| Howards End | |
|---|---|
| The Schlegel Sisters (Bonham Carter and Thompson | |
| Directed by | James Ivory |
| Written by | E. M. Forster (novel), Ruth Prawer Jhabvala (screenplay) |
| Produced by | [[]] |
| Starring | Emma Thompson, Vanessa Redgrave, Helena Bonham Carter, Anthony Hopkins, Prunella Scales |
| Distributed by | [[]] |
Running time | 140 min |
| Budget | $ (estimated) |
Howards End is a novel by E. M. Forster, first published in 1910, which tells the story of class struggle in turn-of-the-century England.
Template:Spoiler The plot takes place in the England at the beginning of the century. It is about about three social classes represented by three families: the Wilcoxes, who are the rich victorian capitalists and basically consider themselves as aristocrats. For them money is the most important thing. There are the Schlegels (sisters) who represent the enlightened bourgeois class. They are humanistic and philanthropist and enjoy reading and travelling to Germany. The Basts are the working class, fighting to survive. Driven by their humanisms, the Schlegel sisters' try to help the poor Basts and cajole the Wilcox's to lower their prejudices.
Two sisters have encounters with the wealthy Wilcox. The younger sister Helen (played by Bonham-Carter) is rejected by the young Wilcox. The older sister Margaret (Emma Thompson) becomes a good friend of mother Ruth Wilcox. Her most priced personal possession is the cottage at Howard's End. She wishes that Margaret live there, as she feels that it might be in good hands with her. Probably sensing her death because of illness, Ruth bestows the Cottage to Margaret, which causes great consternation with the Wilcox. The children burn the will without letting Margaret know. However over the course of years, Margaret acquaints herself with the widower Henry Wilcox and eventually marries him. Obviously the children try to keep her from taking possession of Howard's End.
Because of the marriage into the Wilcox, the sisters start drifting apart. Although trying to help young Leonard Bast, it all goes terribly wrong, him loosing his position. Because of short tryst with him, Helen is with child and leaves England to travel through Germany, ignoring the pleas of her older sister Margaret. The ending is sad but there is a glimmer of hope with the birth of her child.
The movie was critically acclaimed and received innumerous awards. It is one of the finest of british movie-making, with excquisite dialogues, great acting by all major actors, and beautiful scenery-shorts in the countryside of Oxfordshire and other places. The music track is subtle and fitting to the different moods.
The dark and little flat of the Bass's next to the rumbling train is a stark contrast to the more lighter apartment of the Schlegels, which in turn is dwarfed by the imposing (and almost suffocating) mansion of the Wilcox.
It is interesting to watch the relationship between Ruth Wilcox and Margaret Schlegel grow. It does seem though that in the beginning Ruth was more the driving force between the friendship, probably feeling that her time was running out and she wanted to see Howard's End in good hands before she left. In a strange twist of fate, she would take the place of Ruth after her passing, eventually gaining the cottage even though there were hurdles. In a way, the circle came full way again.
Even though Leonard Bast would die because of the fight, his soul or spirit will live on with his child, who will be raised and grow up on Howard's End. In a way, maybe he did reach the security he never could enjoy in his life-time.
The novel was made into a film in 1992, directed by James Ivory and adapted by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala. It stars Vanessa Redgrave, Helena Bonham Carter, Joseph Bennett, Emma Thompson, Prunella Scales, Adrian Ross Magenty, Jo Kendall, Anthony Hopkins, James Wilby and Jemma Redgrave.
It won the following awards (list incomplete):
It was also nominated for the following awards (list incomplete):