A PASSAGE TO INDIA

UK, 1984, 163 minutes, Colour.
Peggy Ashcroft, Judy Davis, Alec Guinness, Victor Bannerjee, Nigel Havers, James Fox.
Directed by David Lean.

A Passage to India is a David Lean film. Lean made Ryan's Daughter in 1970, tried to make The Bounty in the succeeding years but was unable to complete it. This is a work of his old age, both mellow and acutely observant. It has all the hallmarks of Lean's epic films (Bridge on the River Kwai, Lawrence of Arabia, Dr. Zhivago), a real feel for the setting, the beauty as well as the harshness of India and its people.

The film is based on E. M. Forster's novel, considered by many unfilmable. Lean has been able to portray a narrative and also to suggest the psychological and religious implications of the situations for the character. He is aided by an excellent cast led by Judy Davis, Oscar nominated for her Adela Quested and Dame Peggy Ashcroft, who won for her Mrs. Moore. Victor Bannerjee is excellent as Dr. Aziz. A strong supporting cast including Nigel Havers and James Fox also includes an eccentric performance by Alec Guinness as Professor Godbole.

The musical score is by Maurice Jarre (who composed Lawrence of Arabia, Dr. Zhivago, Ryan's Daughter) and it resembles the Ryan's Daughter theme in many ways. There is a strong period feel for India in the '20s, both for the British and for the Indians as well as suggestions of the fight for independence to come. The film was a success even though there had been a great focus on television and cinema on India with such films as Gandhi and such series as A Jewel in the Crown and The Far Pavilions.

A masterwork by a master director.

1. The quality of the film? Nominations and awards? A David Lean film: his inspiration, direction, editing? Its place in his career?

2. A portrait of India in the '20s: its sense of history? Eighties audience watching in retrospect and in knowledge? Visual impact: Bombay and the wharves, the railways, the countryside, Chandrapore, the Malabar mountains and caves, the Himalayas, the Ganges River? The capturing of India's beauty, uniqueness? People, wealth. poverty, crowding? Religious backgrounds? Social differences, the castes? The British in India, the Raj? The Indians who adapted to English ways? The British not adapting to Indian ways? The audience sharing a passage to this India?

3. Colour photography, the use of locations, the recreation of period? India as colourful and exotic? As real? The importance of the editing and pace? The power of the visuals? The use of Indian symbols? The musical score, Indian themes, western themes, western music? Evocative of the characters?

4. The status of E. M. Forster's novel: a classic, his character drawing, relationships, exploration of cultures and their interaction, themes, psychological and sociological implications? The strength of the adaptation to the cinema medium? The cinematic suggestion of themes and subtlety of character?

5. East and West: the British Empire and presumptions about its importance, presence? The history of the Empire and its achievement? The presumption of the British? The overlordship of Asian nations? Condescension, colonialism, abuse? The reluctance to adapt? The westernising of the Indians e.g. the army, clothes, music, bands, cinema? The effect on the Indians: people of two worlds? The growing hostility towards the British? The '20s and the impact of Gandhi and his movement into the '30s and '40s to revolution? The British and their superiority, aloofness, arrogance? Transplanted not integrated? Their prejudices (attraction of dark men for white women and not vice versa?), administration of justice? David Lean's own view of the British Raj, observation, critique? Helping audience response and understanding?

6. East and West: men and women and their roles, equality and inequality, the sacredness of customs and traditions, sacred places, religion? The lack of British understanding and even respect? The traditions of the sensual and sexual in religion. art? Statuary? These traditions for Indians? Their impact on more reserved westerners? The overall impact of 20th century change and permissiveness?

7. The credits sequences and the focus on Indian art. beauty, tradition, sensuality? The transition to England in the '20s, Miss Quested and her prim behaviour, appearance. the prospect of the voyage. a new world, the comments of the liner company? The audience focus on Adela? Her passage to India. through India? Adela at the end. having shared her experience. identified and not identified? Perceiving the effect on her. the change in her. on others?

8. The voyage and the arrival at Bombay, the Viceregal presence, the Collector and his wife, the wife's behaviour in the train and her superiority. the welcome to Chandrapore, the formality of the reception, the Collector and his home, the British compound. the clubs and their codes: the current musical comedies staged in India, polo playing., court justice and its rituals hospitals? Compounds and seclusion. manners and the right thing? The British sticking together? Insiders outsiders? And the Indian's observations of how long it took men to change. shorter time for women to change?

