Downton Abbey legend's 'beautiful' period drama with 100% score now streaming

Period drama fans are in for a treat with this eighties Oscar winner that has just landed on Channel 4's streaming platform.

The flick is not only based on a beloved British novel; it also stars Downton Abbey legend Dame Maggie Smith, who sadly died in September 2024.

She starred alongside two-time Academy Award nominee Helena Bonham Carter and Oscar winner Dame Judi Dench.

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We are of course referring to A Room with a View, now available to stream for free.

Originally released in 1985, the story is adapted from E. M Forster's romance novel of the same name.

Directed by James Ivory, it follows Lucy Honeychurch (Bonham Carter), a young woman who travels to Italy with her chaperone Charlotte (Smith).

In Florence, Lucy finds herself drawn to free-spirited bachelor George Emerson (portrayed Julian Sands).

However, once she returns to England, she plans to settle down with wealthy gentleman Cecil Vyse (played by Daniel Day-Lewis). But when George returns into her life, Lucy is forced to choose between the pair.

With a cast this stacked, it's no surprise A Room with a View was widely praised. The adaptation was nominated for eight Oscars, including a nod in the Best Picture category.

Dame Smith also earned a nomination for Best Supporting Actress, while Ivory was pegged for the Best Director prize.

The film ultimately took home three Oscars for Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Costume Design and Best Production Design.

Rotten Tomatoes critics were also impressed by the drama, awarding it a rare 100% score.

Casual viewers have raved about the period piece on the movie-rating platform.

One penned: "Such a beautiful movie, most definitely one of my new favourites. The acting, the scenery, the music, the whole atmosphere of the film is complete perfection."

A second chimed in with: "Sheer perfection. The most phenomenal acting from start to finish. Beautiful cinematography and production design. Breath-taking music. If only films were made to this inspiring standard today, as a rule. It is a masterclass in every way."

Meanwhile, an IMDb user described the drama as "flawlessly made and utterly delightful."

With someone else stating: "The rarest of great novel adaptations - a film that's better than the book."

The same fan added: "No disrespect to the achingly elegant prose of E.M. Forster, but the last chapter of his novel simply cannot compare to this film's last shot.

"As for the rest of this brilliant adaptation, it is populated with actors so perfectly cast it's as if they'd been invented for the roles."

A Room with a View is streaming now on Channel 4