The Christopher Isherwood interview captures the surprising and unexpected element in E. M. Forster's life he was not self pitying shamed suicidal or even depressed he was for the most part content with his life, friends, adopted family and his work.

A Passage to India is the only book Ive read and when I'd finished it, I immediately read it again. It contains the kind of riches that satisfy my heart completely.

Thank you for producing this. It helping me come to terms with my husband's homosexuality. We married when we were young. It's like he thought if he married a woman and had children the gay would go away. I didn't know he was gay for many years. I didn't think I was marrying a gay man. So sad.

@user-xn2hf9re8r

Жыл бұрын

for god's sake get a grip

@barbarajoyce4737

Жыл бұрын

How unkind you are… quick & glib… but unkind !

@caryhammond18

Жыл бұрын

How unkind YOU are not to see how life was BEFORE THE WOKE GENERATION. Towards homosexuality! Can you not feel this woman's Betrayal? How really close minded you both are to judge her feelings when you know NOT what she went thru, what her children must have felt! YOU GET A GRIP on how homosexuality was treated during Foresters time! Totally unacceptable! You are sad sad people to react to this lady's comment!

@GMAMEC

Жыл бұрын

So sorry to hear about your unfortunate experience. It’s my hope that you find happiness and resolve in your future. I hope you find some form of solace and strength knowing that you can move forward, it will take time. Time has a way of healing. ❤

@voulafisentzidis8830

9 ай бұрын

​@@user-xn2hf9re8rno disrespect intended towards her husband, but to be so ignorant you must be very young.

One of the very best documentaries of one of the very best writers in the English language. His sensitivity has no equal, which is so beautifully portrayed in this video. My deepest gratitude to the makers of soul in these films.

What a wonderful documentary about an extraordinary man and writer.

"Tolerance, good temper, sympathy," E.E. Cummings. All of his literary works, novels, essays, short stories, letters, are a journey into a soul of one of our extradinary writers.I would have loved enormously to have read his diaries. Curiously, I have known him intimately with his marvelous words. Thank you for this documentary 🙏 ❤️

So many of you may not have noticed, but the people narrating this documentary have been in a film that was by E.M Forster and directed by James Ivory and Ishmail Merchant. I can hear James Wilby doing a lot of narrating in this who played the character 'Maurice' in the film and a few other actors as well.

Just excellent. He's my favourite author in modernist English literature, a brilliant and gentle mind.

So glad you posted this. Admired Forster as a writer, now, because of this documentary, I appreciate him as the man and intellectual force that he was. Thank you kindly.

@AuthorDocumentaries

3 жыл бұрын

You're much welcome.

@lynneforbes4420

7 ай бұрын

Fascinating documentary - the volume of the music makes it difficult to concentrate on the narrative unfortunately .

Lovely, enriching documentary. As a gay man of 70, Forster's journey rings powerfully true for me. I must thank the Ismael/Merchant and Lean films for introducing me to his brilliant prose. How lucky we are for all these brilliant minds.

Oof the bit abt May made me cry What a warmhearted family, and it's such a relief to hear he didnt die lonely

@rumblefish9

2 жыл бұрын

May and Forster's friendship was born out of tragedy. First, when May was sent away because of TB. Forster wrote to her almost daily to report on her children and then the untimely death of her son. May said this after Forster's death: “I now know that he was in love with Robert and therefore critical and jealous of me and our early years were very stormy, mostly because he had not the faintest idea of the pattern of our lives and was determined that Robert should not be engulfed in domesticity. Over the years he changed us both and he and I came to love one another, able to share the joys and sorrows that came." - From the Guardian article entitled “EM Forster and his 'wondrous muddle'”

Beautifully done. You get a real sense of the man as a moral force in writing and as a person.

I read that Forester couldn't find a publisher for "Maurice" because he refused to give the book a "sad ending" featuring either the separation and/or suicide of one of the gay lovers. The book wasn't published until after his death and when it was "OK' to have a "happy ending" in which the gay couple live "happily ever after."

@rumblefish9

Жыл бұрын

No. He never intended on publishing Maurice. He even hid the manuscript under his bed, feared the backlash it would gain. He handpicked a select few who read the manuscript.

@voulafisentzidis8830

9 ай бұрын

As homosexuality was illegal at the time, he'd never intended publishing it. Otherwise, his life would have been similar to Oscar Wilde's. His humility in his talent is amazing, given the books he wrote. Thanks for sharing this with us.

An extraordinary man, extraordinary life. Worth bearing in mind that many gay people in many countries still live with the same constraints that hampered Forster as a public voice. I would have liked to see reference to his time as secretary to the Maharajah of Dewas, described in his book, The Hill of Devi.

@Currabell

2 жыл бұрын

Yes. Indeed.

@mckavitt13

2 жыл бұрын

Absolutely.

