Happy House Hunting

"Howard's End"

"I do wish you'd give us Howard's End."  This line from James Ivory's Howard's End spoken by Margaret Schlegel (Emma Thompson.)  What's preventing Ms. Schlegel from moving into the picturesque English manor?  She is of the middle class.  It's all about what social class you are a part of.  This is the central theme of this lavish period piece.  Margaret and her two siblings Helen (Helena Bonham Carter) and Tibby (Adrian Ross Magenty) are on the verge of losing their house due to future construction.  After a brief but meaningful association with Mrs. Ruth Wilcox (Vanessa Redgrave) who is of the wealthiest of classes, their friendship leads to Margaret inheriting the elegant estate.  This leaves Mrs. Wilcox's husband Henry (Anthony Hopkins) and their children in a state of dismay.  Together they decide to destroy the piece of paper with Mrs. Wilcox's last wishes; never letting Margaret and the rest of the middle class Schlegel clan have Howard's End.

Howard's End is a tricky film to pin down.  It's due primarily to the screenplay.  What's there on screen isn't careless, clumsy, or cheap.  But also the script doesn't quite reach the heights of coming off as a particularly moving, gripping, or impressive piece of storytelling.  When we reach the end of the nearly two and a half hour picture there's a sense of emptiness that sweeps over us.

Like any James Ivory film the production values and acting skills are high.  Margaret plays the part of a dutiful wife to Henry after he asks for hand in marriage.  However, she also has loyalties to her siblings as well, especially Helen.  Helen has a particular attachment to a gentleman who is of the poorest classes which upsets Henry.  Thompson’s performance is eloquent, cordial, and complex.  Margaret wants to make everyone happy in her life but it's certainly hard considering who she's married to.  Hopkins is very precise in his portrayal of man who seemingly looks down his nose at almost everyone, specifically those who have nowhere near as much wealth as he does.  Henry is so cold and unsympathetic with little redeeming qualities to him it really makes you wonder why Margaret accepted his proposal in the first place. 

Ivory does create an extravagant atmosphere with all the meticulously designed sets and costumes.  The time and place feel right.  It’s our brain though that's left to play catch up with our eyes.  There's something hollow about the screenplay.  We aren't emotionally attached to the characters because they are from a society that has a different set of moral values than our own.  The whole societal class struggle comes off as monotonous.  These characters are unwilling to change because their social classes won't allow them to.

Howard's End can't be viewed as just another period piece.  In order to truly enjoy this film you really have to be a fan of early 20th Century England.  It's quite easy to get swept up in the aesthetics of the picture but the greater challenge is the appreciation for the plot and the characters.  For the casual viewer or even serious film fanatic Howard's End is at times difficult to digest.  Ivory has put together a piece of cinema that falls into a specific division of filmmaking.  Die hard devotees of the novel or of Ivory's work will enjoy it.  As for everyone else, we're left in the aisles with the rest of the poverty stricken popcorn munchers.