The Bostonians

Adapted by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala from the novel by Henry James, Merchant/Ivory’s The Bostonians is set among the Back Bay uppercrust of the 19th century. Basil Ransom (Christopher Reeve), bored by his opulent lifestyle and his “proper” friends, is fascinated by his cousin, outspoken suffragette Olive Chancellor (Vanessa Redgrave). Basil and Olive’s mutual friend is likeable, gregarious Verena Tannant (Madeleine Potter). Soon a triangle develops, albeit an unorthodox one: Basil and Olive both find themselves pursuing Verena, Basil because he is in love with her, and Olive because she wants to exploit Verena’s social connections and gift for public speaking to promote her own political ideology. Lurking in the background is Verena’s true love, poor-but-honest attorney Henry Burrage (John Van Ness)., Henry James novel about a young woman (Madeleine Potter) manipulated by an ardent feminist (Vanessa Redgrave) and a dashing Southerner (Christopher Reeve). Miss Birdseye: Jessica Tandy. Mrs. Burrage: Nancy Marchand. Dr. Tarrant: Wesley Addy. Dr. Prance: Linda Hunt. Directed by James Ivory., Olive Chancellor becomes obsessed by Verena Tannant who has a gift for speaking in public. Olive persuades her to speak for the cause of women but is also jealous of every man who courts the girl., The Bostonians tells the story of Olive Chancellor (Oscar-nominated Vanessa Redgrave), a 19th-century Boston woman dedicated to the suffrage movement who takes Verena Tarrant a radical young woman, under her wing. But her cousin is a male chauvinist who wants to marry and domesticate the young woman and a battle of wills ensues over her future.