Retour à Howards End

The script itself is not up the level of Remains of the Day, but then E.M.Forster is not Ishiguro (Never Let Me Go). Nevertheless E.M.Forster gives us a huge, complex story that holds our interest for the entire 142 minutes. And the Ivory-Merchant team contributes a beautiful setpiece, complete with perfect cinematography, locations, costumes and a team of the finest actors in Britain. And two of the Redgrave family...

I think this might be the pinnacle of the Merchant Ivory storytelling world (with thanks to E.M. Forster), as a strong ensemble cast assembles to tell a tale of Edwardian Britain that brings into stark focus a class system that is just beginning to show some cracks. "Wilcox" (Anthony Hopkins) is what I suppose you'd call nouveau riche. A millionaire industrialist who has acquired quite a few grand country properties...