What is it, in summary? It's 1907, and young Englishwoman Lucy Honeychurch (Helena Bonham Carter) has embarked upon a tour of Italy before coming into her majority the next year. With her is her older cousin Charlotte (Dame Maggie Smith), who is dithery and anxious about proving herself a good chaperone. Things go immediately sideways when Lucy takes a look out of her bedroom window and realizes that it opens onto an alley instead of the splendor of Florence, as the signora who owns the place promised.
Complaining about the situation in the pensione's dining room draws the attention of fiery retired journalist Mr. Emerson (Denholm Elliott) and his morose railway worker son, George (Julian Sands). In spite of the weight of social propriety, Mr. Emerson cajoles an offended Charlotte into swapping rooms with the father and son, providing Lucy with the view she desires. There is, it seems, a reason behind this - Mr. Emerson is aware of George's depression and begs Lucy to be his son's friend. Shocked when Mr. Emerson reveals their family's atheism, Lucy seems to demur.
Fate sweeps the young couple together: first, George catches Lucy mid-faint in a piazza when they both witness a murder. Then, Lucy's poor Italian results in her cabdriver taking her to George during a group picnic. George is so moved by the sight of her in the springtime sunlight he kisses her. All of this finally restores George's wish to live and causes him to fall in love with Lucy. Lucy, in turn, begins to warm to George. But Charlotte sweeps Lucy away from George's reach before they can truly act on their feelings.
Back home on Summer Street in Surrey, Lucy and George are once again brought together. But they have two big problems: Lucy's still in denial about her feelings for him, and she has agreed to marry Cecil (Daniel Day-Lewis), a foppish society maven ruled by his mother who sees Lucy as someone to sharpen into the perfect hostess in spite of her nouveau riche country girl background. Which man will win her affection, and will Lucy ever learn her own heart?
What do you love about it? It's a comedy of class, it's a scenic feast, it's a completely credible young romance. It's an epic with memorable, breathless kisses. And it's got some of the best performances in the canon of film history. Plus there's a nude skinny dipping scene, if you like that.
What sort of things are you likely to request for it?: All manner of George/Lucy; something about George and his father or Lucy's relationship with Eleanor Lavish or George/Freddy AUs.
no subject
Media: Film
Approx length An hour and a half.
Where to find it It's currently Streaming on Max and is available on BritBox or The Criterion Channel
What is it, in summary? It's 1907, and young Englishwoman Lucy Honeychurch (Helena Bonham Carter) has embarked upon a tour of Italy before coming into her majority the next year. With her is her older cousin Charlotte (Dame Maggie Smith), who is dithery and anxious about proving herself a good chaperone. Things go immediately sideways when Lucy takes a look out of her bedroom window and realizes that it opens onto an alley instead of the splendor of Florence, as the signora who owns the place promised.
Complaining about the situation in the pensione's dining room draws the attention of fiery retired journalist Mr. Emerson (Denholm Elliott) and his morose railway worker son, George (Julian Sands). In spite of the weight of social propriety, Mr. Emerson cajoles an offended Charlotte into swapping rooms with the father and son, providing Lucy with the view she desires. There is, it seems, a reason behind this - Mr. Emerson is aware of George's depression and begs Lucy to be his son's friend. Shocked when Mr. Emerson reveals their family's atheism, Lucy seems to demur.
Fate sweeps the young couple together: first, George catches Lucy mid-faint in a piazza when they both witness a murder. Then, Lucy's poor Italian results in her cabdriver taking her to George during a group picnic. George is so moved by the sight of her in the springtime sunlight he kisses her. All of this finally restores George's wish to live and causes him to fall in love with Lucy. Lucy, in turn, begins to warm to George. But Charlotte sweeps Lucy away from George's reach before they can truly act on their feelings.
Back home on Summer Street in Surrey, Lucy and George are once again brought together. But they have two big problems: Lucy's still in denial about her feelings for him, and she has agreed to marry Cecil (Daniel Day-Lewis), a foppish society maven ruled by his mother who sees Lucy as someone to sharpen into the perfect hostess in spite of her nouveau riche country girl background. Which man will win her affection, and will Lucy ever learn her own heart?
What do you love about it? It's a comedy of class, it's a scenic feast, it's a completely credible young romance. It's an epic with memorable, breathless kisses. And it's got some of the best performances in the canon of film history. Plus there's a nude skinny dipping scene, if you like that.
What sort of things are you likely to request for it?: All manner of George/Lucy; something about George and his father or Lucy's relationship with Eleanor Lavish or George/Freddy AUs.
Are there sections of canon (rather than the whole canon) that can be consumed by themselves to fulfil your requests, or that showcase particular characters and relationships? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXrLu3Q67jU&pp=ygUaYSByb29tIHdpdGggYSB2aWV3IGZhbnZpZHM%3D Boom, fanvid.
Content notes (ie, rape, incest, racism, gore/violence): A bloody onscreen murder, full frontal and full rear cis male nudity.