A Room With A View (1985) Dir: James Ivory
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I tend not to watch period dramas, they tend not to draw me in or thrill me as other genres do, perhaps due to my age and generational nature. That said, I am genuinely glad I got the opportunity to watch this. The story, based on the book of the same name, is, as you'd expect, a relatively slow paced affair, though it is remarkably sound in quality.
The main arc carries itself gracefully to completion with the support of a truly stellar cast. It would be understandable to expect a very serious and maybe even tepid film, but thankfully there is some well delivered dry comedy that was legitimately very funny.
Helena Bonham Carter stars in what is one of her earliest roles. Her elegance and undeniable acting ability comes through in spades throughout this one - with glimmers of her class and elegance that would cling to her in future visible even here.
The iconic Maggie Smith plays an unrelenting social martyr, but performs this role absolutely beautifully. Her unyielding poise and grace is perfect for this character.
Another icon in Judi Dench also features here, though in a more minor role. That said, I still very much enjoyed her performance.
Julian Sands provides the face of the film's enigmatic love interest - giving a pretty effective performance throughout.
A relatively young Daniel Day-Lewis, still some time from his incredible acting heights, produces a very solid performance in his substantial supporting role.
Denholm Elliott also gives a consistent and fundamentally sound performance, in what is a relatively small supporting role.
Finally, I'll mention Rupert Graves, whom many will recognise as LeStrade in BBC's Sherlock, and who gives an energetic and enjoyable performance in his supporting role.
Overall, this was a pleasantly enjoyable period romance that will satisfy any fans of shows like Downton Abbey or even Bridgerton. I found it to be a very solid film that is for certain.
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