Maurice

Set in Edwardian England, Maurice Hall lives a life mapped by propriety and public expectation. After his romantic confidence is crushed by a rejected lover, he faces questions about who he is and what happiness can mean within rigid social codes. He searches for affection and identity in a society that stigmatizes same sex attraction, and he encounters a range of connections that test loyalty, duty, and personal desire. The story follows his quiet, evolving relationships and the obstacles posed by class and convention, against a backdrop of salons and propriety, as he moves through secrecy, social scrutiny, and the slow dawning realization that love may not fit the rules of his era.

Directed by James Ivory, Maurice is a Merchant Ivory adaptation of E.M. Forster's novel with a screenplay by Kit Hesketh-Harvey. The 1987 film stars James Wilby, Hugh Grant and Rupert Graves in a restrained, period-accurate drama. It premiered to strong notices for its fidelity to character and atmosphere.

It grossed roughly 2,438,304 dollars worldwide against a 2.6 million budget, a result typical of art house adaptations of its era. The modest return did not reflect the film's critical esteem, which grew in later years on home video and among academic circles.

Maurice stands among mid-80s literary adaptations that seriously treated LGBTQ themes on screen. Its discreet romance and dignified Edwardian setting helped open doors for later mainstream queer stories, earning praise for its restraint and for James Wilby and Rupert Graves' nuanced performances. The film is often cited in discussions of queer cinema history and preserved as a touchstone for literary adaptation in British film.

Critics generally welcomed the film for its quiet, intelligent approach to desire, social pressure, and identity. The screenplay foregrounds moral ambiguity over sensationalism, inviting viewers to weigh duty against love in a world where personal happiness comes at a cost. It also highlights the era's rigidity and the risk characters take when they refuse to conform.