I just saw the movie 'Maurice'

[butterfly]

It's a Merchant-Ivory film that came out in 1987.

Maurice is a rather beautiful story. It's about love and about denial and about acceptance. Plus, guys kiss and there are instances of full-frontal nudity. Plus, Hugh Grant (who does a little kissing but, alas, no nudity). And a really gorgeous pair of endings, one thrillingly happy and the other melancholy. Simply lovely, overall.

I may have to search out and read the book, which was written by E.M. Forster in 1914 and published after his death in 1971.

And I may need to make myself a Maurice icon of Hugh Grant, because he's so very pretty at certain points in the movie.

Hugh Grant is totally my favorite charming, floppy-haired British cutie. For those keeping track.

Comments

[selenak.livejournal.com]

It's an excellent film, and a beautiful book.

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

It's an excellent film, and a beautiful book.

I will most definitely have to check out the book.

[charlietudor.livejournal.com]

Ohhhhhhh honey. I'm a major Forsterite, and Maurice very nearly trumps The Lord of the Rings for me, book and movie. I'll spare you the passages of both that I could type out from memory.

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

I was really impressed by the movie, so I'm probably going to order the book. And it's both interesting and sad that the movie still feels relevant. It didn't feel dated at all.

[ingrid-m.livejournal.com]

I loved Maurice the film. The book is better.

But that kiss in the boathouse ... DIES.

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

Oh, that kiss -- and the look on Alec's face post-kiss is pretty sweet, too. Very nice.

[gigitrek.livejournal.com]

The book is very typical of E.M. Forster's style (which is to say, in my opinion, a little over-romantic and flowery) but the subject matter makes it worth reading (and not in that way! It's interesting to see how he viewed what he could never talk about in his other books.) He has a collection of gay-themed short stories, "The Life to Come", which has a lot of dreck, but one or two really good stories, too.

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

The Life to Come? I'll try to check that out, too.

Thank you.

[noorie.livejournal.com]

that book is great, especially the second half of it. i wish i could get my paws on the movie. and by the way, if you like 'maurice' odds are you'd like mary renault's 'the charioteer'.

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

Mary Renault is the woman who wrote about Alexander the Great, yes? I've heard some good thing abouts her.

[noorie.livejournal.com]

yes, that's her! her ancient greece books are the most well known (the alexander trilogy, last of the wine, mask of apollo, the praise singer), but she also wrote a WW1 book called the charioteer. i have some of her books in lit format (microsoft reader), you want?

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

I'd love to see them, definitely!

[noorie.livejournal.com]

http://www.livejournal.com/users/noorie/38185.html -just posted a few of her books (plus some other stuff) last night in honor of the gay pride parade. if you can't find the charioteer, i have an extra paperback copy. someone else sort of had dibs on it but i'm guessing she's not interested anymore.

[emrinalexander.livejournal.com]

I loved Maurice, saw it when it came out.

What amuses me endlessly, is that when you read filmographies for Hugh Grant, it is very hard to find it mentioned *G*, or at least it was rather glaringly absent from the ones I've seen.

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

What amuses me endlessly, is that when you read filmographies for Hugh Grant, it is very hard to find it mentioned *G*, or at least it was rather glaringly absent from the ones I've seen.

Heh. I'm not shocked, though it's a shame. But he did such an amazing job of it. I was as involved in his ending just as much as in Maurice's happy one.

[masqthephlsphr.livejournal.com]

Maurice! One of my favorite movies. Gorgeous cinematography and just so, so romantic. The book is good, too, and brave.

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

It really was beautifully done. And I've heard enough about the book to want to read it even more.

[-grievousangel.livejournal.com]

Maurice is one of my favourite books - I have a very well-loved, well-thumbed copy, and I thoroughly recommend it.

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

Well, I can hardly resist ordering the book, since so many people that I admire like it so much!

I'm definitely looking forward to checking it out.

[iconis.livejournal.com]

Maurice is the first gay-themed movie and book I came across when I was a teenager - early teens, I think. It just. Opened up a totally new world to me, in such a gorgeous way. I still don't have the words to describe its significance to me, but I'm always so glad when people around me find that story. :)

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

It's a beautiful story. I was... very impressed. I'm definitely planning on reading the book.

[lasultrix.livejournal.com]

First third of Maurice? excellent. Second? also. Third? eh.

(I refer to the book, not knowing there had been a film.)

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

Seven unqualified recs and two with reservations. I think I have an excellent chance of enjoying at least most of the book, then.

And you should check out the movie. Very pretty.