A Passage to India (A- or 3.5/4 stars)
'A Passage to India' (based on an E.M. Forster novel, & directed by the incomparable David Lean, Lawrence of Arabia, The Bridge on River Kwai, Doctor Zhivago) is one hell of a movie to behold. It's slow, hypnotic, & makes you think afterwards. I'd even say that it's disorienting; and I use that in the nicest way. On one steamy summer day in India, Dr. Aziz (Victor Banerjee) leads an expedition to the mysterious Marabar Caves. One by one, members of his expedition fall off until only Miss Adela Quested (Judy Davis), from England, is remaining. And so the Indian doctor & the British woman climb their way alone, at a time (1920's) when whites & "darks" shouldn't intermingle. This film leaves the question of what happens in the cave open. But based on what 'we' see, it looks like Dr. Aziz is innocent of charges later brought against him ... the attempted rape of Miss Quested.
There is no evidence as to what happened in the caves ... a complete mystery. And said charges/trial make-up the 2nd half of the film. But before all of that, we get the entire build up to those later events. We 1st meet Miss Quested (engaged to a British magistrate, played by Nigel Havers) & her soon-to-be-mother-in-law, Mrs. Moore (Dame Peggy Ashcroft), once they've arrived in India from England. Both women want to see the 'real' India (repressed as it may be). During this section, we also meet the kind, Indian sympathizer, Mr. Fielding (James Fox), & Dr. Godbole (Alec Guinness, playing an Indian), who believes: 'what will be, will be'. His philosophy sounds simple, but it proves to be one of the great truths of this film's narrative arc. Dr. Aziz enters the story when Mrs. Moore meets him at a temple pool; where he becomes enamored by her gentility. Meanwhile, Miss Quested wanders into some ruins, populated by an erotic statuary that is overgrown by vegetation. And she finds that India stirs her in ways she hasn't felt before. From here on out is the Marabar Caves expedition, followed by the trial.
Tensions btwn. colonial England & the Indians were already at an all-time high; and everyone involved (directly or peripherally) to the Marabar Caves incident seem uneasy about what actually occurred. See, the Brits were practically disallowed to socialize with or treat Indians as equals ... even if they were sexually attracted to them; & vice-versa. This is the problem that Miss Quested faced. She never cared for her fellow Brits' snobbery towards the Indians. She broke the moral code of mingling with them (Dr. Aziz). So the question must be asked ... why did she emerge from the cave accusing her newfound gentleman friend (who she was attracted to on a physical & emotional level) of rape! In some way, it seems that Miss Quested could have 'blocked' from her memory what really happened - if anything, at all. She runs out of the cave by herself; bloodied, & crying rape. What made this happen? What IS the mystery of the Marabar Caves? This movie is a fascinating study of colonial relations, prejudice, sexual repression, as well as the nature of memory; and the power it has over us.
'A Passage to India' is a great film. Yes, it is long & is languorously filmed. But the way the narrative builds & builds; and the way the characters slowly evolve as the cultural situation deepens ... it's just a very voyeuristic, involving movie to experience. 'A Passage to India' is based on an apparently dense, complex novel; one that would be difficult to conceptualize & visualize in the film medium. But master director David Lean seems to have made the transition from novel to movie superbly; capturing the repressive, elitist nature of British society. Man, did they think they were high & mighty.
Judy Davis is quietly exceptional as Adela Quested. Watching her initial open-mindedness give way to anger & fear is something to see. Was she raped? Confused? Or, perhaps she got scared & didn't want to be seen as an outcast among her peers; hence, joining their racist bandwagon. Dame Peggy Ashcroft is wonderful as the good-hearted Mrs. Moore (reminding me of another Mrs. Moore, my grandma). Indian actor Victor Banerjee is highly impressive as the charming, then bewildered, then embittered Dr. Aziz. And James Fox is great as Fielding. You really get the sense that you know these people by the end of the movie.
