HOWARD'S END

UK, 1992, 140 minutes, Colour.
Anthony Hopkins, Emma Thompson, Helena Bonham Carter, Samuel West, James Wilby, Jemma Redgrave, Prunella Scales.
Directed by James Ivory.

Howard's End is a very elegant and beautifully acted version of an E.M. Forster novel from producer Ismail Merchant, writer Ruth Prawer Jhabvala and director James Ivory. They were responsible for the other Forster films, A Room with a View and Maurice. The group had also made such films as Heat and Dust, The Europeans, The Bostonians, Mr and Mrs Bridge. While Howard's end might lack the visual beauty of Italy of A Room with a View and Where Angels Fear to Treat (directed by Charles Sturridge) and the vast scope of A Passage to India (directed by David Lean), this very British story about class property and morals is in the vein of John Goldsworthy, H.G. Wells or Arnold Bennett portraits of turn of the century England.

Forster's novel begins with the quotation, "Only connect." This story of ordinary but significant coincidences, of intertwining lives with both happy and tragic consequences, makes its point about Britons and their values - though these generally well-to-do characters are not always easy to empathise with, especially in their arrogance and smugness towards the disadvantaged.

But they are brought to life splendidly. Vanessa Redgrave is memorable as Ruth, ageing and ill, playing against type. The key performance is that by Emma Thompson as Margaret, caught between the two worlds and having to make choices. Anthony Hopkins, Helena Bonham Carter, Samuel West and Prunella Scales are in support. The film is beautiful to look at and to listen to. The team then made Remains of the Day.

1.The work of E.M. Forster? Early 20th century England? The film versions, especially those by the Merchant Ivory team? The quality of the adaptation of the novel for the screen?

2.The re-creation of period, London and its detail, the countryside, Howard's End and the country homes? The fantasy of flowers? The strong cast, the musical score?

3.The perspective of the 1990s on the early 20th century, the period, class distinctions, property and wealth, British at the end of the Empire? The universal applications of these themes?

4.The opening mood, the house, Ruth watching, the audience observing the family with her? Helen and her romance, the night, the next day and broad daylight, the contact with her aunt, with Margaret, the precipitation of the crisis? Introducing the audience to the atmosphere and complexity of the plot?

5.The portrait of the Wilcox family, at home, the parents, the children, interactions, hopes and prospects, property and class? The planning of the wedding? The Schlegels' aunt, her discussion about Helen's behaviour? Paul and his going to Africa? Helen and her embarrassment, going to London? The observation of this crisis, the contact between the two families - with memories of Germany? Enabling Ruth to meet Margaret and their friendship beginning?

6.The interactions between Ruth and Meg, their meeting, talk, places in society? Meg and the hosting of the dinner, the advanced viewpoints expressed, Ruth and her conservative world view? The discussions about Howard's End? Ruth and her illness, wanting Margaret to see the house, going to the station, Margaret hurrying, the meeting with the Wilcoxes? Ruth's collapse, hospital, her writing the note and bequeathing Howard's End to Margaret? What was Ruth intending by this decision?

7.Meg and Helen, the Schlegel family, their German background? Independent means, but not wealthy? Their advanced views? Their brother and their spoiling him, his behaviour at home? Helen and her hopes, the style of the family? The bonds between the two sisters? Mr Bast coming to the house? Their observing the Wilcoxes? Meg and her interest, the visits with the Wilcoxes, her friendliness and not seeking Howard's end for herself? Her support of Helen and Mr Bast, his work, wanting to effect a change, the plea for Mr Wilcox to help? Her sharing Mr Wilcox's perspective, the meals out, their talking, the house - and his proposal to her? Her accepting? The reaction of his children? Her memories of Ruth? The wedding, the organisation - and Helen and her reactions? Mr Bast and his wife at the celebration, Helen and her worry about their poverty? Their responsibility for Mr Bast not being able to find a job? The confrontation, the realisation that Mrs Bast was Wilcox's mistress? Margaret's ability to cope, sending Helen to the hotel? The marriage, the bonds with Wilcox? Helen's return after her silence, the letters, her pregnancy? Wanting to stay at Howard's End? The emergence of the truth? The confrontation with Mr Bast and his death? Margaret's decision to stay with her husband? Her strong stances? Her looking after the child with Helen? A strong woman, intelligent, compassionate, a mediator between the different classes?

