Merchant Ivory’s much loved and lauded 1987 film adaptation of EM Forster’s classic gay novel, Maurice makes a welcome return to the IFI this month.

Starring Hugh Grant at peak fringe-floppiness, and James Wilby as the winsome titular character, this swooning, dreamy romance about the love that dare not speak its name was adored by critics upon its initial release, but sunk like a brick at the box office.

At Cambridge, Maurice Hall (James Wilby) befriends fellow students Lord Risley (Mark Tandy) and Clive Durham (Hugh Grant, in just his second film role).

He and Clive begin a chaste love affair, but when Risley is imprisoned for homosexual activity, a frightened Clive ends the relationship and instead marries the unaware Anne.

Heartbroken and in search of a cure for his ‘condition’, Maurice encounters gamekeeper Scudder (Rupert Graves), with whom he may have a second chance for happiness.

It was felt that the general movie -going public was not quite ready for a big screen male love story, with a Guardian review saying audiences felt it was “put bluntly, too gay”.

In the intervening three decades, the film has been celebrated both on its own terms as a genuine quality picture but also for the creators having the audacity to depict a romantic, hope-filled, queer love story at the height of the 1980’s AIDS crisis.

The IFI are now bringing the story back to cinema audiences, in a new 4K digital restoration.

Catch ‘Maurice’ in the IFI from July 27, for more info see the IFI’s website: https://ifi.ie/maurice/

To be in with a chance of winning two tickets on opening night, answer the question below! Deadline for entry: July 25.

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