9. Peggy Ashcroft's portrayal of Mrs. Moore? Her awards? British. traditional but with wisdom. undergoing experience and changing? Her openness? The voyage, her delight, her relationship to Adela and care for her? Her past and her explanation of her two marriages and their effect on her, reserve, exhilaration? Her regard for her son, wariness? The train journey and her reaction to the Collector's wife, disdaining her? The arrival and its pomp, the effect on her, watching her son? Affected by the heat and the climate? Wary about Ronnie,. going to court with Adela and watching him administer justice? Their later clashes and his accusation that she did not understand him? Her reaction against the pomposity, wanting to meet Indians but prevented? Her disgust at English rudeness towards Indians. especially at the afternoon tea party with the segregation? Her moving amongst the Indians and delighting in meeting the women? Her leaving the musical, her going into the mosque, Aziz confronting her, the growing friendship, listening to him about the Muslim religion, the presence of God, the Ganges and its sacredness. its crocodiles? Her respect for Indian religion? Her visits and the audience seeing India and Indians through her? Friendship with Fielding? The encounter with Professor Godbole, her fascination, his talk about reincarnation, the suggestions by visuals, music and movement of some spiritual intercommunion, mystery? her being overwhelmed by the experience, protesting Aziz's innocence? Her decision to return? Her opting out of the whole case? The relief of being on the ship again, the persuasive filming of her heart attack and the audience understanding it, her death? Professor Godbole looking at her as she left Chandrapore, his comments on reincarnation? The overall impact of her leaving? Her not being able to adapt to India despite her sympathy? The irony of the chanting of her name when she was dead, the evidence in court when she was dead, the Indians chanting her name and mistaking Adela for Mrs. Moore? Adela as identified with Mrs. Moore?

10. Adela in Mrs. Moore's pattern, her companion, sharing the voyage, the audience looking at India through her but not identifying with her reserve? Her repugnance for the Collector's wife? The arrival, her going to Ronnie, kissing him? Her being puzzled by his behaviour, pompous attitudes? The play, the polo and her decision not to marry him and declare this? The garden party and her trying to assess British manners? The encounter with Professor Godbole, paddling in the pond with him? Fielding and Aziz? Her interest in Aziz? The important sequence of her bike riding so far from Chandrapore, her fascination by the temple ruins, the eerie and sacred atmosphere (as a parallel to the caves), the statuary and the prim girl of the '20s looking at the expressions of sexuality, her being alone, the temple, the monkeys and her being frightened, her hurrying away? The overall impact? As an explanation of her susceptibility to the caves? The trip and its rush? The train Journey and Aziz, even as Douglas Fairbanks over the railway bridge? The caves and her experience, the buzzing in her ears, the crowd? The darkness? Her going on alone with Aziz, the discussion about his relationship with his wife, her sexual curiosity, her prying, the raising of her own questions? Her being left alone outside the cave, her decision to go in, the buzzing noise, the overwhelming aspect, hearing Aziz call her name, seeing him crouched in silhouette at the entrance to the cave? Her suppressed feelings coming to the surface? A feeling and experience of being violated? Her rushing away down the mountain, the thorns? The credibility of the charge? Her illness and her being tended in the compound? The courtroom, her going into the box, her seeming hardness, her attitude having changed? The experience of the trial? Her going on oath, the gradual telling of the truth, the influence of Aziz, the reaction of McBride? and the people in the court, the Indians, the Indian lawyer? Her declaring publicly that she did not love Ronnie? Her remembering and telling the truth? The flashbacks? Her being abandoned by the British and labelled 'bitch'? Her being rescued by Fielding in the rain? Going home with him? Aziz and his spurning her, wanting the money damages? Her return? The final sequences and the letter from Aziz and her gratitude for it,' the effect of the experience on his life, for the better? Her symbolising the British: presuppositions, the harsh experience of the climate and the terrain, the traditions and religion? Her eventual honesty? For the benefit and independence of Aziz?

11. Ronnie as Mrs. Moore's son, relationship with Adela, the expectations? His welcome to the Collector and his wife? His appearance in court and sentencing the Indian? Presence at the club, his formalities, his being changed? His being shocked but then allowing Adela and Mrs. Moore to be free? Clashing with his mother? His never having been to the caves? His response to Adela's experience? Hostility, his stepping down to let an Indian hold the trial? Her support from the club, his shock at Adela's declaration?

