The Bostonians

(1984) dir James Ivory w/Vanessa Redgrave, Christopher Reeve, Madeleine Potter, Jessica Tandy, Linda Hunt [122 min, DCP]

Boston, 1876: At a Women’s Movement meeting, fiercely independent Olive (Redgrave) becomes mentor to gifted young orator Verena (Potter) – who soon attracts the amorous attentions of Olive’s Southern cousin Basil (Reeve). The legendary team of producer Ismail Merchant, director James Ivory, and screenwriter Ruth Prawer Jhabvala explores the subtle power struggles between sex, class, and the Women’s Movement at the heart of Henry James’ classic novel with delicate precision and a marvelous sense of social milieu.