Maurice (1987)

CinemaSerf March 31, 2024

★ 7/10

James Wilby is at his best here depicting the eponymous E.M. Forster character who takes rather a shine to his university colleague "Clive" (Hugh Grant). Of course not only is same sex fun illegal, it's looked upon very unfavourably by the Oxford set - even if most of them have had the odd dabble themselves. "Clive" is not really the commitment sort - he cares more for conforming and taking his well-heeled place in society, but "Maurice" seems more dyed-in-the-wool. His sexuality less fluid and his frustrations ever increasing. It's on a trip to see his friend and new wife "Anne" (Phoebe Nicholls) that he encounters their charming under-gamekeeper "Scudder" (Rupert Graves) and despite the differences in their social standing, at at some peril to his reputation, they embark on something that could just change both of their lives. Whilst the whole thing is set amongst the rarified environm…