Where Angels Fear to Tread

It is impossible to find much to criticize in this movie not directed/produced by Merchant/Ivory. The title comes from the proverb from Alexander Pope: "Fools rush in where angels fear to tread."In this case the remonstration is less about about temptation to interject oneself in a relationship of love love rather the temptations of pride which do in fact land this English family of the Edwardian era whose duty is to family and crown. Once again, Forster uses Italy as the completely contradictory environment where the knowledge and sense of superiority of the British are unraveled by confusion hidden by simplicity. Helen Mirren plays the part of a aristocratic women by marriage into an old family whose money is safely kept from wasteful spending by this widow. She naively although bravely decides to begin a new life in Italy, as a wealthy woman who can pick and choose her mates. The Italian man/boy she marries lives in a egocentric world where his honor and appearance of same beat out any other consideration. Overtime, as Mirren's character becomes more frustrated and less independent, her status of the rich widow deflates to being one of the women relatives of a male-dominated society. When her English in-laws find out that a baby was born to this couple decides to go to Italy to somehow reclaim the child by use of subterfuge and money begins when the Mirren;s character's English brother is required to confront the irrational world that Italy represents. He is unable to confront the Italian husband because he found he finds the Italian so brimming with emotioal contagion. The character played by Hehlena Bonham Carter, also falls for the Italian husband as well. But he doe snot love her because in fact he is too in love with his life as an Italian youth, laughing, bantering, going to the local opera house and caring for his child and mistresses daily while his wife is home alone. The remarkable aspects of the movie are: all of the Italian and English countryside location shots, the women who is the great Soprano who comes to the village to sing at the Opera House, the scenes in the Opera House, and the accident with the carriages toward the end of the plot are well filmed, edited and acted above all else. The cast is fantastic and work well together.

I had this film on an old VHS tape and have enjoyed it many times over the years. It has been on a list I keep of movies I own that I want to upgrade to DVD format, this fall I finally purchased this little gem. The cast and performances on this production are superb. What was of particular wonder to me is the clarity of the film print in this DVD version. I was simply in awe at the detail I could observe in the costumes etc., such an amazing improvement over the old video! The sound was impressive as well. The richly orchestrated soundtrack as well as the spoken dialog were clear and full. In conclusion, it was totally worth the investment in this DVD edition, I will enjoy it for many years to come.

Classic film based on class differences which ends in tragedy.

This is a beautifully realized film. Story is compelling, acting is outstanding, camera work is gorgeous. My only complaint is that these is no subtitling option. I don’t hear as well as I once did, and I appreciate being able to replay a section with subtitles when I don’t understand the dialog.

Helen Mirren had an extremely short role in this film. Helena Bonham Carter's character was not very likable in the beginning, but as the film went along she redeemed herself. Is it a love story, sort of, but mostly it's the story of money and securing it at the cost of an infant's happiness. It's disturbing the lengths people will go to for an inheritance and though it's an old movie the story is timeless.

Just a word to second the previous reviewer's high estimate of this film, but also to note that it is actually not a Merchant-Ivory production (though it is certainly every bit as good as the Merchant-Ivory standard, and employs two leading performers from Merchant-Ivory's superb version of Forster's A ROOM WITH A VIEW). So, credit where credit is due: The IMDb lists Charles Sturridge as the director and Derek Granger as the producer of this excellent adaptation, with the script credit split three ways between those two gentlemen and a third fellow named Tim Sullivan.

I thought with the great cast this was sure to be enjoyable. Sadly all the great acting in the world, the sublime scenery of Tuscany, and the beautiful cinematography couldn't stitch together the patchy characterisation and gaps in the storyline. I must read the book to see if I can work out what went wrong. It just didn't work for me.

This is a good Victorian movie fraught with drama and a good ending. I only wish the dvd had subtitles because the sound has a lot to be desired. The dialogue is so important, but hard to catch all because of the English intonations and the sound goes soft to loud inconsistently. The characters and their restrained English upbringing is very interesting to watch because so much can be read between the lines without verbal explanation which Americans tend to do. A little slow sometimes and a little unbelievable, but a good old English film.

E.M. Forresters Where Angels Fear to treat. From my point of view a geniously portraied story of a recently widowed british upperclass Lady , ( the wonderful Helen Mirrren perfoming as Lady Herrinton) that escapes her opressive in law-family to the countryside of Italy. She all of a sudden falls in love to a young handsome Italian, Gina Carella , ( performed by Giovanni Gudelli), whom she marries in a quick emotional act. The affair indeed becomes " fruitful" ,and when a baby is born the english family intends to bring the young boy to the U.K. to ensure the child will be brought up in accordance their "point of view". This tragedy is brought to us by very convincing pictures of the italian countryside , and with a screenplay of excellent actors. Next to the undoubtly wunderful acting Helen Mirren , we find the all -time charming Helena Bonham Carter , as well as Kristin Scott Thomas and Rupert Graves to name only a vew.! 5 Stars - all the way ! A must have

I bought this as I love Carter's acting but was amazed to find everyone does a great job. It is so rare with todays movies to have all the cast good and where CGI is not a factor!

Film che risente un po' della tecnologia di ripresa dell'epoca, ma ottimo adattamento del libro di M. E. Forster:"Monteriano". È piuttosto singolare sentire attori inglesi parlare anche in lingua italiana! Il DVD è naturalmente solo in inglese, a parte le poche frasi in italiano dovute al l'ambientazione italiana di questa vicenda, con la possibilità di sottotitoli sempre in inglese.

This is a far better film than I had remembered, with a very good cast and creditable faithfulness to Forster’s novel. The Italian setting is wonderful. It should have been given a blu-ray release. My only adverse note is that Charles Sturridge omits the amusing vignette in which the ghastly Mrs Herriton remembers at night that she has forgotten to cover up the peas she has sown during the day. resulting in all of them being eaten by the sparrows, a small point but illustrative of Forster’s mischievous comic treatment.

Da ich Filme wie "Zimmer mit Aussicht" und "Passage to India" liebe habe ich mir auch diesen Film, den es scheinbar gar nicht in deutscher Synchronisation gibt, angesehen. Leider scheint mir der Film wie eine Vorübung für die oben erwähnten Titel. Weder sind die Rollen gut besetzt noch hat der Film den Flair der beiden anderen Filme. Helen Mirren ist hier ziemlich schwach, dafür hätte sie keinen Oscar bekommen. Ihr italienischer Liebhaber/Ehemann ähnlich schwach. Die ganze Geschichte mit dem gestohlenen Baby auch unverständlich und von unserer Warte her betrachtet so dämlich, da läßt man ein Baby eher sterben, als es einem italienischen Vater zu überlassen. Und Helen Bonham Carter ist hier wohl nur zum üben eingesetzt. Schöne Bilder von Italien sind eben nicht alles, was einen stimmungsvollen Film ausmacht. Letztendlich bleibt ein vages Gefühl und ein fader Geschmack übrig.