deft comedy of manners

Press, 21 July 1986, Page 4

deft comedy of manners

feemcr

hans petrovic

A ROOM WITH A VIEW Directed by James Ivory Screenplay by

Ruth Prawer Jhabvala Based on E. M. Forster’s novel on the social mores and hypocrisies of tum-of-the-century England, “A Room With a View” (Savoy) is a fine example of the English ability to handle deftly comedy of manners.

It is also has all the right ingredients: for who could think of making such a film without Maggie Smith as the prudish, repressed chaperon, or without Denholm Elliott, who plays the no-nonsense father with gruff bonhomie.

Then there is the magnificent photography by Tony Pierce-Roberts, of Florence, and the English countryside, reminiscent of Constable. For an added touch of class, Kiri Te Kanawa sings two beautiful songs by Schicchi and Puccini (from “La Rondlne.”) To put all this together, we have the combined talents of the producer, Ismail Merchant, director, James Ivory, and writer,

Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, who have produced a remarkable selection of cos-tume-period pieces during the last two decades.

In recent years, they have gained public recognition with “Heat and Dust," based on Jhabvala’s autobiographical novel about life in India through a woman’s eyes; and two films based on Henry James’s “The Europeans” and “The Bostonians.”

They again use their lavish costuming, beautiful photography, and mannered but intelligent scripting to full effect in “A Room With a View.”

The story is simple enough, but gave Forster plenty of opportunity to

point out some of the complex idiocies of Edwardian ritualised repression.

Lucy . Honeychurch (Helen Bonham Carter) is a well brought up, somewhat rebellious English girl visiting Florence for the first time with her fussy spinster cousin, Charlotte Bartlett (Smith). They are staying at an English pensione where they find, to their dismay, that their rooms do not have a view of the Arno. At dinner, however, another English tourist, Mr Emerson (Elliott), and his son, George (Julian Sands), offer their room with a view. Miss Bartlett at first stiffly declines the offer, but she is later reassured by the urbane Mr Beebe (Simon Callow), a clergyman of their acquaintance, and accepts. She sternly tells Lucy, however: “I would have given the larger room to you, but I know it was the young man’s. I know what these things can lead to.” To the chaperon’s dismay, Italy does transform Lucy, by means

of two violent incidents that break into her virgin life: she witnesses a murder and she falls in love with George. Lucy’s heart is sent fluttering when George manages to steal a kiss in a field of waving barley and poppies. This wild moment is something that Lucy can never expunge from her mind.

Miss Bartlett, however, manages to walk on the scene just in time, and, through most of the film, she will play this role; whenever Lucy’s nature begins to expand under the influence of Italy, and the common-sense approach of the Emersons, it must be restrained, and simple, natural things , muddled by the checks of a ludicrous propriety. Back in England, -at Lucy’s family home In a pretty Surrey town, Lucy becomes reluctantly engaged to the supercilious, snobbish, opinionated Cecil Vyse (Daniel Day Lewis).

It is Cecil’s priggish behaviour, which makes one wonder how anyone in

their right mind would want to marry him, that gives this film its best outright laughs. Lewis plays the part beautifully, making one want to stuff and preserve him in some chamber of banalities.

The plot thickens when George and his father rent a nearby cottage. Poor Lucy is torn between her proper upbringing, which points to Cecil, and her healthy common sense, which says that George is the man for her.

In her confusion, Lucy sends them both packing, leaving all three unhappy. But as is right in/such light, English farce, there is a happy ending. Indeed, it must be emphasised again that “Room With a View” is intended as pure social satire. Anybody taking the film in any manner more serious will only be confused by the people’s silly behaviour and dialogue. It is the same people who may feel slightly disturbed by the brutal mur-

der in Florence, or the later bathing scene, with more male frontal nudity than we have seen since “Women in Love." These episodes, however, .< do have their correct place in the telling of this tale. To underline the farcical structure, we are presented with explanatory chapter titles: “Officially engaged,” “How Miss Bartlett’s boiler was so tiresome," "Lying , to George” and “Lying to Mr Emerson.” The last time I remember this device being used to good effect was in “Tom Jones.”

Besides the already mentioned Smith, Elliott and Lewis, the acting of the entire cast is excellent, particularly the fresh but strong performance of Carter as Lucy; Callow (of television’s "Chance in a Million”), as the hearty reverend; Judi Dench as a novelist; and Rosemary Leach, as Lucy’s mother.

"A Room With a View” is a lavish exposition of English idiosyncrasies, but must be taken lightly — as it is offered.