Review

Released in the shadow of the critically acclaimed Howards End, this overlooked adaptation of E.M. Forster's novel is impressively produced, superbly acted and an extremely worthwhile effort. Mirren stars as Lilia Harriton, a wealthy widow who enrages her stodgy in-laws when she runs off to Italy and marries a swarthy young peasant, thereby threatening the family fortune. Lilia's brother and sister (Graves, Davis) are dispatched to Italy to try and talk some sense into the merry widow. All of the performances are first rate, but Davis steals the show with her truly over-the-top portrayal of the histrionic Harriet Harriton. The film sports a darker sense of humor and more tragic twists than the standard Forster fare, which makes it all-the-more entertaining and nearly as satisfying as Howards End.