Movie review - "Bhowani Junction" (1956) ***1/2

When people talk about "ruined films" this one often doesn't get much of a guernsey (cf The Magnificent Ambersons) but I would love to see it in its original conception because what remains is fascinating. 

This is one of the few Hollywood movies to tackle Indian independence, and it was a gutsy call from MGM - it's not an inherently glamorous period in history, there was little American involvement. I got the feeling they picked it because its (a) a good story and (b) provides a wonderful role for Ava Gardner.

Ava plays a half-caste (as they were known then) Indian who arrives home after four years of war service and gets involved in various adventures at the time of Indian independence. She's loved by a fellow half caste (Bill Travers, a terrific role but he's not very good), a Sikh (Francis Matthews, very good) and local British officer (Stewart Granger, very effective - director George Cukor apparently wanted Trevor Howard but I think Granger works better than Howard would have, maybe not as good an actor admittedly but more charismatic).

She also has to ward off a lecherous British officer (Lionel Jeffries), political pressure from the Sikh's radical mother, and the abduction of an Indian communist - oh, and there's pressure from an English dad and Indian mother. The stereotypical image of Indians on screen is of lady like creatures but Ava's Ava - she's clearly done a bit of living, is comfortable in bars, shrieks and yells at people and sticks up for herself against all the boys (I would be interested to see a feminist reading of the film), all these blokes fall under her spell. She good be playing herself - it's a very effective performance.

The film falls into that brief-lived sub-genre, the cinema of decolonisation. There were a handful of these films in the late 50s and early 60s, most of which shared the same elements - large budget, based on a novel, set during the declining days of Britain's power, which all said the same thing: it's a good thing the British were leaving but the British were better than the communists who often hijack decent nationalists; there was a sympathetic white hero, who had a scene where he was superior to a racist white British supporting character (Something of Value, Exodus, The Seventh Dawn).

There is plenty of spectacle (teaming extras, etc), good meaty arguments, and a surprising amount of action (with George Cukor showing himself surprisingly apt at the bang-bang and suspense stuff, showing he was more versatile than his reputation).

Granger's narration is a bit clunky and I wish they'd re cut this and do a revised version (which apparently included some erotic scenes and which had Ava wind up with Travers - which you know considering Travers' poor performance wouldn't have worked either).