A Tribute to James Ivory: King of Screenplays and Oldest-Ever Oscar Winner

Known for his beautifully decorated period pieces and flawless literature adaptations, James Ivory began his career as a documentary filmmaker before joining producer Ismail Merchant in a long-lasting artistic and personal partnership. They created Merchant Ivory Productions and becoming a legendary filmmaking duo ever since. The film company was founded in 1961 and made a total of 44 films. Out of them, 23 were scripted by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala and many were novel adaptations mostly from Henry James, E. M. Forster, or Jhabvala herself.

No matter which writer is behind their story, Merchant Ivory films can be easily categorized as a genre in itself rather than a simple credit. They create a world of their own, transporting their viewers to the same journey, regardless of their age, culture, or ideologies. Whether set in modern or old times, whether taking place in India or Europe, James Ivory never fails to connect with his audience. Through a universal experience, gracefully highlighting the essence of humanity and informing us about what it means to be human; our eternal dilemmas, behavior, morals, and values. Perhaps this is why his audience is so wide and diverse- from gay men to teenage girls and the elderly, everybody can find themselves in his stories.

A Room with a View (1985)

Perfectly embodying Merchant-Ivory’s excellence, ‘A Room with a View’ constitutes a touchstone of romantic cinema. Listed as #9 best romantic film of all time by The Guardian, Ivory transcends time with his surprisingly fresh adaptation of E. M. Forster’s novel of the same name. The director’s first real commercial and art-house hit at the time, ‘A Room with a View’ is a sophisticated, funny, and touching story that remains a huge influence on period dramas, forever changing the way British cinema would approach the genre. Set between Florence and the countryside of South East England, the story follows Lucy Honeychurch, a vibrant young woman, who, after her encounter with the charming George, starts to feel a growing desire for emotional and sexual freedom. This freedom pushes her to challenge the oppressive boundaries of the societal etiquettes at the time, manifesting themselves in her imminent marriage to the self-righteous Cecil. The stunning cast, including Daniel Day-Lewis, Julian Sands, Maggie Smith, and Helena Bonham Carter, for whom the film marked her debut, brought the story to life with passionate performances, marrying its complex social context with timeless emotional interpretations.

Maurice (1987)

Also based on a novel by E.M. Forster, ‘Maurice’ boldly asserted itself as a benchmark of LGBTQ+ cinema. It fearlessly went against the conservative flow of 80’s English period pieces with its liberating and poignant portrayal of two young men forced to deny their love. Released at a time when AIDS-related hysteria peaked among society and homophobia was still deeply present, Merchant Ivory dived headfirst in what will become a constant fight for accurate and equal on-screen representations of the LGBTQ+ community. Thirty-five years later, the film has more power than ever, remaining one of the most sensible portrayals of secret desires. A love letter to romantic passion, it preaches sexual freedom with a subtle wink at the ancient Greeks. The film itself is the epitome of beauty, hitting every mark production-wise. Merchant Ivory has mastered the art of visual poetry: from composition to decor and set design, every shot in this film could be framed and exposed in a museum. The film’s frankness will rarely be matched in the following decades, with only a few movies managing to display the same straightforwardness in their gay representations- namely, ‘Brokeback Mountain,’ ‘My Own Private Idaho’ and Ivory’s next gay romance film, ‘Call Me By Your Name.’

Howards End (1992)

Merchant Ivory Pictures - *Howards End* (1987)

Yet another beautifully-executed adaptation of E.M. Forster's tales of British society, ‘Howards End’ figures among Merchant Ivory's most powerful work. Tackling the writer’s familiar themes, such as wealth, class, and family, Ivory continues to expand the borders of tragedy in a grandiose cinematic spectacle. With its nine Oscar nominations and three wins, the film was a critical triumph, once again satisfying Merchant Ivory’s art-house audience while also reaching a more mainstream crowd. Wrapped in the flawless signature style of a Merchant-Ivory production, the beauty of the film is more than surface-level, moving its viewers to their core with its powerful story about class and gender inequality. Further reinforcing Ivory's perfect translation of Forster's themes into sublime images, the exceptional performances from the ensemble cast- starring Anthony Hopkins, Emma Thompson and Helena Bonham Carter, Samuel West- help establish the film as one of Merchant Ivory’s most touching pieces of work.

The Remains of the Day (1993)

Once again diving into the universe of “what could have been,” Ivory’s adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro’s novel is more passionate than ever, revealing a tender depiction of repressed sentiments. With most of the book happening inside of the protagonist’s mind, the combination of screenwriter Ruth Prawer Jhabvala and Ivory’s ability to transcribe such an internal story demonstrates the duo’s true talent. The story follows Stevens, a butler who devoted all of his efforts to service at Darlington Hall in the years right before World War II. Twenty years after his former employer's death, Stevens visits Darlington's head housekeeper and embarks on a nostalgic journey of reminiscing about past events. Sharing the same mysterious quality as Wong Kar-wai’s In the Mood for Love, The Remains of the Day is a heart-shattering film about disguised longing and romantic regret that, through the frustration of its protagonist, urges its audience to act on their romantic desires before it becomes too late. The unforgettable duo of Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson once again delivered a heartbreaking performance, both complementing each other’s acting in every single way.

Call Me by Your Name (2017)

The only film on this list that was not produced by the Merchant-Ivory production company, Call Me by Your Name brought Ivory a well-deserved late-career renaissance. Working with director Luca Guadagnino, Ivory wrote and co-produced the film. His adaptation of Andre Aciman’s 2007 praised novel of the same name won him an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, making him the oldest-ever Oscar winner. Though Ivory only worked as a screenwriter on the film, he was originally set to co-direct the film with Guadagnino, an initiative that failed due to some of the project’s financiers' opinion that it was too risky. Ivory later expressed his criticism towards Guadagnino’s directorial choices such as his casting of actors and his lack of male nudity in the film. Despite these disagreements behind the camera, the film remains a cinematic gem, capturing romantic melancholy like no others. It also utilizes its protagonist's vulnerable narration to navigate between relevant themes like maturation and self-discovery, alongside erotic exploration, fulfillment, and first love.