THANK YOU for these. I’ve spent this entire rainy day watching them and finding out about so many of my favorite authors. Now I want to reread all their books.

@AuthorDocumentaries

Жыл бұрын

Happy you discovered them!

@stellayates4227

7 ай бұрын

Sounds like a day well spent!

I haven’t really found many good videos about the life of Forster and when I discovered this, I was instantly HOOKED. I am now left believing that he is one of the most genuine and ‘human’ authors out there. He’s clearly struggling during his lifetime with a lot of confusion-And yet, it seems that he had still manage to pass away with a lot solace within his soul. I’m very proud of him. Just bought ‘A Room With A View’ and am definitely planning to buy more of his books and hopefully even make a collection out of it. Discovering E.M.Forster through ‘Maurice’ (the movie) is something I don’t regret. I can’t help but smile throughout this video. The way he explores life is so unique and I’m even prouder that he’s very open-minded about it. Anyways, thanks for the great video! It truly made my day!

@AuthorDocumentaries

3 жыл бұрын

You're welcome! Glad to hear it!

@rumblefish9

2 жыл бұрын

I would also recommend reading Proff. Wendy Moffat's biography of Forster - A Great Unrecorded History: A New Life of EM Forster (who is also featured in this documentary)

@autumn5852

Жыл бұрын

What do you mean you’ll make a collection?

@milesaway6748

Жыл бұрын

@@autumn5852 i have a thing for collecting books, and since Forster wrote a lot of them (short stories, etc.) I plan to collect them all if I can-I think it’s easier to form an attachment to a book by having the physical copy rather than reading digitally

@voulafisentzidis8830

9 ай бұрын

​@@milesaway6748I wholeheartedly agree. Whilst I buy multiple versions of my favourite books (audio, audio CD, Kindle) I still need the printed version.

Totally fantastic documentary - have enjoyed this again and again

Thank you for this mindful documentary. Beautifully crafted and all involved sensitive and deeply appreciative of Forster’s writing and nature. Visually so satisfying too.🌹🌹🌹👌🏽💛🙏🏽

Thanks so much for this series of documentaries.

Thank you for posting this, I so much enjoyed the details of his life and writings. I have taken to reading up as much as I can find, written by and about him. He was quite a force in early 20th century literature and philosophy.

The "Machine Stops" is a startling accurate view of the future.

Excellent and insightful documentary. Thank you

Absolutely beautiful. Thank you.

how have i never seen this channel! ❤️❤️❤️

James Wilby narrated this! My blond Maurice! Love him!

Brilliant documentary....and very moving!

After watching this, I really want to read more of his books

It is worth drawing attention to Forster's story "The Machine Stopped", written in the early part of the last century predicting a life behind a screen. It is an uncanny prediction of our present time with the internet replacing human interaction so much .

Lovely documentary. Thank you.

...upset by American Foreign Policy, he was. My God he is correct.

Howard,s Inn , The movie and book is one of the best books I have ever read.

Loved this documentary. What a beautiful man. Only connect…I wish we were connecting in America, relating to each other..

Really enjoyed this. Thanks for posting.

This was lovely. Thank you.

Thanks for sharing this. I really recommend EM Forster - A New Life by Wendy Moffat (featured here). I found it really insightful with great context of society, impact of anti-gay laws & the Oscar Wilde case and places like Cairo during WWI where Forster went as well as his relationship with Bob Buckingham. LDefinitely worth looking it up if you're interested to read more.

One of my favorites.

Thank you for bringing something out, that was beyond curtains.

The film(s) breakthrough in the 80's was a milestone supporting the gay movement. I feel such empathy for this man who was obviously terribly lonely and yet his words are extraordinary. He was very brave.

Great documentary of a great writer

All those who were interviewed for this programme spoke about E. M. Foster and his works in such sensible and sensitive manners. His novels and wonderful adaptations by Merchant & Ivory, I personally feel, an unparallel achievement in literature. I am literally moved.

thanks post

a beautiful appreciation. thank you for this

Thanks.

Loved this.Thank you. for uploading. He was a much superior writer to Isherwood who I always thought of as a great bore.

@AuthorDocumentaries

2 жыл бұрын

You're welcome 👍 I'll take Forster over Isherwood any day

@craigbrush5784

2 жыл бұрын

While I agree with you about Forster, it's a bit harsh about poor Christopher, he did his best... 😀

@nickwyatt9498

2 жыл бұрын

I love Forster but I've never read a boring word by Isherwood. Evelyn Waugh, who detested his politics, greatly admired Isherwood's writing, describing him as one of the finest novelists of his generation. Incidentally Waugh loved Forster's Pharos and Pharillon, citing it as one of the books that had most influenced him as a young man. It's possible to admire EMF and CW. By the way I recently reread the wonderful 'The Machine Stops' and it suddenly occurred to me, substitute the Internet for the Machine, and...

