Cheap Maurice - The Merchant Ivory Collection (DVD) (Rupert Graves) (James Ivory) Price

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Customer Reviews of Maurice - The Merchant Ivory Collection

But of course, consider what we have to work with! The original novel was written by E.M. Forster, certainly no slouch of a novelist. He wrote the whole story up, circulated it among friends only, and then calmly filed it away to be published after his death. (He knew what sort of people he was dealing with in England, and a lot of this comes out in the novel itself, of course.)

So you take a terrific story, hand it to brilliant producers and directors and actors, and the result is a marvel. The scene in the boathouse at the end of the movie is just heartstopping, when Scudder says "Now we shan't never be parted again. It's finished!" FINALLY a movie which deals with love, with real love and real passion, and the next shot of the Hugh Grant character shutting himself up in his phony, closeted life because he has rejected love...ah, it's a masterpiece. Do yourself a favor and don't miss it!

Beautiful Thing.
A wonderful movie.You don't have to be gay to enjoy this film, but it helps. This post-Victorian era gay coming -of- age love story (whew!), is beautifully told and filmed, in the Merchant-Ivory tradition. James Wilby, and Hugh Grant, before he was Hugh Grant, are very touching as Maurice and Clive, as they discover "the love that dare not speak it's name". No matter your persuasion, you can't fail to be moved by their predicament in that repressed time where one could still be (and often was) jailed for homosexuality. As sometimes in real life, it is a heartbreakingly told story about the decisions sometimes forced upon us, and the ramifications and resignations of not being true to ones self, because of familial or social restrictions as to what is "normal" behavior. These charactars, especially Wilby's impeccably portrayed Maurice(pronounced "Morris"), are good, decent people, who are suffering because they cannot be who they simply are. Without giving away the ending, it is an ultimately up-lifting story about the extreme courage it sometimes takes , then as now, to be true to ones self, and, finding your dignity, in the face of a segment of society that often insists you deserve none. All of the actors, most of whom are unknown to general audiences, are wonderful, in that underplayed, classy English way, making the smallest part integral to the story. A beautiful adaptation of the E.M. Forster novel, and a wonderful love story, with various lessons for all.

Obsessed!
I mean ME - I am truly obsessed with this film! I have fallen in love with beautiful Cambridge (so masculine and steeped in tradition), with the romantic Edwardian era, with the beauty of the story and especially with Maurice, the title character. Beware... if you're "susceptible" to romantic movies and is a highly sensitive person, chances are this movie will "get" to you in ways I can't fully describe. It doesn't matter if you are gay or straight - against your will, scenes and images from the film will replay in you mind, stay in your heart and affect your mood and feelings (for days, in my case - which is not a good thing because I have a major examination coming up and half my mind is still on "Maurice"!). At times, I wished I was born male like the characters, and have the privilege of a Cambridge education... wishful thinking really (though I've a girlfriend who went to Cambridge on a scholarship, to my eternal envy really).

This film is a faithful adaptation of Forster's novel and brilliantly brought to life by the winning team of Merchant Ivory. The stellar cast comprises James Wilby, Hugh Grant and Rupert Graves; all 3 share great screen chemistry and there is no doubt that the actors gave it their "all" for this film.

This is the story about one man's journey of self discovery about his sexuality and having to live with the prejudices of the times including class distinction (which balks at intimacy with a social inferior, in this case Maurice's desire for Alec). Many reviews have already been written about the story so I would just like to share some of my thoughts and observations of the film:

1) the DVD (R1, released Feb 2004) is beautifully packaged and is chockful of special features including more than 10 deleted scenes, one of which is a most sensual scene involving Maurice and Alec (an "extended" scene of their first night together). The production notes/booklet also provides a treasure of information on the film.

2) James Wilby plays "Maurice" most beautifully and sensitively. He is imperfectly handsome but is still very attractive-looking. The thing that strikes me most about Wilby's "Maurice" is that he has the MOST beautiful hair color - it's practically "golden" - not the usual blond. The color contracts nicely with the black suit he usually wears. In the novel, Maurice has dark hair, but I think a golden-haired Maurice is just perfect - a great contrast too to Clive's and Alec's dark locks!!

3) Clive (Hugh Grant) is older than Maurice by a year. When they get together, Maurice is around 21 years of age. By the time they break off, Maurice is nearing 24. Nothing is mentioned in the book/movie about Alec (Rupert Graves)'s age - but I gather he is the youngest of the three (although most certainly the lustiest!!).

4) Maurice's character is passionate, loving, vulnerable and super-loyal. If Clive had not rejected him, Maurice would have been "his for life". What's with Clive anyway? He's got this idea that a relationship between 2 men should be strictly platonic (no kisses or caresses, even). Thank goodness for the appearance of Alec later on, who is Clive's very opposite!

5) In the novel, Maurice is horrified by his lust for and intimacy with Alec, who is only a servant. But one reason they are perfect for each other is because (in Forster's words): "chance had mated it (i.e. Maurice's body) too perfectly". The 2 characters' growing feelings for each other are a joy to watch.

6) For those who question the ending i.e. whether it is even possible for Maurice and Alec to stay together what with all the difficulties surrounding them, well, let me write that Forster intended the ending to be a happy one (and who would know better than the author himself?). In the "Terminal Note" at the end of his novel, Forster wrote: "A happy ending is imperative. I shouldn't have bothered to write otherwise. I was determined that in fiction anyway two men should fall in love and remain in it for the ever and ever that fiction allows, and in this sense Maurice and Alce still roam the greenwood..." Super, isn't it?

7) The final scene ("In the Boathouse") is wonderfully romantic and is alone worth the price of the whole DVD, so to speak.

I don't want to forget this beautiful movie, and I can't forget it anyway. It is quite simply the most touching film I've ever seen. It deserved an armful of Oscar awards (although in reality it didn't do that well, receiving only Art Direction and Best Costume nominations). I've seen most of Merchant Ivory productions and "Maurice" is hands-down, the BEST. Don't miss it!