The cinematography (lensed to perfection), sets (all built from scratch), costumes & sound are sublime. More on the cinematography: never before has a foreign land looked so magical, mystical & inviting. Maurice Jarre's music is haunting; loved the theme being played when Miss Quested & Dr. Aziz make their doomed physical contact (grasping each other's hand) en route to the caves. The editing is leisurely, but involving. Ah, I could go on & on. Some might call this movie too elegant, too stately, too 'out there'. But I love the kind of remote, inconclusive nature of the story. NOTHING is wrapped up with a pretty bow at the end. I enjoy long, meaty, meaningful epics; especially when they're done well. And this film is no exception.
There is no evidence as to what happened in the caves ... a complete mystery. And said charges/trial make-up the 2nd half of the film. But before all of that, we get the entire build up to those later events. We 1st meet Miss Quested (engaged to a British magistrate, played by Nigel Havers) & her soon-to-be-mother-in-law, Mrs. Moore (Dame Peggy Ashcroft), once they've arrived in India from England. Both women want to see the 'real' India (repressed as it may be). During this section, we also meet the kind, Indian sympathizer, Mr. Fielding (James Fox), & Dr. Godbole (Alec Guinness, playing an Indian), who believes: 'what will be, will be'. His philosophy sounds simple, but it proves to be one of the great truths of this film's narrative arc. Dr. Aziz enters the story when Mrs. Moore meets him at a temple pool; where he becomes enamored by her gentility. Meanwhile, Miss Quested wanders into some ruins, populated by an erotic statuary that is overgrown by vegetation. And she finds that India stirs her in ways she hasn't felt before. From here on out is the Marabar Caves expedition, followed by the trial.
Tensions btwn. colonial England & the Indians were already at an all-time high; and everyone involved (directly or peripherally) to the Marabar Caves incident seem uneasy about what actually occurred. See, the Brits were practically disallowed to socialize with or treat Indians as equals ... even if they were sexually attracted to them; & vice-versa. This is the problem that Miss Quested faced. She never cared for her fellow Brits' snobbery towards the Indians. She broke the moral code of mingling with them (Dr. Aziz). So the question must be asked ... why did she emerge from the cave accusing her newfound gentleman friend (who she was attracted to on a physical & emotional level) of rape! In some way, it seems that Miss Quested could have 'blocked' from her memory what really happened - if anything, at all. She runs out of the cave by herself; bloodied, & crying rape. What made this happen? What IS the mystery of the Marabar Caves? This movie is a fascinating study of colonial relations, prejudice, sexual repression, as well as the nature of memory; and the power it has over us.
'A Passage to India' is a great film. Yes, it is long & is languorously filmed. But the way the narrative builds & builds; and the way the characters slowly evolve as the cultural situation deepens ... it's just a very voyeuristic, involving movie to experience. 'A Passage to India' is based on an apparently dense, complex novel; one that would be difficult to conceptualize & visualize in the film medium. But master director David Lean seems to have made the transition from novel to movie superbly; capturing the repressive, elitist nature of British society. Man, did they think they were high & mighty.
Judy Davis is quietly exceptional as Adela Quested. Watching her initial open-mindedness give way to anger & fear is something to see. Was she raped? Confused? Or, perhaps she got scared & didn't want to be seen as an outcast among her peers; hence, joining their racist bandwagon. Dame Peggy Ashcroft is wonderful as the good-hearted Mrs. Moore (reminding me of another Mrs. Moore, my grandma). Indian actor Victor Banerjee is highly impressive as the charming, then bewildered, then embittered Dr. Aziz. And James Fox is great as Fielding. You really get the sense that you know these people by the end of the movie.
The cinematography (lensed to perfection), sets (all built from scratch), costumes & sound are sublime. More on the cinematography: never before has a foreign land looked so magical, mystical & inviting. Maurice Jarre's music is haunting; loved the theme being played when Miss Quested & Dr. Aziz make their doomed physical contact (grasping each other's hand) en route to the caves. The editing is leisurely, but involving. Ah, I could go on & on. Some might call this movie too elegant, too stately, too 'out there'. But I love the kind of remote, inconclusive nature of the story. NOTHING is wrapped up with a pretty bow at the end. I enjoy long, meaty, meaningful epics; especially when they're done well. And this film is no exception.