Kattiera Nana I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Lovesusti The Worst Film Ever

Steineded How sad is this?

Darin One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.

Kristinsmithinthehouse This easily could have been a made-for-TV movie. This was a total bore fest that went on far too long. Incredibly weak, almost non-existent plot. Betrothed girl meets someone else, but strict older relative doesn't approve. Like we haven't seen that before in a million films. I gave a couple stars for the A-list casting and the aesthetics of the scenery,costumes, etc. I read somewhere that this is likened to Jane Eyre?!?!? I shudder at the comparison! Maybe the book was much better, but I'm not much in the mood to give it a try after watching the movie adaptation, that is for sure.

mark.waltz You too might want to scream out, "Hush, hush sweet Charlotte!" after the tenth time cousin Maggie Smith sticks her foot in it. For the companion to the lovely Helena Bonham Carter to be so socially backwards while the rest of her family is so earthy adds great charm to Smith's Oscar Nominated performance. This is also an opportunity to see Dame Maggie working with her good friend, the future Dame Judi Dench, seen in the early sequences as a rather Bohemian writer.Carter and Smith are on vacation in Italy and the moment Maggie views the lack of a view from their window, she is up in arms. Cockney Denholm Elliott offers to switch his and his son Julian Sands room for theirs which has a view, and uppity Maggie declines, shocked that he would have the audacity to even speak to them, something she believes that the lower classes shouldn't do. But easy going Helena isn't so proud and graciously accepts, going as far as spending time with the educated Sands and growing fond of him in spite of the fact that she's already engaged to the stuffy Daniel Day Lewis.The romantic intrigue continues at Carter's summer home back in England where she must make some quick decisions in regards to stuffy Daniel. Elliott and Sands come for weekend where Carter's charming brother Rupert Graves is introduced, revealing a free spirit and almost Bohemian nature between the two siblings. This also creates a bond between Sands and Graves which borders on the homo-erotic, especially in a sudden nude scene that also includes the local minister Simon Callow.As the classes clash and Carter becomes torn between love and obligation, the film moves from drawing room comedy into social drama. The beauty of the dramatic parts is that it never looses the mood established in the first half. Everybody gets a chance to shine, but they are forced to step back every time Maggie Smith re-appears on the scene. Even when she has an argument with a cab driver over the cost, Smith tears the roof off.Elliott shows that just because someone is identified as lower class does mean that they lack in class. You can see how the gentleness transfered from father to son and how the desire to be something more than what he would have been a century earlier has inspired Sand's jovial character. Lewis headed to stardom quickly after this surprise hit, and Carter made a successful entrance into films with this and the same year's "Lady Jane", although this is a far cry from her more recent films under the direction of Tim Burton. Smith's character reminded me of a more comical version of Lady Rosamund, Smith's character's daughter on "Downton Abbey".

edwagreen You don't need much room to view this disappointing 1985 film. The problem is that with the exception of Maggie Smith, who gives new meaning to spinsterhood, the characters are unbelievable in this brooding Merchant-Ivory piece set in the Victorian era.Daniel Day-Lewis comes off as a fop or dandy; even though he is engaged to Helena Bonham Carter here. She finds true love in Italy and it follows her back home in England.The film often drags The scene with the naked men was funny but the result was highly predictable.The men in particular are really off the wall in this film.

thomvic I suspected this movie was going to be a great drama with a good love story from what I read on the back of the DVD.Hmmmm well not really. For one thing, Helena Bonham Carter's character wasn't very sympathetic and it felt more like she was complaining or making snard remarks at everyone half the time. The whole Florence scenes felt more like they were trying to praise Italy for being a romantic place rather than giving it a real backing as a place of memory for Lucy Honeychurch and George. They had one fling when it could have happened anywhere.What's more, this feels like it could have done better in the theatre as a play and I'm not sure if there ever was one. This is definitely more dialogue driven than plot driven. Charlotte's character (Maggie Smith) feels more like Lucy's actual mother than her cousin and sometimes I had to remind myself she was her cousin than her mother.Performances were pretty good though I thought the characters weren't particularly interesting and also because the plot went at too quick of a pace to really make you absorb the emotions of the characters. Yes I know it is also meant to be a comedy as well but I didn't really find anything really funny. Though Daniel Day Lewis as Cecil was played to perfection and made for a very dorky character.Don't have too much expectations with this. It is fun and silly but in the end more of a play that doesn't really make you remember much.