L'amour en larmes

I believe I've seen every film adaptation of Forster's work, and I have to say that this is probably the worst of the lot. It has none of the charm of "A Room With a View", and none of the poignancy of "Howards End". Instead, it's a long, slogging story with shrill characters that I could not muster a shred of empathy for. Many of the characters (particularly the elderly Mrs. Harriton and Harriet) are played so far over-the-top that they border on farce. The character of Gino is underdeveloped, which makes the way some characters come to feel about him ring utterly false.

Forster was a homosexual, an Italophile, and scornful of Edwardian British mores and (perceived) hypocrisy. I have no problem with any of those things, but in this, his first novel, it's as if his main intention was to telegraph these things to the audience, and he sets his characters up to that end, but it's never convincing as the natural actions of real humans. If you must watch it, enjoy the Tuscan scenery while you can, but you may want to fast forward through the second-half. For completists only.

Charles Sturridge's 1991 film, "Where Angels Fear to Tread," beautifully adapts E. M. Forster's novel, vividly exploring the clash between rigid English decorum and vibrant Italian passion. The Herriton family's shock when widowed Lilia (Helen Mirren) impulsively marries Italian Gino Carella (Giovanni Guidelli) drives the plot, leading to their desperate attempts to reclaim her child. Rupert Graves as Philip Herriton and Helena Bonham Carter as Caroline Abbott navigate this cultural divide, but it's Judy Davis as the xenophobic Harriet whose actions lead to tragedy. The film excels visually, with stunning Tuscan landscapes contrasting sharply with English restraint. While occasionally deliberate in pace and with a sometimes underdeveloped Gino, it effectively conveys Forster's themes of cultural misunderstanding and social hypocrisy. Ultimately, it's a solid, compelling, and often tragic portrayal of human prejudice.

The story is so tragic that this should be a hard-core drama, and parts of it are very poignant, but I also laughed hysterically. This is mainly due to Judy Davis' performance which is so priggish and delightful. Graves and Bonham-Carter played brother and sister in 'A Room With A View' and their chemistry carries over into this film quite well. The music is enchanting. All the way around, a great film.

The first time I watched this movie I kept saying to myself.. this movie seems so familiar.. Then I realized that I had read the book the summer before.. This is a great credit to the screenwriter and director as the story is followed precisely and each page is brought to life on the screen.. A must for Forester fans, Anglophiles or those who want to enjoy a true tale of human souls intertwined. The prejudices and self importance of the English upper class are superbly charactered by all.. You'll laugh , cry and wonder at their actions.. You will become part of them... This is definitely one that I will be adding to my "Sunday Night Movie and Tea" collection.

Where Angels Fear to Tread in addition to its alluring title also boasts a solid cast of Helen Mirren, Rupert Graves, Helena Bonham Carter and Judy Davis. Throw in the beautiful Italian landscape and scenery and you're well on your way. There is one major obstacle preventing this film from reaching its full potential, and unlike others who suggest it was the direction, I say the major problem rests squarely on the script. There are too many random elements thrown into the mix, that have very little to no context or explanation. There are too many to go into now but characters show up at random places and times, and behave seemingly for the convenience of creating drama, but after a while the viewer really does need a bit more information and character development. The Judy Davis character is completely lacking in any sympathetic traits completely to the point that I wanted nothing more than to see her run over by a train Rupert Graves is so thoroughly passive and ineffectual as to become highly unlikeable, despite his charm. Despite these serious shortcomings I have to say I was still completely engaged as to how things were going to ultimately conclude. When it ended even more horrifically that I had imagined I found myself to be quite upset. So, even though Where Angels Fear to Tread has some major problems I still think its a film worth checking out.