Passage to India(1984)

[Stone me]

Like several other films of Lean, I enjoyed the attention to the
settings/camerawork.
He takes pains to show his version of India, beautiful, colourful,
and passionate.
During the opening 10 minutes or so, the plot switches it's focus
between two different visions. One, the view of the colonialists,
then two, the view from the Indians. During this period, I felt it
was so overdone, I became confused.
The film tries to establish throughout two views on a number of
different subjects, the whole being the legitimacy of colonialism.

The British are shown having inserted on top of the rigid Indian
caste system. The Inclusion of Alec Guinness as a Brahmin,
the original top caste, makes a good highlight of this, as he is
shown to be in one way subservient to the British.
The two female characters who are newcomers try to interact
in their different ways with Indians and cause ructions within
the British community who fear rightly their position is being
undermined.
Peggy Ashcroft and Victor Bannerjee carry away the best
credit for their performances (IMO).
The cast was deep in quality, in keeping with the whole film.

Richard Wilson plays the Colonial-in-charge very well indeed.
Wilson himself probably hated the character given his well
known political standpoint.

I loved the scene where Edward Fox resigns from the club.
Everything is under the surface. Very little is said that the Fox
character could show to say he was forced out.Typically
British. In America perhaps, the Wison character would have
brought up all the reasons why Fox had threatened the
position of the British, and demanded he should resign with
approvals from the club members, and maybe a vote.

I had some reservations about the plot, which Lean could not
be blamed for, since I understand it follows Forster's.

On the whole I felt it was a very good film, although I understood
that it could not truly bring out some of the realities (for Westerners)
of living in a place such as India. Mosquitoes, flies, the smells of
untreated sewage mixed with roasting spices, the sweating, and
the great discomforts of trying to keep cool, and to sleep.
I did recognise the naivete and friendliness of some of the people,
which I think Bannerjee played best.

Stone me

[Aldo of Pignotti]

Although Lean is one of my favorite directors, I never cared for
"Passage To India". I kept comparing it to the made for TV mini
series "Jewel in the Crown" and JITC is much more interesting in many
ways. Of course, JITC has the advantage of being able to develop
characters and stories over many episodes but still, I thought
"Passage To India" was rather flat.

Do yourself a favor, buy the DVD set, JITC for Christmas. I thinks
it's one of the best shows ever produced for TV.

[Marv Soloff]

Paul Scott's "Raj Quartet" - the basis for "Jewel in the Crown" spans
some four
hefty books - which allows for much character development. I own it and
I agree
JITC is remarkable in its character development, presentation and HOW IT
STICKS
TO THE BOOK - i.e. unimproved by the screenwriters and producers. It
was also
shot in India which lends a certain verisimilitude to the production.

Marv