12. The Collector and his wife and their arrogance, as typical of other British, the doctor and his wife, the other members of the club? Mc Bride and his judicial role, his interviewing Aziz and invading his privacy? Presuppositions? Offensive questions to Aziz? His trying to be fair, his being shocked at Adela's response? A portrait of the British establishment?

13. The contrast with Fielding: his role as a teacher, his memories, the war? His being on the outer? His place in the club? His pleasure in Professor Godbole's company? Entertaining him - and having the right food? The friendship with Aziz ? and the touching sequence of Aziz showing him the photo of his wife? His helping Aziz at the caves after missing the train? With Mc Bride, telling the truth, the discussion about the photo etc.? His going to the club and his protesting Aziz's innocence? His resigning? His being ousted by the society? The experience of the trial, listening to Adela's testimony, the happy ending? Yet Aziz and Fielding separating? His helping Adela? Aziz refusing to answer his letters? The visit, Aziz's expectation that Adela was his wife? The joy of finding that it was Stella and that he was to have a son? The happiness of the visit, the farewell? Fielding gaining fulfilment through his friendship with Aziz?

14. Victor Bannerjee's performance as Aziz: presence, sympathetic personality? As an Indian, a doctor? His relationships with the British? His deferential manner, his honour? Skill at his work? His lawyer friends? The Begum and her husband planning for a future marriage for him? His experience of being a widower, his absent children? His loneliness and the sex magazine? The treasured photo of his wife and Fielding as the only white man to have seen it? His code, honour, Muslim religion? His being humiliated by the British, the Collector not waiting, the women taking his carriage? His spiritual experience in the mosque, prayer, sense of the presence of God. respect for the Ganges? His accosting Mrs. Moore and then his respect for her? The growing friendship? The outing to Fielding's and his promise to go to the Malabar caves? The irony of his never having been there? The importance of keeping his word. the detailed preparation and the elaborate detail. his managing? His encounters with Godbole and a sense of fate? Godbole's missing the train? The early arrival at the station, and his sleeping entourage? The trip and the sense of not everything going perfectly with Godbole missing? His Douglas Fairbanks impersonation on the train? The trip. the great caravan and elephant ride? The crowd at the cave? The experience of the cave, the echoes. Mrs. Moore and her being overwhelmed by the echoes and the crowd? Her urging him to go alone to the higher cave with Adela? His response to Adela's questions about sexuality and his wife? His going quietly to smoke? His anxiety about Adela? His becoming the victim object in Adela's mind? His alarm at her flight, Fielding rescuing him, the trip back. the atmosphere of his arrest, imprisonment? The humiliation, his reputation? His earnest pleading with Adela? Her telling the truth, his release? Being carried as a hero, the rains coming? His joy but his turning anti British, anti Fielding, anti Adela? His Indian clothes? His moving to the Himalayas, his satisfaction in his work, his bringing his children with him, friendship with Godbole? The refusal of contact with Fielding, Fielding's arrival, the reconciliation with him, delight in Stella's presence? The freedom to write to Adela? A portrait of an Indian?

15. Professor Godbole and Alec Guinness' performance? Indian traditions, caste, his being treated with reverence and yet mocked? Food customs, prayer, dancing? His fatalistic philosophy? Reincarnation, premonitions, visits? The encounter with Mrs. Moore? Friendship with Fielding, Aziz? His missing the train for the picnic? At the station to watch Mrs. Moore go? His wrong timing during the trial for the name of his new school? His going to the Himalayas, finding a home, genial presence, a man of the East and eccentric for westerners?

16. Aziz and his relations and friends? The lawyer and his wife, their concern for him, the court case and pleading for him? His friendship with the hothead lawyer and revolutionary, his protest in the court, his rousing the crowds to frenzy and chanting? The lawyer from Calcutta - and his not having to defend Aziz? The judge and his seeming subservient to the British yet trying to administer justice?

17. The caves, the mountains, the distance, the sacredness, barrenness, the journey by elephant, their darkness, the echo, the religious implications, sexual implications? The use of rain and water, storms, the river, pools? Myths, reality? Themes of life and death?

18. The film as a film for westerners and their passage to India?