@nicholasschroeder3678

2 жыл бұрын

I liked Isherwood, and found Forster's stuff boring. I guess I just couldn't make myself care about privileged English aristocrats and their dull, constipated relationships.

Than you!

i love him.

Resulted in lovely films . But casting Alec Guinness as an Indian was a huge error.. The Machine stops , one of the most brilliant sci-fi short stories ever . Fascinating man and writer & part of the Bloomsbury Group . A great Londoner , with compassion and insight.

@davy91101

2 жыл бұрын

Casting Guiness was more than a huge error, it was akin to "Blackface". I was always surprised that Guiness accepted the role and it has almost kept me from wanting to see the film again. I wish Merchant-Ivory had taken on the project.

@bewareofpigeons

2 жыл бұрын

Casting a white actor as an Indian would never be countenanced these days.

@autumn5852

Жыл бұрын

I thought Guiness was great in that film 👍🏽

Bestest

Read a lot of Forster in my 20's...intresting book and man!

Plz made the caption available

Excellent film.

I love great documentaries of this calibre of wonderful quality. I believe if this poor fellow said he was unhappy I believe it simply meant, he was mostly unhappy except when he picked up a pen, or read from a fine British novella. A what I call Yakaphoap, well, it proves that there is goof and bad in all of us.

Is this "His Longest Journey" or a separate documentary?

Brilliant, thank you 🙏🏽 and unfortunately, even though there appears to be more tolerance and freedom today, ignorance still rules the world and most people give their allegiance to the rulers and therefore most of the people of the known world live in ignorance

@bettyledesma937

Жыл бұрын

THE WORD TOLERANCE.SHOULD BE ERASED FROM ENGLISH VOCABULARY. AS JIDDU KRISHNAMURTI SAID. IT SUBTLE IMPLIES * I AM BETTER THAN YOU. HOW ABOUT, * UNDERSTANDING, COMPASSIONATE.. 🙋 Sorry caps old lady here

@autumn5852

Жыл бұрын

@@bettyledesma937 👍🏽love it 😍 and I agree 😊

~ 28:20 . . ."[people] aren't connecting to each other. " It's all about vulnerability.

Phew. Now I MUST read Forster.

@autumn5852

Жыл бұрын

Gosh 😳 are you always so tyrannical with yourself 😭 I hope you don’t have kids

5. Is "My Policeman" Based on a True Story? While "My Policeman" isn't a true story, it's inspired by true events, which Roberts opened up about in an interview with The Guardian in February 2012. Roberts revealed she drew inspiration from the life of novelist E.M. Forster.

Was it just me, or was the music playing while the folk were speaking much too loud?

Not a fan of Forster's, but it's plain he was a good man, and probably ahead of his time. Can't see many of the other Bloomsberries being as tolerant, and open minded as Forster. Whatever they may have thought themselves to be, several of the Bloomberries were snobbish, both intellectually and socially, smug and superior in their attitudes towards what they considered to be the lower orders. Forster was probably the most truly democratic of them.

How sad. He was born 100 yrs too soon. I hv read all his novels and enjoyed them. "The longest Journey"" opens his life to his understanding of himself. I went to an all-boys school but there was no mention of his homosexuality. As a gay adult I wonder how, knowing this fact back then, would hv contributed to my understanding of his writings,

💖

At 11:26 Forster says, “ I hate the idea of causes, and if I had to choose between betraying my country and betraying my friend, I hope I should have the guts to betray my country “. Jesus said, “ There is no greater love than this-that a person lay down his life to save his friends. This is the principle of life-the central principle of the kingdom of God “. John 15:13.

I think he is mentioned in a Fawlty Towers episode. 🙂

Forster wrote librettos for Benjamin Britten’s operas! Great ones. They were on a first name basis, close. Britten was gay, ofc, & in a lifelong relation w the tenor Peter Pears.

@samuelstewart5679

Ай бұрын

He had a wonderful gift for getting to the core, and structure was his friend. Librettos for someone as challenging as Brittan, would have filled him with dread and awe! Lovely writer in every genre he attempted in his outstanding literary life.

@mckavitt13

Ай бұрын

@@samuelstewart5679 He filled Britten w awe also… at least in the beginning. Mutual respect from A to Z.

We don’t see the violence around us. .

Except for his first Work " The Longest Journey ", Ive read his other novels. From the outset I had no problems discerning his sense of "Otherness ". If he were undergoing the long journey today I believe he would be utterly appalled by this need to label, & compartmentalize aspects of Life. EG: LGBTQ, GAY, or queer. This need we have is fulfilled, then thrown into a sealed box , then thrown in am obscured cupboard & forgotten as it has been 'dealt with accordingly.Just leave it at "Other ", to do otherwise annoys my sensibilities.

@sophitsa79

6 ай бұрын

If queers are to be called 'other', what are heterosexual people to be called?

