Howards End

Adapted from E. M. Forster's novel, HOWARD'S END tells the story of Margaret Schlegel (Emma Thompson) and her sister Helen (Helena Bonham Carter), intellectual, liberal women living in 1910 England. When the rich Wilcoxes move next door, a friendship develops between Mrs. Wilcox and Margaret. When Mrs. Wilcox dies, she leaves her home, Howard's End, to Margaret. But the Wilcox family disregards her request. Time passes and Mr. Wilcox (Anthony Hopkins) and Margaret become engaged. This upsets Helen, since Wilcox offered disastrous job advice to her poor friend, Leonard Bast. Margaret's efforts to coax Wilcox into helping Leonard end abruptly when it's revealed that Leonard's low-class wife and Wilcox were once lovers. Helen's interest in the married Leonard turns romantic and she flees, pregnant with his child. Wilcox refuses to support Helen, despite his own indiscreet past. This hypocrisy leads to a confrontation, which ultimately brings Howard's End back into Margaret's hands, just as Mrs. Wilcox willed it.