A Room with a View (1985)
- Eugene
- Nov 9
- 2 min read
A Room With A View (1985) was really the best film to end our season. Honestly, what’s not to like? A sumptuous Merchant Ivory production with every favourite British actor you can think of and of course, the Tunbridge Wells connections. Author E.M.Forster lived locally from 1898-1901 and we had a smile when Tunbridge Wells was mentioned not once, but twice in the film.
For our discussion group, it was an extraordinary masterpiece, with pitch perfect dialogue. We were thrilled that one of our volunteers had a family link with the film as her step father-in-law was one of the extras.
The discussion group talked about our favourite scenes. The colourful Florence fight scene, when Lucy faints at the sight of blood, shows the difference between the repressed Edwardians and the hot-headed and passionate Italians.
Maggie Smith’s portrayal of the meddlesome but “beautiful and sweet” chaperone Charlotte was seen as pivotal to the film. We did love Denholm Ellliot’s progressive Mr Emerson. Helena Bonham-Carter, 18 when she made the film, is a delight.
We talked about the key romantic scene, the kiss in the poppy field and how it was a ‘coup de foudre.’ The clues are subtly there from the start, in glances. Lucy is truly interested in freethinker George.
We found the character of Cecil rather fascinating, a caricature. He follows what he feels are society’s expectations without any heart and soul. Such a contrast with Lucy’s fun, warm and expressive family.
As The Guardian said, “The final scene, a ravishing in a room, with a view, as the bells of Florence chime out, would leave only a stone unmoved.”
Anne
Not much more to add to this, sweet, loving, gentle, and polished like a little stone. Those sumptuous colours, and the contrast between Italy and the UK; the locations were sublime. We all really loved it.
There were times it all felt a little improbable, but, as one of us mentioned, the Edwardian era (roughly 1901–1914) was a historical turning point, a period of significant transition and foundational change that paved the way for modern society, largely by challenging and dismantling the rigid Victorian social, political, and technological norms that preceded it.
All those things, those thoughts, those feelings were freed from the Victorian clutches of morality. Here, souls can fly, and even, maybe, Cecil can find his own, back…