Now, *this* is what a remake of an adaptation should do! The best part about this version was the casting. Apart from Eleanor Lavish (Sinead Cusack/Judi Dench), there was no attempt to simply find actors who were similar to the first cast - the Spalls were especially good, with a little more earth and body than the '85 Emersons. I also prefer Laurence Fox's Cecil to Daniel Day Lewis's: the latter seemed a caricature. And I think everything Elaine Cassidy does is wonderful.
I liked the flashback-framing-device. The Great War hadn't even happened when the book was written, and adding it in makes the rest of the movie more poignant due to the enormous social change it caused. Yes, it is awful to think that George died almost right after the main story ends - but that's the joy of an adaptation: you can combine the bits you like into the story, and throw out the ones you dislike. In a way, it's quite realistic.
(If anyone thinks Forster would have blushed at Mr. Beebe with rent boys, they have not read Ragtime.)
I liked the flashback-framing-device. The Great War hadn't even happened when the book was written, and adding it in makes the rest of the movie more poignant due to the enormous social change it caused. Yes, it is awful to think that George died almost right after the main story ends - but that's the joy of an adaptation: you can combine the bits you like into the story, and throw out the ones you dislike. In a way, it's quite realistic.
(If anyone thinks Forster would have blushed at Mr. Beebe with rent boys, they have not read Ragtime.)