The Ivory Merchant

Richard Stephen Robbins (1940-2012) was an American-born composer, best known for his motion picture scores for the Merchant Ivory films. Although mostly influenced by the minimalist compositions of Philip Glass, Robbins was capable of producing the sumptuous, colourfully orchestrated, symphonic music, just the right side of sentimentality, for Maurice (1987), which won the best score at the Venice film festival. It remained Robbins's own favourite among his scores.

Set against the stifling conformity of pre–World War I English society, E.M. Forster’s Maurice is a story of coming to terms with one’s sexuality and identity in the face of disapproval and misunderstanding. Maurice Hall (James Wilby) and Clive Durham (Hugh Grant) find themselves falling in love at Cambridge. In a time when homosexuality was punishable by imprisonment, the two must keep their feelings for one another a complete secret. Sparkling direction by James Ivory, distinguished performances from the ensemble cast, and a charged score by Richard Robbins all combine to create a film of immense power. Maurice is a romantic, moving story of love and self-discovery for all audiences.