j* movie reviews 2020

Room With A View (1985)

There sure are a lot of nude men frolicking in this film.

Because you need to know about this. I truly pondered how this ever beat the censors. We're talking some Sirens level fun here, three men in a pond. One is some kind of priest (nothing suss). And they just gambol and play nude in this little pond for what feels like ages. Maybe time just dilates here because we're so unused to the fully exposed male form? More goolie shots than an episode of (European) Dating Naked.

Anyway, sadly, that is not the view from the titular room, although I do get the impression our main gal, Lucy Honeychurch, would be quite down with that, even if one of them is her brother. She's played by the ever glorious Helena Bonham-Carter and has, as always, epic hair. Whilst in ye olde Italy she falls for a moody blonde, sort of maybe. Then she returns to England and gets engaged to a wanky brunette. Blonde sets up house nearby, love triangle ensues.

There's a lot of olden days manners and etiquette issues, as is usual, I feel for this kind of period film. But there's also quite a strong feminist theme, with several characters really showcasing other ways to be women. There are two elderly sisters wild with the world, travelling here, there and everywhere, unencumbered by children or husbands or jobs. There is the spinster Aunt. The Mother is a widower. And the high point is wild novelist Elanor Lavish (Judi Dench) who has been everywhere and plans to smell every city. Interestingly this makes some intriguing commentary on the nature of tourism generally.

There are some really funny parts, some dull parts, and the poster is 100% spoilers... that's how they rolled in the 1980s.

J* gives it 3 stars.