Merchant & Ivory’s 1985 adaptation of E.M. Forster’s novel, which travels from Italy to England and back in its exploration of young woman’s romantic and soulful awakening, is well-remembered for that kiss in a field set to “O Mio Babbino Caro.” (Equally memorable for 10-year-old me: the first time I saw a penis onscreen, flapping around in a boys-will-be-boys pond dip.) But this isn’t just a period romance. It’s also a comedy about the class system and tourists’ superficial interest in other cultures, and a call to action – to defy convention, be true to oneself, and say yes to whatever life throws at you. Stirring stuff, and especially lush projected on the big screen. – Kimberley Jones
Aug. 25 & 28
