NETFLIX JUST IN: Fans Of Bridgerton And Downton Abbey Are Being Urged To Watch This Forgotten Period Drama Masterpiece 
A beloved historical romance starring Emma Thompson is suddenly finding a new audience, with viewers calling it one of the most beautiful period dramas ever made.
Packed with family secrets, forbidden feelings, stunning estates, and emotional twists, the acclaimed film has earned praise for decades — yet many younger fans are only just discovering it now.
Some viewers even say it delivers everything they love about modern hits like Bridgerton, but with an ending that leaves an entirely different emotional impact.
And one heartbreaking decision made by a key character continues to divide audiences years later… 
Emma Thompson’s “memorable” period drama that you “can’t miss” is now streaming for free
It has been described as a “sumptuous visual delight”.
As Emma Thompson dazzles cinemagoers in The Sheep Detectives, a “memorable” period drama that features the actor is streaming for free right now. Released in 1992, Howards End is an adaptation of the 1910 novel of the same name by E M Foster.
Set in turn-of-the-20th-century Britain, it tells the story of the Schlegel sisters, the Wilcoxes, and the Basts as they reconcile their differing values, class disparity, and need for connection.
The first film to be released by Sony Pictures Classics, Howards End enjoyed critical and commercial success, grossing a whopping $32 million on just an $8 million budget.
The film also garnered nine nominations at the 65th Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and won three – Best Actress for Thompson, Best Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published, and Best Art Direction.
Intrigued? Here’s everything you need to know about Howards End before diving in.
Who’s in Howards End?
• Emma Thompson as Margaret Schlegel
• Anthony Hopkins as Henry Wilcox
• Helena Bonham Carter as Helen Schlegel
• Vanessa Redgrave as Ruth Wilcox
• James Wilby as Charles Wilcox
• Jemma Redgrave as Evie Wilcox
• Samuel West as Leonard Bast
• Joseph Bennett as Paul Wilcox
• Prunella Scales as Aunt Juley
• Adrian Ross Magenty as Tibby Schlegel
• Jo Kendall as Annie
• Susie Lindeman as Dolly Wilcox
• Nicola Duffett as Jacky Bast
• Mark Payton as Percy Cahill
• Barbara Hicks as Miss Avery
What did critics say about Howards End?
Howards End received overwhelmingly glowing reviews from critics and holds an impressive 94% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
The critics’ consensus reads: “A superbly-mounted adaptation of E.M. Forster’s tale of British class tension, with exceptional performances all round, Howards End ranks among the best of Merchant-Ivory’s work.”
In their review, The Hollywood Reporter wrote: “From start to finish, Howards End is a sumptuous visual delight. But the beauty of this film is far more than skin deep.”
The Observer said: “Deeply romantic, political, emotion-led, respectful of music and literature, impeccably dressed and, in one of the characters’ own words, ‘overexpressive’.”
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Empire described the film as “memorable”, while the Globe and Mail said you “can’t miss” it.
Meanwhile, TIME Magazine added: “Elegant and powerful, accommodating collisions of class and temperament with the grace of a perfect Edwardian hostess, Howards End is the work to which all Merchant Ivory’s other films have pointed and aspired.”
Where can I watch Howards End?
Film fans eager to watch Howards End are in luck, as it’s streaming for free with ads right now on Channel 4 after airing on Film4 yesterday.
For those who want their viewing experience to be uninterrupted, Channel 4 Plus does away with ads for £3.99 per month and comes with a seven-day free trial for those who have not subscribed before.
Elsewhere, Howards End is available on the Curzon Channel via Prime Video, which costs £6.99 per month on top of your Prime Video subscription.
Alternatively, you can rent Howards End from Curzon Home Cinema for £4.99.