21:45

Excellent interviews and analyses, but what a maudlin soundtrack and such kitsch stock photography...

Damned fellow Americans who always have pretentions to knowing more about British artists than the Brits themselves.

@autumn5852

Жыл бұрын

They probably do, but what’s wrong with that? Unless, maybe your patriotic or something weird like that 🤷🏻‍♀️

@mckavitt13

Жыл бұрын

@@autumn5852 I'm American & not patriotic. SOMETIMES we do know more. But not ALL the time, whereas, due to God the Dollar Almighty, we appear to & invade every cranny of the universe. Propaganda.

@mckavitt13

Жыл бұрын

@@autumn5852 and it's you're. See?

41:50 minute real life #MyPoliceman life of E.M. Forster.and Bob and May.

It does sound crazy, I will admit, but sometimes I do regret that I was not born homosexual! It is like there is this whole mysterious world of arts and letters that I never came close to... just because I was and still am a heterosexual. And yes, I do love women. Always have. Always will.

You know what bothers me. It is putting too much emphasis on his sex life and not enough on his writings and stories

@lukasmiller486

3 ай бұрын

It’s a documentary made by progressivist think tanks who are obsessed with identity politics the way 90 percent of these mainstream academics are. What did you expect?

@lukasmiller486

Ай бұрын

Totally agree. It’s obvious the people in this documentary have an agenda.

Isn't education a wonderful thing. Is life not all about education.

I started to watch this because I enjoy Forster’s works. I stopped watching it because it interprets the past through the paradigms of the present.

@user-xn2hf9re8r

Жыл бұрын

absolutely and such idiotic comments on here from left wing half wits

I know this isnt the main part of this documentary, but having lived in Cairo for several years, I know that men are still having sex on the beaches today there....!

@availanila

Жыл бұрын

Men everywhere are having sex on beaches everywhere.

Very balanced, sensitive portrait of a complex man and talent. Documentary embraces Forster key concept: Only Connect.

when one gets too much money (the “too much” being more than enough for you to live and spend on travel without needing to work really). You will become very unhappy and unfulfilled. You then start to think, you start to see all the sad things on this planet earth and the humans who do work. The hypocrisy of it all. You start writing, studying literature, doing art and all the liberating stuff that does not earn any money really. They become more intelligent because they think all the time. They become depressed. Sad. Angry. They always end up quite sad. That’s why smart people are depressed

@653j521

2 жыл бұрын

As opposed to the rest of us? I know lots of people who feel that way and none of them has that kind of money. Hard to imagine the rich we see in the media as being deeply sensitized to the sad things on this planet. Quite the reverse. They seem insulated from reality. If they have angst, they appear to use retail therapy to overcome it.

@anthonywatts2033

2 жыл бұрын

What piffle!

Silly old stiff professor nervously trying to say men only had relationships with men because there were no woman around! Pfft! They were gay! Forster was gay! Gay people exist.

@beyourself2444

7 ай бұрын

Who gives a fuck.

I’m thirty minutes in this documentary and can’t take it anymore. All I’ve heard is sex, sex, sex, gay, gay, gay. Gosh, can’t you people quit harping on that and talk about the making of his six books and analysis of the characters and writing style? You’d expect something richer and fuller from people who wrote books about him.

@dionnegonsalves8188

5 күн бұрын

... i couldn't agree more, Luka. i'm losing interest, rapidly!... rather disappointing. 😕

"Sexsuality"

Damn that stiff upper lip.

This bio was more about the pompous academics than EM Forster.

@autumn5852

Жыл бұрын

Wasn’t he a pompous academic as well 🤷🏻‍♀️

Yes, an excellent portrayal. Apparently he didn’t suffer being a ‘closet’ homosexual. Maybe he did? I wonder had he been more openly gay our laws may have changed. Thank you. Are all his writings accessible?

The author Nicola Beauman is clueless about society then and now. Her ignorant views spoil this completely.

@lukasmiller486

3 ай бұрын

Totally agree. She seems obsessed with the whole gay factor instead of giving a detailed analysis of his books.

The mother left him 8,000 pounds which liberated him .... why do they never tell us how much that would equal in these modern times . So , instead we would have to look this up if we wanted to know .

@user-xn2hf9re8r

Жыл бұрын

get your facts straight it wasn't his mother than left that money

@sophitsa79

6 ай бұрын

​@@user-xn2hf9re8rwho was it?

@sophitsa79

6 ай бұрын

The value would change over time so after 10 years or so, any conversation would be too out of date

Seems more like a documentary for a gay studies course than about his writings...

@lukasmiller486

7 ай бұрын

The documentary was made in 2019 by mainstream progressivist academic think tanks. Why are you surprised?

All his books are boring as hell…

pity that helena bonham carter appeared in some of his movies, weak performer...