A Room With a View

Dir: James Ivory, 1985 (9.9*)

Best Picture (BAA)

Excellent filming of the E.M. Forster romantic comedy novel. This deservedly made Helena Bonham Carter a star, the only mystery was the lack of an Oscar nomination (she later got one for Wings of the Dove). Lush, lyrical, funny, yet not stuffy at all for a classic novel, thanks to the Ivory direction and terrific cast: young Daniel-Day Lewis, hilarious as stuffshirt fiance Cecil back in England, and especially Maggie Smith as the doting aunt chaperone, and Denholm Elliott as the free spirited father of the romantic son, Julian Sands. Both were nominated along with Ivory as director; and it won 3 Oscars (art direction, costume design, screenplay for Ruth Jhabvala, author of the novel and film Heat and Dust). One of the best romances on film. 3 Oscars for 8 nominations