I had heard the title of this film a number of times, I didn't know what it was about, only some of the acting talent in it, so I hoped it would be worthwhile, based on the book by E. M. Forster, directed by Oscar, BAFTA and Golden Globe nominated James Ivory (A Room with a View, The Remains of the Day). Basically, set in Edwardian Britain, whilst staying at the country home, Howards End, owned by the Wilcox family, Helen Schlegel (BAFTA nominated Helena Bonham Carter) becomes engaged to Paul Wilcox (Joseph Bennett) during a moment of passion. While the Schlegels are a family of middle-class Anglo-German intellectuals, the Wilcoxes are conservative and wealthy. Helen and Paul quickly decide against the engagement, but she has already sent a telegram to her sister Margaret (Oscar, BAFTA and Golden Globe winning Emma Thompson) informing her. This causes an uproar after Helen and Margaret's Aunt Juley (Fawlty Towers' Prunella Scales) arrives and causes a scene. In London months later, the Wilcoxes take a flat across the street from the Schlegels. Margaret resumes her acquaintance with Ruth Wilcox (Oscar nominated Vanessa Redgrave), the wife of the hard-headed businessman Henry (Anthony Hopkins), the head of the family. It is through Ruth's family background that the Wilcoxes have come to own her beloved Howards End. Margaret and Ruth become close friends, but Ruth's health declines, and unknown to Margaret, she changes her will. Following Ruth's death, Margaret has been bequeathed Howards End, but the Wilcoxes refuse to believe Ruth would leave the house to a relative stranger and burn her written bequest. Henry becomes attracted to Margaret and helps her to find a new home. Henry eventually proposes marriage and Margaret accepts. The Schlegels befriend self-improving young clerk Leonard Bast (BAFTA nominated Samuel West, son of Prunella Scales and Timothy West), who lives with Jacky (Nicola Duffett), a woman of dubious origins. Henry realises that the insurance company Leonard works for is heading for bankruptcy, and the sisters pass on his advice. Leonard quits, settling for a much lower-paying job. But Helen is angered when Henry's advice turns out to be wrong, Leonard's employer was fine, but he will not reemploy him. Months later, Henry and Margaret host the wedding of his daughter Evie (Jemma Redgrave, Vanessa's niece) at his Shropshire estate. Margaret is shocked when Helen arrives with Leonard and Jacky who have become poor. Considering Henry responsible for this, Helen demands his help, but Jacky drunkenly exposes Henry as her former lover from years ago. Henry is ashamed to be revealed as an adulterer, but Margaret forgives him and agrees to send the Basts away. Helen is upset with Margaret marrying a man she hates and leaves for Germany. Before leaving, she gives in to her attraction for Leonard and they have sex on a boating trip. Fearing the Basts will remain poor, Helen asks her brother Tibby (Adrian Ross Magenty) to give them over £5000 of her own money, but Leonard does not cash the cheque out of pride. Margaret and Henry get married, arranging to use Howards End as storage for the belongings of Margaret and her siblings. Margaret becomes concerned, after only hearing from Helen for months through postcards. Helen returns to England when Aunt Juley falls ill but avoids seeing her family. Believing Helen is mentally unstable, Margaret lures her to Howards End to collect her belongings. Margaret arrives with Henry and a Doctor (Peter Darling), and it is revealed that Helen is pregnant. Insisting on returning to Germany to raise her baby alone, Helen asks to stay the night at Howards End but Henry refuses, leading to an argument with Margaret. The next day, Leonard is still unhappy in poverty with Jacky; they travel to Howards End to visit the Schlegel sisters. They arrive to find Helen, Margaret, and Henry's beastly eldest son, Charles (James Wilby). Realising Leonard is the father of the baby, Charles assaults him for "dishonouring" Helen. This causes a bookcase to collapse on Leonard, who dies of a heart attack. Margaret tells Henry that she is leaving him to help Helen raise her baby. Henry breaks down, telling her he will be charged with manslaughter for Charles's death. A year later, Paul, Evie, and Charles's wife, Dolly (Susie Lindeman), gather at Howards End. Henry and Margaret are still together, living with Helen and her young son. Henry tells the others that when he dies, Margaret will inherit Howards End and leave it to her nephew. But Margaret does not want any of Henry's money and intends to split it among his children. She overhears Dolly pointing out the irony of Margaret inheriting the house, revealing Ruth's dying wish to leave it to her. Henry tells Margaret he did what he thought was right, but she says nothing. Also starring Jo Kendall as Annie, Mark Payton as Percy Cahill, Barbara Hicks as Miss Avery, Crispin Bonham Carter (Helena's cousin) as Albert Fussell, and Simon Callow as the Music and Meaning Lecturer. Thompson, Carter, Hopkins, West, Scales and Redgrave all give terrific performances, I will be honest in saying that I couldn't understand everything going on in terms of the estate ownership and the relationships between characters, I just enjoyed the performances, the historical detail, and the costumes, it is a pleasant period romantic drama. It won the Oscars for Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published, and Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, and it was nominated for Best Picture, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, and Best Original Score for Richard Robbins, it won the BAFTA for Best Film, and it was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Editing, Best Make Up Artist, and Best Production Design, and it was nominated the Golden Globes for Best Motion Picture - Drama, and Best Screenplay. Very good!
Review of Howards End
