...	Lasker-Jones
Kitty Aldridge	...	Kitty Hall
Helena Michell	...	Ada Hall
Catherine Rabett	...	Pippa Durham

Storyline

Two male English school chums find themselves falling in love at Cambridge. To regain his place in society, Clive gives up his forbidden love, Maurice (pronounced "Morris") and marries. While staying with Clive and his shallow wife, Anne, Maurice finally discovers romance in the arms of Alec, the gamekeeper. Written from personal pain, it's E.M. Forster's story of coming to terms with sexuality in the Edwardian age.

---

Plot Keywords:

homosexuality | male full frontal nudity | one word title | forbidden love | male rear nudity | 

---

Genres:

Drama | Romance

---

Certificate:

R

Details

Official Sites:

Merchant Ivory Productions [United States]

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 September 1987 (USA)

Also Known As:

Морис

Filming Locations:

Sicily, Italy

Box Office

Budget:

$2,600,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$49,284, 20 September 1987, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$3,130,592

Company Credits

Production Co:

Merchant Ivory Productions, Cinecom Pictures, Film Four International

Technical Specs

Runtime:

140 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

One of several mid to late 1980s period movies featuring Hugh Grant. The others being: The Dawning (1988), White Mischief (1987), The Bengali Night (1988), Champagne Charlie (1989), Rowing with the Wind (1988), The Lair of the White Worm (1988), and The Lady and the Highwayman (1989).

---

Goofs

When Maurice and Clive enter the auditorium at the Wigmore Hall, the boom mic is reflected in the polished wooden panels on the wall behind them.

---

Quotes

Alec Scudder: Was you calling for me, Sir? I know, Sir. It's all right. I know, Sir.

---

Alternate Versions

Some NTSC versions are scanned at 25fps and the running time is short and seems edited but the movie is intact.

---

Connections

Referenced in Frankenstein 2000 - Ritorno dalla morte (1991)

---

Soundtracks

In the Fens
(uncredited)
Music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Arranged by Richard Robbins

User Reviews

Now Maurice has aged very well :-)

Similar to goldilocks-78, I watched Maurice again - I saw it when I was in my 20s, when it was first released. There is some very good acting, and a very good sociological recreation of the Edwardian period. Maurice, the novel, might well not be considered as EM Forster's finest work. But similar to Lady Chatterley's Lover (not considered among Lawrence's best), the work raises issues of class, gender, and sexuality. The three leads are good - Hugh Grant gives a plausible portrayal of a more refined, upper-class man, who denies his homosexual urgings and marries. He clearly shows (after this conversion of sorts) his ambivalence and almost forced denial. Hugh Grant, almost effortlessly, shows the two sides to this character. James Wilby,as Maurice, moves from self-disgust, despair and guilt, to self-acceptance. Rupert Graves as Scudder (similar to Mellors) is really good. The scenes he shares with James Wilby are not forced. The supporting cast are good - the women, Simon Callow (who introduces us to the Edwardian conformist ideology) are equally good. And Ben Kingsley, as the hypnotherapist nicely shows the push-pull in the then-British psyche. My favourite Merchant-Ivory film is Room with a view. Maurice is darker, but just as well filmed, with enough humour to balance the seriousness of the film. The naive, happily-ever-after ending (EM Forster's) doesn't quite work, but leads to good discussion. Of all the DVD-shown deleted scenes, the final 'confrontation' between Maurice and Durham should be, in my opinion, restored. It's a fine film, both engaging and unsettling. Sensitively adapted, directed, acted and shot. Kudos