Category Archives: Cambridge University

1987, Anti-Gay Laws, Anxiety Attacks, Based on a Book, Blackmail, Boxing, British Drama, Cambridge University, Church of England, Classic, Drama, Ethical struggles, Explicit sexual discussion, Father-son relations, Friendship, Gay theme, Good Acting, Good Production Values, Government Prosecutions, Happy ending, Homophobia, Kanopy streaming, Love Story, Mostly About Sex, Mother-son relations, Nudity, Sensitive treatement of emotions, Sex Scenes, Uncategorized, Upstairs - Downstairs, Wasp Snobs

Maurice (1987)

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From IMDB:

After his lover rejects him, a young man trapped by the oppressiveness of Edwardian society tries to come to terms with and accept his sexuality.

From Kanopy you can stream this 2 hour 20 minute vintage British film made by Merchant Ivory and  based on the 1971 novel Maurice by E. M. Forster

34 years ago some very young but now well-known British actors made what  has been called Ivory’s best film. In 1987 it got rave reviews and awards everywhere except England.  In the Wikipedia article about the film, the director James Ivory is quoted as saying:

… in England, where almost every important film critic was gay, they came out against the film. Their reactions to it were extraordinary! You’d think that they would have been supportive, but they were afraid to be supportive.

Despite those actors being so young, it is easy to recognize Hugh Grant, James Wilby, Rupert Graves,  Judy Parfitt, Ben Kingsley and others.

If there is a secondary theme, it is the strict division between the upper and  servant classes.

2016, Abduction, Action Film, Action Hero, Amnesia, Art History, Art Treasures, Based on a Book, Bloody scenes, Cambridge University, Computer geeks, Conspiracy, Contract Killing, Cult Brainwashing, Germ Warfare, International thriler, Istanbul scenes, Mediocre, Motorcycles, Murder, Netflix DVD, Nothing special, Personal Betrayal, Rome scenes, Suspense, Thriller, Violent

Inferno (2016)

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From IMDB:

When Robert Langdon wakes up in an Italian hospital with amnesia, he teams up with Dr. Sienna Brooks, and together they must race across Europe against the clock to foil a deadly global plot.

Netflix sent me a DVD.

At the time the film was created Tom Hanks was 60 years old. Not bad for 60! Already we have followed Hanks as the expert in ancient symbols, Robert Langdon, in “The Da Vinci Code”.  “Inferno” was just more of the same  involving Robert Langdon.  Not to say that the film wasn’t fun. Just don’t expect anything different.

2015, Based on a Book, Based on true facts, British, British History, Cambridge University, Culture of India, DO NOT MISS, Docudrama, Drama, Mathematician, Racism, Religious Theme, Wasp Snobs

The Man Who Knew Infinity (2015)

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From IMDB:

The story of the life and academic career of the pioneer Indian mathematician, Srinivasa Ramanujan, and his friendship with his mentor, Professor G.H. Hardy.

Dev Patel (who played Sonny Kapoor in “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel”) as Ramanujan and Jeremy Irons as Hardy team up to present a wonderful screen telling of the emergence of one brilliant mathematician with the help of another.

For a definitive discussion of Ramanujan see the Wikepedia article. For information on G.H.Harding Wikepedia again offers an article. From this last article on Harding I found the important quote:

Hardy was extremely shy as a child, and was socially awkward, cold and eccentric throughout his life. During his school years he was top of his class in most subjects, and won many prizes and awards but hated having to receive them in front of the entire school. He was uncomfortable being introduced to new people, and could not bear to look at his own reflection in a mirror. It is said that, when staying in hotels, he would cover all the mirrors with towels.[

This quote captures the tone of the film. Harding did not relate to people. For Ramanujan this was another difficulty on top of his unhappy social position at Cambridge where the British racist snobs sneered at the “wog”.

As regards Ramanujan, one essential point is that he was very intuitive and had brilliant insights but was unable or reluctant to provide proofs. It took years to verify his results. Hardings task was to persistently demand proofs for the Indian’s assertions.

For you adults out there, this film is a MUST SEE!

2015, 2016, British Mystery Series, Cambridge University, Church of England, Ethical struggles, Gay theme, Murder Investigation, Murder Trial, Quiet, Religious Theme, Unmarried mother

Grantchester (2015)

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From IMDB:

A Cambridgeshire clergyman finds himself investigating a series of mysterious wrongdoings in his small village of Grantchester.

Currently we can see this  British TV Series on PBS. There are seasons for 2015,2016,and (in the future) 2017. For a really good summary see the Wikipedia discussion. My best reason for recommending this detective series is that despite there being murders, the atmosphere is gentile and pleasant.

All the episodes revolve around the two main characters Sidney Chambers (the priest played by James Norton) and Geordie Keating (the detective played by Robson Green).  Sidney’s guide is his religion whereas Geordie is guided by his hard-bitten cynicism. Sidney and Geordie complement each other, work together well, but are often ethically at odds.

As astounding as it may seem, James Norton also starred in the wonderful but grim British TV series “Happy Valley” where he portrayed the warped, evil, and vengeful Tommy Lee Royce.  Sidney Chambers is as appealing as Tommy Lee Royce is repellant. If you are into “grim but great”, then do NOT miss “[Un]Happy Valley”.

Robson Green is also worth watching in the TV series “Wire in the Blood” in which he is a psychologist who gets inside of the minds of both killers and victims to aid the police in solving gruesome serial killings in Northern England. Be careful, however, because the first episode in that series is a bit ugly.

Again Robson Green is worth watching in the TV series “Touching Evil“, another twisted and gritty series in which he was brought back to life through the miracle of medicine, now walking a tightrope on the edge of sanity as the semi-suicidal detective hunts down serial killers and other perps through his gift for thinking like they do.

In summary “Grantchester” is  civilized whereas so many other British detective series can be grueling to watch.