After her sister (Helena Bonham Carter) is jilted by the youngest son of an upper class family, Middle class Margaret Schlegel (Emma Thompson) befriends its dying matriarch (Vanessa Redgrave) who unofficially wills her family's centuries old home to her. Soon she finds herself married to stern widower (Anthony Hopkins) and affecting the lives of an intertwined lower class couple. Merchant Ivory production of E.M. Forester's class examination is beautifully designed, unfolding like a novel, and benefiting from wonderful performances (especially Thompson and Hopkins) and Richard Robbin's offbeat musical score.
*** 1/2 out of ****
