To cut a long story short, I was sitting doing nothing one day and I thought through a haze of boredom that, however much I know about the book and the film of 'Maurice', I know bug-all about what went on behind the cameras. So, thought I, why don't I see what everyone else knows? And here we are. The floor is yours....
shareApparently, if I remember correctly from the extras on my DVD, when they were filming the hotel scene the bed broke and one of the cameramen said, "What a man," which made everyone start laughing. Also, Rupert Graves got a lot of letters from Japanese girls saying how much they liked the movie (ah, Japanese fangirls and their gayness love). Oh, and James Wilby and Hugh Grant knew each other before they were cast, so when each found out that the other was auditioning they were "practicing" at Hugh Grant's flat, which was awkward when his brother (who shared the flat) walked in.
Julian Sands (previously in A Room With a View) was going to be Maurice, but then he quit so they hired James Wilby.
The woman who plays Mrs Sheepshanks is the actual owner of the house that was Pendersleigh in the movie.
When the film was shown at film festivals, after it showed Rupert Graves would get hit on by all these guys who didn't want to believe he wasn't really gay.
Yay! Morrie trivia! Now, my dears, the esteemed marauder has done her bit, now it's your job *waggles finger threateningly*
shareWELL...MY TURN!
The beautiful scene where maurice and Clive hug for the first time in Maurice's room on a wicker chair
is called " the creaky chair scene" by the crew and cast, because it is supposed to be a very soft and sweet and moving scene but all ou can hear is the creaking sound of the chair as Clive comes closer and closer to Maurice.
;-)
I always liked the creaky chair...no idea why, maybe because it made it all seem so real. Did anyone else read that Simon Callow said in an interview that one of the three main leads in Maurice is actually gay in real life? I remember reading it years ago, with someone speculating it might have been Rupert Graves, who has since admitted to going through a 'gay phase' but eventually realised it wasn't for him and is now married with two children.
More trivia-in the scene where Maurice and Clive end their relationship and Maurice gives Clive a bloodied lip, Hugh's mouth is already bruised and swollen, after a football game the previous day apparently. I can't see it in that particular scene, but it's obvious in the courtroom scene at Risley's trial that his mouth is swollen (probably why he's trying to cover it with his hat)-which came before the 'fight' between Maurice and Clive! They were also the first film crew ever to be allowed to film inside Trinity College and King's College at Cambridge University. Originally the academics there were going to refuse permission as they thought that Maurice was an 'inferior' work by Forster, but they were overruled by the student committee who voted in favour.
Just shows that some students actually have taste...I'm sorry, I'm only allowed to be horrible about students for one more year before I become one myself, so I'm making the most of it! Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou, I love you ALL pour la trivia - keep trotting it in, folkies!
p.s. isn't 'The History Boys' good? I think they should have thought up a better end for Polsner (he's so sweet, even if I can't spell his name), but it most certainly did rock in my humble opinion.
History Boys is a lot of fun... but I am amazed at how many people got angry about this film, charging it with being an apology for pedophilia. It's quite fascinating to read the posts onthe IMDb site. Of course , History Boys is fun, but it doesn't hold a candle to Maurice.
shareOne thing I learned from viewing the DVD extras was that, when James Wilby and Rupert Graves filmed the end reunion/kiss scene at the boathouse, they'd only known each other for four days! They went out to dinner the night before to discuss strategy, and kept going 'round the subject, and then finally just decided to go for it.
To me, this scene is the end-all, be-all of romantic movies kisses; it was just so passionate and amazing and lovely. It's truly a testament to the talent of the actors that those two could make this scene so believable, even though they had pretty much just met.