James Ivory was interested in making a screen adaptation after the critical and box office success he achieved with another of Forster's novels, "A Room with a View". While involved in this earlier project Ivory had read all of Forster's books, and eventually came to "Maurice". "I thought," Ivory said, "that it was interesting material and would be enjoyable to make – and also something we could make in that it wouldn't require too much organization and wouldn't cost all that much." The situation it explores seemed to him to be still relevant: "People's turmoil and having to decide for themselves how they want to live and what their true feelings are and whether they're going to live honestly with them or deny them. That's no different. Nothing's any easier, for young people. I felt it was quite relevant."