The film opens on a stormy, windswept beach, as an older man awkwardly instructs young, fatherless Maurice Hall (James Wilby) in the "sacred mysteries" of sex. The same turbulent, wordless struggle with passion lasts throughout this slowly evolving, beautifully filmed story. Novelist E.M. Forster's brainy, British melodrama hinges on choice and compulsion, as the pensive hero falls for two completely different men. First comes frail, suppressed Clive (Hugh Grant), who wants nothing more than classical Platonic harmony... and a straight lifestyle. (Grant's performance is so convincing, one wonders how he ever became a heterosexual sex symbol.) After Clive's wedding, Maurice turns to hypnosis to cure his unspeakable longings. Unfortunately, his "cure" is interrupted by Clive's lustful, brooding, barely literate gamekeeper Scudder (Rupert Graves), a worker more at home gutting rabbits than discussing the classics. Maurice's love for a "social inferior" forces him to confront his illicit desire and his ingrained class snobbery. --Grant Balfour

Description
Set against the stifling conformity of pre-World War I English society, E.M. Forster's Maurice is a story of coming to terms with one's sexuality and identity in the face of disapproval and misunderstanding. Maurice Hall (James Wilby) and Clive Durham (Hugh Grant) find themselves in love at Cambridge. In a time when homosexuality was punishable by imprisonment, the two must keep their feelings for one another a complete secret, even though Clive refuses to allow their relationship to move beyond the boundaries of "platonic" love. After a friend is arrested and disgraced for "the unspeakable crime of the Greeks," Clive abandons his forbidden love, marries, and enters into the political arena. Maurice, however, struggles with questions of his identity and self-confidence, even seeking the help of a hypnotist to rid himself of his undeniable urges. But while staying with Clive and his shallow wife, Anne, Maurice is seduced by the affectionate and yearning servant Alec Scudder, (Rupert Graves), an event that brings about profound changes in Maurice's life and outlook. Sparking direction by James Ivory, a distinguished performance from the ensemble cast, and a charged score by Richard Robbins all combine to create a film of undeniable power, one that is both romantic and moving, and a story of love and self-discovery for all audiences.

The movie follows Maurice (James Wilby) down his road of self-discovery; from his embarrassing teen years to Cambridge (where he gets his first exhilarating taste of love) to his post-collegiate years as a young man struggling to come to terms with his sexuality in a time when homosexuals were mercilessly persecuted.

The movie is also very much about class struggle. Maurice is a gentleman born and bred, with a penchant for snobbery. As he comes to terms with his sexuality, he is forced to deal with differences in class when he realizes he is in love with someone from the serving class.

Readers of the novel will be delighted as much of the wonderful dialogue from the book appears in the film.

The characters were perfectly cast, with Hugh Grant (before he was a mega star) as Clive Durham, the perfect young gentleman from Cambridge (and Maurice's first love), Rupert Graves as the smoldering, lower class hunk who wins Maurice's heart, and Ben Kingsley in a hilarious turn as Maurice's junk-psychologist. James Wilby was spot-on in the title role and he perfectly captures the isolation, sadness and ultimate joy of the conflicted Maurice.

"Maurice" is a touching love story that anyone -- straight or gay -- can enjoy. Romance knows neither of these terms. And, the movie *is* unabashedly romantic and optimistic -- your heart will soar when Maurice finally gives in, casts societal conventions aside and visits his beloved at the boathouse. The hopeful ending is inspiring, though the close-up of Clive at the window at the end of the movie will break your heart.

Beautifully filmed, superbly acted -- a must-see film.


