Maurice; "Maurice":
"I don't get you, Clive Durham!"
(especially the book; James Ivory has added a bit to the end of the movie, which helps explain him..it's not in the book...Also, Ivory (and whoever else he wrote the script with) provides a motivation (motivation?!) for Clive's transformation from gay to straight that--if it is in the book, in not all that imporant to Clive.
The only explanation I can think of for this character is that he has no sex drive of any kind (like Iago?), and is entirely wrapped up in his own advancement. But...then you have to explain away his peculiar, but appartently real, relationship with Maurice at the beginning.
Help!