MovieChat Forums > Howards End (1993) Discussion > Food...the other star of the film

Food...the other star of the film

posted 19 years ago by dathaler
19 replies | jump to latest

With "Vera Drake", there were numerous references to cups and pots of tea. This film makes just as many references to food, particularly desserts, and most notably in the immediate vicinity of the younger brother "Tibby."

"There's (the butler) with the Apple Charlotte. You mind if I take it?" JEEZ dude...it's dessert, not cash!!!

"Don't eat all those scones, Tibby."

"I know Tibby's whole day is spoilt if his breakfast isn't right."

Then there are the numerous table scenes at Howard's End, at the Schlegel's townhouse, at the restaurant with the Wilcoxes, at the garden wedding. The catering company deserved more than just a passing credit.

[–] KeiraVatt 19 years ago

Everytime I see this film, I suddenly get the urge for cake, pudding, champagne, scones, proper tea and heck, even a cut of tongue and jelly. The way the characters in the film seem to make everything appear so appetizing was a wonderful addition to the solid atmosphere of the times. Bravo. Another Merchant/Ivory bit of perfection.

Some cause happiness wherever they go; others WHENEVER they go.

[–] 19 years ago

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[–] KeiraVatt 19 years ago

Its a funny thing: the only decent think Wilcox did was persuade Margaret to have the roast beef. And wasn't it jolly good of him to tip the carver?.....Motherfrigger!

LOL
Hi Arty

For the Leonard Bast "confession" scene, I beleieve they were already feasting on Annie's pudding and I don't believe it was said in the book, but anyone is free to correct me. However port was ready at the sidetable if that is any indication of anything save for the end of the meal.

Say what you may about Mr. Wilcox, at least he knew how to dine and tip ;-)
As well as craftily secure a table to pursue spinsters.

Come to think of it, I could go for some roast beef with Yorkshire pudding today. But if I had to sit across Evie, I'd find a subtle way to invite her to the ladies changing room and thoroughly box her ears!

Some cause happiness wherever they go; others WHENEVER they go.

[–] 19 years ago

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[–] KeiraVatt 19 years ago

Sounds excellent!
I'll take a martini. Extra dry.

Some cause happiness wherever they go; others WHENEVER they go.

[–] dathaler 19 years ago

Actually, that's the beginning of a line from "Love! Valour! Compassion!"

James [to Buzz]: I'll have a martini, VERY dry, with a twist
Buzz: Won't that be bad for you? [James is HIV positive on all kinds of meds]
James: AB-solutely terrible!

...but that's a different movie!!! :-)

[–] 19 years ago

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[–] Chirpy_Sabz 19 years ago

Everytime I see this film, I suddenly get the urge for cake, pudding, champagne, scones, proper tea and heck, even a cut of tongue and jelly. The way the characters in the film seem to make everything appear so appetizing was a wonderful addition to the solid atmosphere of the times. Bravo. Another Merchant/Ivory bit of perfection.

I know! The food looks so good and the characters are eating something in almost every scene. No wonder I get hungry everytime I see the movie.

[–] 19 years ago

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[–] Piperson 15 years ago

How can you dislike Evie? She adores cheese.

[–] susan8one 18 years ago

I love it!!!

[–] nubka 18 years ago

What I want to know is, even with corsetts, how did women eat so much rich food and stay so slim...??

[–] Farrel_Mitchener 18 years ago

Food is really good.

[–] tin_of_cookies 18 years ago

and of course Leonard Bast's lack of food illustrates the fact that he is in a different kettle of fish entirely.

[–] KatrinaW 13 years ago

Poor Leonard had such a low opinion of himself, that he would never take pudding or even a goddurn scone (pronounced in the British way, "sconn") while calling on the Schlegels. "No, thank you, I've already had my tea". Oh well, that just leaves more for Tibby!

Was tongue a meat of the lower classes? It didn't look very appetizing. I thought the cake at Evy's wedding looked fab, and so did the Apple Charlotte (with whatever sauce Tibby poured over it).

In fact, I think the European way of holding & eating with silverware looks so cool, that I've adopted it myself.

[–] KeiraVatt 11 years ago

Was tongue a meat of the lower classes? It didn't look very appetizing.

If you've read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, a paragraph was dedicated to how tongue, at 75 cents a pound (or similar), was only for the rich, but the poor were able to buy the end-of-tongue for a nickel ©1912 and it was mostly bones and gristle with the memory of meat. Just enough for a small sandwich for three people. I'd take tongue and jelly, no problem. I'll order it every time when I'm at Katz' Deli in NYC sans jelly.

But I would have killed to be a guest at Evie's wedding. I saw nothing that I did not crave. The food looked so rich and delicious. I've had very old great-great Aunts live to be a ripe old age tell me how much I've missed not having the pleasure to dine on food in their time. I wonder. There must be a reason most of their friends died young.

Some cause happiness wherever they go; others WHENEVER they go.

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] GingerLee2082 12 years ago

There's also the sweet moment where Ruth tells Henry and Charles to wait so that they can have some cherries that have just been picked. IIRC Ruth feeds some to Henry and kisses him goodbye. I think Evie gave some of them to Charles.

I still remember being initially let down when Margaret said that she wanted fish pie. The roast beef and yorkshire pudding sounded about a thousand times better.

The wedding was the best though when Mrs Bast looked like her eyes were about to fall out of her head. "Look, there's all this pudding!" So sad.