FAVORITE MOVIE   September 24, 2002
 88 out of 92 found this review helpful

Maurice is my all time favorite film. I own a copy on VHS and one on Laser Disc, and I'm eagerly awaiting its release on DVD. As (what some may consider) a senior gay person, this film speaks directly to me; it reflects wonderfully the frustrations that I felt growing up in the '50's. Although the movie is set in the Victorian era, the 1950's were really not that different in its attitude towards gay people. The film captures so very well the longings of Maurice (as a gay man) for love, affection and some meaning to his life--the things that he felt everyone else was having but were denied to him because of his inner hidden longings.
The film is beautiful to view and the sound tract is gorgeous--typical Merchant and Ivory--but, most of all, each actor is completely believable in his role. A very young Hugh Grant (long before becoming famous)is very good as Maurice's first love interest wanting a pure platonic love with Maurice even though Maurice wanted the "real" thing. My true feeling about Grant's character is that he really did not have the guts to deal with the ramifications of his true feelings (watch how he plays with Maurice's emotions and affections--I would have punched him!). Jame Wilby, as Maurice, is outstanding; he expresses the hurt, torture and longings of "the love that dare not speak its name" very well. However, the true standout for me is Rupert Graves (one of my favorite actors) who plays Scudder--he certainly shows what ladders are made for!(you'll have to see the movie to know what I'm talking about) He plays a man that knows what he wants and goes after it no matter what the cost--he redirects his life and alters his life's dream for the possibility (not, at the time of his decision, guaranteed) of love. Maurce and Scudder's final scene together when they have decided that love, no matter what, can conquer all, is truly the thing that we all dream about. Their "togetherness" points out another strong theme in the movie--the British Class System--not only did they have the "gay thing" to deal with but also the "class thing" to overcome. (Due to the fact that Scudder is from what is deemed a lower class being the Gamekeeper, he is , at first, completely ignored by Maurice until Scudder climbs into Maurice's bed, by the means of a ladder, and shows him what it's all about!!)
I read E.M. Forster's book when it was finally released in the 1970's and I feel the film is faithful to the book and that Forster would have been pleased with the film. I don't know how many times I have viewed this movie (many, many, times), it, nevertheless, is a movie that reaffirms, over and over again,, my very existence.
I have found, through out the years that a lot of heterosexuals find the movie to be boring; however, I feel that if you are an average gay male, (especially of a certain age) you will find it reflective of your life (or, at least, a portion thereof)--I do!
Believe me, my life would have been a great deal poorer if the film Maurice had not been a part of it.
I know my review is from an older person's perspective; however, I do believe that a younger person would have an appreciation for the movie if nothing more than gaining some knowledge of what it was like, not so very long ago, to be gay. In fact, I think anyone, no matter what his age happens to be, could certainly enjoy this film.


absolutely beautiful   September 23, 2001
 49 out of 51 found this review helpful

After seeing this movie I immediately ran to buy the book. Both book and film are so incredibly wonderful I hesitate to try to do justice to either in a review. The movie is really spectacular, staying impecably true to the book in pretty much every way. 99.9 percent of the movie's dialogue comes straight out of the book, unchanged. Besides the great script (thank you E. M. Fortster!) the acting is really amazing. There is not a single character in this movie who isn't perfectly portrayed. James Wilby as the title character gives a brilliantly multi-faceted performance and Rupert Graves as Alec Scudder makes you believe he has three times as many lines as he really does just through his expression and presence. I'll also give kudos to Hugh Grant because this was before his big break and therefore he actually gives a very admirable, non-egotisic performance. The only thing I resent is that the movie box has HIM on the cover... WHAT?! Ah, marketing. Sigh. But this movie is really a rare and beautiful piece of art. Like Forster, it is life and love-affirming. All of E. M. Forster's books have a beautiful quality of hope about them--they acknowledge that pain and suffering are parts of life, but they do not glorify them. This movie does a spectacular job of conveying that quality of the novel.


A film everyone should see   September 24, 1999
 44 out of 45 found this review helpful

This Merchant Ivory production, though as deliciously beautiful as the others, has an edge in that it brings to life a novel which its author considered so controversial, he wouldn't publish it in his lifetime. The production values in this film are, as always, superb. But the acting especially is where it triumphs. The three leads are excellent. I especially admire James Wilby's wonderful performance, as indeed I do those of Rupert Graves and Hugh Grant. The ending is quite unlike most other gay-themed movies: the two characters we have followed from the outset turn out very differently: Hugh Grant's character capitulates to the societal "norm" and, at the end, is actually a little despicable, or would be, if one didn't feel so sorry that he "sold out". But the final scenes -- in which Maurice (Wilby) realizes that Scudder (Graves) has not left England and in consequence has risked his future to be with Maurice, and where finally, Maurice does the same for Scudder-- where they end up together, against the admittedly tough odds, and risk all for love-- is beautiful. As other reviewers have pointed out, the film is not only about Maurice's struggles with his gayness, but also with the expectations and presumptions of the British Class System: the servant, Scudder, turns out to be extremely intelligent and witty-- in the "afterglow" scene in the hotel, he quite incisively lampoons the condescending and perfunctory way he gets treated by people of Maurice's "station" -- and Maurice, if belatedly, realizes the quality in him. Both overcome temptations to give in to society -- (when Scudder is hurt by Maurice's cold-shouldering of him he hints that he might blackmail him -- the only power he might have over someone of Maurice's class---, but repents; Maurice flirts with the idea of accusing Scudder when he is terrified at the prospect of what he might lose) but in the end commit to each other, and society-be-damned. The complexities of the situation, though they relate to societal conditions no longer obtaining, still exist, though manifesting in different ways. An excellent movie about the triumph of love, of commitment, and most, of honesty.


"May I Ask Your Name?"--An 'Easter Egg' for MAURICE   June 29, 2004
 32 out of 32 found this review helpful

There is no need to repeat the praise others here have heaped upon MAURICE and the DVD package. This is the way any film of quality should be treated.

For those who will surely find it entertaining, there's a very nice EASTER EGG on this DVD:

Go to Disc Two--select Deleted Scenes, page 2--select "May I ask you name?" and then right-arrow. A small icon will appear in the lower right hand corner of your screen. Click on that and enjoy a hidden deleted scene.