HULLABALLOO OVER GEORGIE'S AND BONNIE'S PICTURES

India/UK, 1978, 85 minutes, Colour.
Peggy Ashcroft, Larry Pine, Saeed Jaffrey, Victor Bannerjee, Aparna Sen.
Directed by James Ivory.

One of several collaborations between American director James Ivory and Indian producer Ismail Merchant. The collaboration began in the sixties with such interesting films as Shakespeare Walla and Bombay Talkie. Their films were glimpses of contemporary India and the influence of the British past. Bombay Talkie also took up the influence of the American movies.

During the seventies they made the interesting Autobiography of a Princess and with their scriptwriter, Ruth Prayer Jhabvala moved to England. Roseland, set in New York, was released in 1977 and The Europeans in 1979. This film was made for television but received theatrical release.

Peggy Ashcroft has a very good role as Lady G. and regulars from the Indian group of actors in the Ivory Merchant pictures have featured roles. The film is certainly very beautiful to look at, photographed by Walter Lassally. It once again shows modern India and its seeming betrayal of its artistic. cultural and religious heritage as two young aristocrats sell off old family treasures. Georgie also wants to excel in photography. English and American buyers are shown as trying to infiltrate and divert Indian culture. The film is witty but there is serious purpose beneath its elegant surface.

1. The impact of the film in terms of drama, a glimpse of contemporary India? The role of India in the modern world? The influences of England and America? India and its independence as well an its reliance on its own heritage? The views of the film-makers? This film within their body of work?

2. Technical credits and their effectiveness: the beauty of the colour photography, the Indian locations and atmosphere, the Indian paintings, the use of the palaces? The contrast between old and modern? The Indian score, Indian songs ? and the irony of western Christmas carols!

3. The title and its point about language? Indians and their use of old-fashioned words from England? The names of the characters? The title indicating the mixture in the contemporary Indian heritage?

4. India and the modern world? the old tradition of Britain, the British as overlords and their still trying to exercise that influence? The Americans as treasure hunters? The mercenary attitudes? The arrogance of the English? The lack of knowledge of Indian culture? Of Indian style? The Indians themselves and their seeking for western comfort and materialism? How is this seen as a betrayal of the past? The incongruities of this juxtaposition of modern and old?

5. The focus on the pictures? Their beauty? The talk about the pictures and their place in the heritage? the skill of the past, religious themes, cultural themes? The motivation in selling? The irony of the tricks being played on the prospective buyers? The irony of Georgie's attempts to promote himself as a photographer?

6. Georgie and Bonnie and their place in the decaying aristocracy? Indian aristocrats in the modern era? Their capricious behaviour? Their dividing up their household goods and selling them? The discussions about the China, the clothes, tapestries? The place of the paintings? Their British training and their nanny calling them by these names? An embodying the modern and the old? How well drawn were their characters? Georgie and his infatuation with Lynn? The memories of the beautiful English girls in the past? Their ghosts being present in the palace? Lynn as the modern British girl in Asia? Bonnie and her infatuation with Clark? The infatuation with the Americans? Their turning their palace into a hotel? The criteria for welcoming guests? Narain and his place in the palace? The games and bargaining about the paintings? External courtesy and wiliness? The future of the paintings? Their being a symbol of IndisO Georgie and Bonnie as symbolizing contemporary India?

7. Clark Haven as representing the Americans? a young man, collector, his American style, expectations, tactics? His response to seeing the paintings and the audience sharing his view? His staying, interest in Bonnie, using people? The decision to collaborate with Lady G after the rivalry? Relationship with Lynn? A pleasant man, greedy, naive? An Indian view of Americans in India?

8. The contrast with Lady G, her presence in the India of the past, her presumptions about the British in India, her memories of the old days and reminiscences? The yearning for the past? Her coming overland with Lynn? The plucky British lady? Her wiliness, tactics? Aligning herself with Georgie?

9. Lynn and the new British woman infatuated with India, modern, adventurous, less ladylike? Her relationship with Georgie? Her echoing the ghosts of the past and the film ending with this?

10. Narain and his role, his clever attitudes, smart tactics, bargaining?

11. Life at the palace - hunts, dances, banquets?

12. The melodramatic aspects of the screenplay ? the plot, the drugs and the administration of the drugs to the deaf mute, the fire, the fireworks? The humorous and satiric touches with Jingle Bells and Santa Claus in hot India?

13. The build-up to the destruction of the pictures, the revelation of the truth? The attitudes of Lady G and Clark admitting defeat?

14. How well did the film treat themes of art, life, cultural heritage, the preservation of art? The preservation of art symbolising the preservation of old India?