The British film industry rediscovered India in a big way in the 1980s - this, Gandhi, Octopussy, Staying On, The Far Pavillions, Jewel in the Crown. I've read E.M. Foster's novel, which was strong - vigorous prose helps. This isn't as good. It's a fake rape accusation movie - there were so many of them around back in the day. It's not a genre I like. Also there's so many white heroes whose superiority is emphasised - Peggy Ashcroft, Judy Davis and James Fox. Fox is especially irritating. Lean wanted Peter O'Toole for what part who would've been better.
Alec Guinnes pops up in brownface. Old habits, etc.
It's not as artfully shot as other Lean films - apparently he wanted widescreen but it had to be done in TV format (HBO picked up a lot of the budget). It's still visually stunning. Some gem performances: Peggy Ashcroft, Victor Banerjee (in what should've been a star making performance for Hollywood), Judy Davis. Others not so good. James Fox was so annoying. His performance, his character, walking around being smug. I did like seeing Lean's real life wife play Fox's wife at the end.
The film could be read as a gay love story. When Banerjee visits Fox, Fox is in the shower and Banerjee seems to perv on him. The two men are very devoted to each other and when Banejee finds out Fox is hanging around with Davis he gets jealous. I'm sure I'm not the first writer to notice this.
I remember when this came out. Lots of talk about epics and spectacle. I recall feeling proud that Judy Davis was in it. And the low hanging fruit of white leading characters being superior to racist white support characters.
It went too long. Too dull. I kept seeing bits that could be cut out. It's good when it goes to the caves, and the charges come in, but there's no tension because Banerjee is depicted as being so innocent and Davis is nice so you know she'll get good at the end and the bad Brits are capital B bad.
It's tasteful. Loos lush. Good acting aside from Fox. Worth watching. I didn't much like it.
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