- Actors: Helena Carter, Joseph Bennett, Prunella Scales, Adrian Magenty, Jo Kendall
- Director: James Ivory
- Format: AC-3, Dolby, Widescreen
- Language: English
- Subtitles: French, English
- Region: Region A/1
- Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
- Number of discs: 2
- Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
- Release Date: December 6, 2016
- Run Time: 143 minutes
Howard’s End was the third adaptation of
an E. M. Forster novel by longtime film team, James Ivory and Ismail Merchant,
and may very well be their greatest success. It was an unlikely choice,
especially since Forster himself admitted to disliking all of the characters
within his own story, but the nuanced Merchant Ivory production somehow makes
them all more sympathetic without removing any of their many flaws. And despite
some ugliness in the personalities of the characters, this is contrasted by the
beautiful photography of the film, which has been given a wonderful new 4K
restoration for its 25th Anniversary release.
Though there are
larger issues of class and the modernization of England within Forster’s story, it
is a narrative that primarily relies on coincidence and chance encounters. This
begins with an unseen meeting between a wealthy family and a single woman
during vacation in Germany.
Having enjoyed her company during their travels, the Wilcox family invites the
young woman, Helen Schlegel (Helena Bonham Carter), to their country home at
Howard’s End. This leads to a chance encounter between Helen and one of the
Wilcox sons, resulting in a misunderstanding that both connects and separates
the two families for the remainder of the narrative.
The second
chance encounter involves another absentminded mistake by Helen, as she
accidentally takes the umbrella of a man named Leonard Bast (Samuel West)
during a lecture on Beethoven’s Fifth. Bast happens to work for the patriarch
of the Wilcox family, Henry (Anthony Hopkins), whose wife (Vanessa Redgrave)
simultaneously becomes acquainted with Helen’s older sister, Margaret (Emma
Thompson). This friendship develops so quickly that when Mrs. Wilcox is on her
death bed, she makes a final request to leave their home at Howard’s End to
Margaret.
This wish is
ignored by Henry, though he does show a sudden romantic interest in his former
wife’s friend, suddenly asking Margaret to be his wife instead. This
relationship is seen as a betrayal by the Wilcox children, as well as Helen,
who takes offense to Henry’s treatment of his former employee, Mr. Bast. This
is likely why even Forster despised these characters, as they are all weak in
their own way. But there is more to them than their weakness, and despite the
class commentary about the hypocrisy of their behavior, Ivory allows us to
sympathize with each of these characters to a certain degree.
The Deluxe
Edition 25th Anniversary Blu-ray release comes with a collector’s
booklet and exclusive new special features, though it is the flawlessly
remastered presentation of the film that remains the star. Rich in visuals, the
film boasts production design elements that are enhanced by the beautiful
photography, and that doesn’t even take into consideration how the film is
further enhanced by its performers. The special features on this new disc
include plenty of old behind-the-scenes featurettes and documentaries, but it
also has new extras. There are new interviews with the cast and crew, as well
as a Q&A from a 2016 screening of the film and an all-new commentary track.
The special features are fittingly finished off with both the original
theatrical trailer and the 2016 re-release trailer.
Entertainment Value:
7/10
Quality of Filmmaking:
9/10
Historical
Significance: 10/10
Special Features: 9/10
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