SHAKESPEARE WALLAH
India, 1965, 125 minutes, Black and white.
Felicity Kendal, Shashi Kapoor, Geoffrey Kendal, Laura Liddell, Madhur Jaffrey.
Directed by James Ivory.
Shakespeare Wallah is an interesting film about contemporary life in India. It was written and directed by American James Ivory who spent many years in India and was able to observe types with a detached American eye, so much of the transition years in India and in its society. It shows the various strata of society and the changes of the 20th century and the adaptation from English domination to independence. A touring Shakesperian group is the focus of attention.
Madhur Jaffrey, so effective in Ivory's Autobiography of a Princess is featured in this film. Felicity Kendal (later to become popular in British television and appear in such films as Russell's Valentino, is a heroine. Shashi Kapoor, an Indian romantic hero, is the lead. Effectively photographed in black and white, the film shows great insight into India.
1. The meaning of the title? Indian overtones, reference to Shakespeare and England? The quality of this film as an Indian production? The fact that the director was an American?
2. Does the film 'date'? Is it recognizable as 1965? The quality of the black and white photography.. the variety of music, both Indian and British.. its corresponding to moods?
3. The visual presentation of India? In black and white? The cities, countryside, the sense of place, climates? Homes, theatres, schools, playhouses?
4. How well did the film show the period of transition from British rule to Indian independence? Audience response to this transition and support of it? Criticism of what was happening? The memories of the British past in both the English. e.g. the Buckinghams.. and the Indians, e.g. the Maharajah? How much regret was there in the memory? The Maharajah and his old style of wealth, ruling people, having Shakesperian plays? How out of date did the Maharajah seem? The world of the rich and the criticism of the rich and their oppression in India? The cultural aspects of the transition? Ancient Indian heritage and its presence, the influence of the British and the change? Was an authentic Indian culture emerging or not? How well was India coping with a modern world?
5. What did the film say had happened in India? What kind of people were the British and their influence? The role of the Anglo-Indian? The style of India in the present century? Was this kind of experience inevitable?
6. Comment on how the film presented traditional Indian values, Visually, in music, the various comments on them?
7. Shakespeare as symbolizing the British traditions? British dress, manners, language? The quaintness of the Indian use of English language? Why had English tradition been superseded? The growing influence of the Americans e.g. in the modern Indian film-stars?
8. The focus of the film on the Shakesperian group? Audience interest and sympathy? An English family and their style? The personalities of mother and father. their relationship and love of each other,, love of their daughter? Their pride in their work their heritage of drama? The importance of Shakespeare's plays, the visualizing of the performances (interrupting the film or helping it?), the play's echoing some of the events in the performers' lives? The film's arguments in favour of the presentation of Shakespeare? Against?
9. What was happening to the group? On the level of inter-relationships? The Indian actors and the fading hopes of improvement in theatre? Financial needs? Human pride? The hopes of the Buckingham family? Their coping with hard times. e.g. with the Principal of the school?
10. Lizzie as an attractive heroine for the film? As representing the new generation? Without having been in England? Her interest in acting, her life with her parents? The impact of Sanju in her life? The love scenes and the blossoming of their love? Yet her being able to be hurt? Her jealousy? Her inability to relate fully to Sanju? The pain in the decision to go back to England? Finally seeing her on the ship and the symbolizing of Felicity going back to England?
11. How strong a character was Sanju? As symbolizing the modern young Indian? What did he represent in terms of status, culture. wealth? His impulsive following the troupe around? The conversations with the parents, his love for Lizzie? The complications with Manjula? His inability to love them both and commit himself? His final decision and its significance? As representing a modern Indian?
12. The character of Manjula and what she represented? The artificial film world, her tantrums. her jealousy, her rudeness? Her being waited on by her maid and advised by her? Her hold over Sanju? Her disregard of the Buckinghams? Her rudeness in the theatre and signing the autographs? The obtuseness possible in the modernization of India?
13. The dramatic impact of the performance for the Maharajah? The play where Mr. Buckingham was impatient with the audience? The Othello performance and the reaction of the audience to Manjula?
14. The importance of the dialogue for this film? As revealing much of the issues of India? The quaint use of the English language as a symbol of transition from past to present? Indians not updating but using old-time slang?
15. How much wisdom was there in this film? An important contribution to the understanding of modern India?
