The Maurice The Merrier

Merchant Ivory’s much loved and lauded 1987 film adaptation of EM Forster’s classic gay novel, Maurice makes a welcome return to the IFI this month. Starring Hugh Grant at peak fringe-floppiness, and James Wilby as the winsome titular character, this swooning, dreamy romance about the love that dare not speak its name was adored by critics upon its initial release, but sunk like a brick at the box office. It was felt that the general movie -going public was not quite ready for a big screen male love story, with a Guardian review saying audiences felt it was “put bluntly, too gay”.

In the intervening three decades the film has been celebrated both on its own terms as a genuine quality picture, but also for the creators having the audacity to depict a romantic, hope filled, queer love story at the height of the 1980’s AIDS crisis.

Catch ‘Maurice’ in the IFI from July 27