A Room With A View

A 1908 novel about a young woman in the repressed culture of Edwardian England

Merchant Ivory Productions

The expression "Merchant-Ivory film" has made its way into common parlance, to denote a particular genre of film rather than the actual production company. The heyday of this genre was the 1980s and 1990s. A typical "Merchant-Ivory film" would be a period piece set in the early 20th century, usually in Edwardian England, featuring lavish sets and top British actors portraying genteel characters who suffer from disillusion and tragic entanglements.

A film company founded by director James Ivory and producer Ismail Merchant, and films were usually scripted by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala. The films were often based upon novels or short stories, particularly the work of Henry James, E. M. Forster.

Production• Directed by James Ivory• Produced by Ismail Merchant• Written by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala

– based on the novel by E.M. Forster• Running time: 117 min• Music by Richard Robbins (score) • Cinematography by Tony Pierce-

Roberts• Editing by Humphrey Dixon• Release date: 1986• Country: United Kingdom• Language: English• Budget: $3,000,000 (estimated)

• Maggie Smith

• Judi Dench

• Denholm Elliott

•Helena Bonham

Carter

•Julian Sands

•Daniel Day Lewis

Academy Award Nominations

• Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium (won)

• Best Art Direction-Set Decoration (won) • Best Costume Design (won) • Best Picture • Best Director • Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Denholm

Elliott) • Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Maggie

Smith) • Best Cinematography

• The film also won the BAFTA Award for Best Film and Maggie Smith won the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress.

THEMES(Illustrations provided by

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Repressed Sexuality

Freedom from Institutional Religion

Growing Up

True Love

AP English Essay Fodder

• Forster's trademark technique: contrast between "round" and "flat characters.“– Round - characters whose ideas and inner-self develop

or change in the plot– Flat - remain constant, offering familiarity and often

being a source of humour

• Conservative vs. radical thinking• Medieval vs. Renaissance characters• Binary opposites • Mentions of "rooms" and "views."

• Symbolic differences between Italy and England.

Warning

“You see Rachel, this is what happens to two gay lovers make a movie.”

-William Waterhouse