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 | forbidden love | male rear nudity | london england | 

---

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

In the DVD extras, James Wilby remembers that the movie's final scene, a love scene between his character (Maurice) and Rupert Graves' character (Scudder) was shot on the fourth day of filming, and because of the complete lack of rehearsal time, he and Graves had barely even met beforehand.

---

Goofs

When Clive and Maurice are speaking in the bedroom, a studio light is seen reflecting in the closet door.

---

Quotes

Clive Durham: Maurice, I hope nothing is wrong?
Maurice Hall: Pretty well everything. You would think so.
Clive Durham: Very well, I'm at your service. My advice there is to sleep here tonight and ask Anne. Where a woman is in question, it's always better to ask another woman.
Maurice Hall: I'm not here to see Anne.
[pauses]
Maurice Hall: I'm in love with Alec Scudder.
Clive Durham: What a grotesque announcement.
Maurice Hall: [ironically] Most grotesque. But I felt I should tell you.
Clive Durham: Maurice, Maurice, we did everything we could when you and I clashed out the subject.
Maurice Hall: When you brought ...
[...]

---

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 Clapham Junction (2007)

---

Soundtracks

The Goldberg Variations
(uncredited)
Music by Johann Sebastian Bach

User Reviews

An Impeccably Produced Adpatation

E. M. Forster's novel, "Maurice," is given a first-rate screen adaptation by this British production. James Ivory's direction is very cinematic, conveying the multi-layered story through a series of dramatic scenes, with just a bit of over-voice narration. Its impact comes through an incremental effect, reaching moving proportions by the end of the lengthy presentation. James Wilby, Hugh Grant, Rupert Graves and Helena Bonham Carter are all excellent, heading a superior cast. Every aspect of the production has been carefully prepared and executed.

What emerges for me is the tragedy of societal constraint, under the guise of virtue. It is a tightrope to walk for the free-wheeling, independent thinker in this society: he who steps outside the bounds of regularity is subject to scorn and persecution. That the drama's heros do not fall into the mode of so-called "normalcy" leave them open to a lifestyle of tension and risk. Forster beautifully conveys this in the novel, and Ivory transfers it to the screen with great skill.

Certainly "Maurice" is one of the top motion pictures of the 80s. Kudos to all who took part in bringing this poignant novel to the screen.