This is the first of the Merchant Ivory adaptations of EM Forster. While Howards End was the one that scooped the major international awards, this is, in many ways, a more vibrant and infinitely more influential picture, as it confirmed the marketability of the "heritage" film that was, until recently, this country's most profitable movie export. Everything about the production proclaims its class: Ruth Prawer Jhabvala's script is witty and erudite, Tony Pierce-Roberts's images of Florence and the English countryside are breathtaking and the performances of Helena Bonham Carter, Julian Sands and, in particular, Daniel Day-Lewis and Maggie Smith, are of masterclass quality. There are longueurs, but the air of Edwardian charm is irresistible.

When Lucy Honeychurch and chaperon Charlotte Bartlett find themselves in Florence with rooms without views, fellow guests Mr Emerson and son George step in to remedy the situation. Meeting the Emersons could change Lucy's life forever but, once back in England, how will her experiences in Tuscany affect her marriage plans?