Rent A Room with a View (1985)
3.6 of 5 from 232 ratings
1h 52min
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
- Set in Florence and the English countryside, the film tells the story of a young English couple, Lucy Honeychurch (Helena Bonham Carter) and George Emerson (Julian Sands), who encounter passion whilst on holiday in Italy. Defying the Victorian conventions of their elders they dare to be true to their feelings, each other and true love.
- Actors:
- Maggie Smith, Helena Bonham Carter, Denholm Elliott, Julian Sands, Simon Callow, Patrick Godfrey, Judi Dench, Fabia Drake, Joan Henley, Amanda Walker, Daniel Day-Lewis, Maria Britneva, Rosemary Leach, Rupert Graves, Peter Cellier, Mia Fothergill, Kitty Aldridge, Brigid Erin Bates, Isabella Celani, Luigi Di Fiore
- Directors:
- James Ivory
- Producers:
- Ismail Merchant
- Writers:
- E.M. Forster, Ruth Prawer Jhabvala
- Others:
- Jenny Beavan, John Bright, Elio Altamura, Brian Savegar, Brian Ackland-Snow, Gianni Quaranta, Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, Richard Robbins, Tony Lenny, Richard King, Ray Beckett, Tony Pierce-Roberts, Humphrey Dixon
- Studio:
- Universal Pictures
- Genres:
- Drama, Romance
- Collections:
- 10 Films to Watch If You Like Gosford Park, A History of Sports Films (Summer Edition), Acting Up: British Actresses at the Oscars, Award Winners, BAFTA Nominations Competition 2023, BAFTA Nominations Competition 2024, BAFTA Nominations Competition 2025, Cinema Paradiso's 2022 Centenary Club, Films & TV by topic, Films to Watch If You Like..., People of the Pictures, Remembering - A Special Spring Tribute: Part Two, Remembering Julian Sands and Frederic Forrest, Remembering Maggie Smith, Spring On Screen: Films to Watch This Season, A Brief History of Film..., The Instant Expert's Guide, The Instant Expert's Guide: to Tim Burton, Top 10 Guest Houses On Film, Top 10 Tennis Films, Top 100 BFI Films, Top Films
- Awards:
1987 BAFTA Best Supporting Actress
1987 BAFTA Best Production Design
- BBFC:
- Release Date:
- 28/05/2012
- Run Time:
- 112 minutes
- Languages:
- English Dolby Digital 5.1
- Subtitles:
- English Hard of Hearing
- Formats:
- Pal
- Aspect Ratio:
- Widescreen 1.78:1 / 16:9
- Colour:
- Colour
- BLU-RAY Regions:
- (0) All
- Bonus:
- BBC Archive Breakfast Time promotional appearances by Simon Callow and Daniel Day Lewis
- BBC Breakfast Time report on the film's success in the USA - narrated by Tom Brooks
- E.M. Forster remembered - tribute programme hosted by James Mossman
- Film '96 Merchant Ivory Tribute Profile
- Commentaries by Ismail Merchant, James Ivory, Tony Pierce Roberts and Simon Callow
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Reviews (3) of A Room with a View
Too much artistic licence for my liking - A Room with a View review by ChrisB
The film was true to the novel, but it seemed that there was too much focus on 'artistry' rather than the love story. Although beautiful Florence was at the heart of the story (and, specifically, the "view" of the Arno), there were several other landmarks that could have featured - although I appreciate you have to stop somewhere. More importantly, however, there was a lack of continuity and 'flow' of the narrative in places.
1 out of 1 members found this review helpful.
Heritage Cinema - A Room with a View review by Steve
This is the kind of UK heritage cinema which usually does well around the world, which is curious as the upper-class society in this faithful adaptation of EM Forster's satirical novel now seems alien even to his future compatriots. It's at least debatable why all this should still resonate, given this milieu was swept away by social change and two world wars.
Maybe there is a vicarious lifestyle nostalgia for the early Edwardian period. Yes the frocks and National Trust locations. And for those who like the Merchant-Ivory experience, this is as good as it gets, with the ultimate ensemble cast, the artistic photography, the gorgeous vistas of Florence and the Tuscany countryside and the sort of lived-in home counties estate where tea is taken on the terrace.
Helena Bonham Carter is the inexperienced debutante from a wealthy family who travels to Italy with her spinster chaperone (Maggie Smith)... and her view of the world alters as she rejects the privileged hypocrisy of an aristocrat (Daniel Day-Lewis) and chooses the earthy freedom of the middle class nonconformist (Julian Sands). This is a comedy that spoofs its elite caricatures.
But now... we know WWI coming. This generation is haunted by history and incoming sacrifices. And later... the choice between fascism and freedom, oppression and emancipation. They are not really bad or even decadent; but trivial and inhibited by propriety and faith and the enigmas of taste. Until their lives are ultimately squandered. And that is why this still resonates.
0 out of 0 members found this review helpful.
Disjointed - A Room with a View review by GH
The story, such as it was, didn’t flow and was rather trivial. Supposedly a satire on upper class twits it didn’t really strike home.
0 out of 0 members found this review helpful.