Review of Where Angels Fear to Tread (1991) by Daniel A — 01 Oct 2011

Intriguing if a little stuffy, this period romp often falls in the shadow of similar E. M. Forster adaptions but deserves to be seen due to its fine acting and somewhat unconventional story. Mirren, Carter, Davis and Graves are each on fine form playing a group of pompous Brits who fall in love with Italian romanticism, only to find themselves trapped in a dramatic chain of events involving death, marriage and children.

As you would expect from any Merchant-Ivory drama, the artistic achievement is high, and though the more dramatic moments are a bit over-ripe at times, the story and its era lend themselves well to a touch of melodrama.

The film will undoubtedly play out too slowly for some, but the rewards are generally good enough to warrant your time.