8.The contrast with Helen, romantic, her going to the concert, taking Mr Bast's umbrella, his coming to the house, her behaviour with him? The clashes with the Wilcox family after the proposal, her writing her letter to her aunt? Coming down to earth? Her bonds with Meg? The relationship between the two sisters? The meeting with Mr Bast, his wife coming to the house, his return? Cultivating the friendship? Helen and her taking up Mr Bast's cause, her antagonism towards the Wilcoxes? The scene at the wedding? Her encounter with Mr Bast, the love for him, the sexual encounter? Her going to Germany, the letters and postcards? Her return, her lack of balance? Her pregnancy? Her wanting to go to Howard's End? Witnessing Mr Bast's death? The baby - and a future?

9.Mr Bast: lower class, trapped by his class in Edwardian England? The concert, wanting to improve himself? His manner of speaking and walking, accent and style? The umbrella, pursuing Helen in the rain? His uncomfortableness in the house? His relationship with his wife, love for her? Their poverty, the squalor of their house, the railway line? Her visiting the sisters and his embarrassment? His being taken on by the sisters, his work, worries? The advice given, changing his job? Unable to get employment? His pride? The reaction of his wife? Helen taking them to the wedding? The truth about his wife, her story and her relationship with Wilcox, his abandoning her? His reaction with his wife, the rowing excursion with Helen, the sexual encounter? Her pregnancy? The Schlegels' brother visiting him and offering him a cheque, his returning it? The truth about Helen and her pregnancy, his illness, his visit to Howard's end, the brother and their confrontation, his death? The images of his imagination - especially in his walking in the field of blue flowers?

10.Mr Wilcox, the businessman, seeing him at home, his relationship with Ruth and his children? The visit to London, the setting up of the house? Ruth's death? Her will, the discussion with his children, the decision to ignore her request? His children and their wanting Howard's End? In London, the friendship with Margaret Schlegel, taking her out to the meal, the visits, to the house, the reaction of the children, the proposal? The wedding and his mellowing? The confrontation with Mr Bast, with Mrs Bast - and the truth about his relationship? His attitude towards the poor? Towards getting Mr Bast a new job, changing his mind because of changing financial situations? The confrontation with Margaret? Helen and her (seen?), her return from Germany, her pregnancy? His supercilious attitude and Margaret's confrontation? The death of Mr Bast, the arrest of his son? A broken man? Margaret and her decision to stay with him and support him?

11.The Wilcox children: Paul and his flirtation with Helen, his going to Africa and his prospects? Charles and his snobbery, the preparation for the wedding, the wedding celebration? His scatty wife and her wanting Howard's End? Their children? His relationship with his father, at work? The way that his father treated him, ignoring him in business? His advice for his father, especially about Margaret and the marriage? His antagonism towards Bast, the confrontation in the house, the anger, Bast's death? His arrest? The reaction of his wife?

12.Eva and her style, her place in the family, advice for her father, her behaviour at the meal, social behaviour, attitude towards Margaret Schlegel?

13.Mrs Bast, her rough background, her story, Cyprus, sexual exploitation, her visit, the jealousy with Leonard and the visit to the Schlegels, her confrontation with Wilcox, her drinking at the party, the truth?

14.The sketch of the Schlegels' aunt, her concern about Helen and the wedding? Hurrying to the Wilcoxes, the encounter with Charles? The sister having a holiday at her home?

15.The portrait of British society at the time? Class distinctions? In London, in the countryside? The world of the bank, of finance? Class and property?

16.A portrait of Britain at the turn of the century?