HEAT AND DUST

UK, 1982, 124 minutes, Colour.
Julie Christie, Christopher Cazenove, Greta Scacchi, Julian Glover, Susan Fleetwood, Shashi Kapoor, Madhur Jaffrey, Nikolas Grace, Barry Foster.
Directed by James Ivory.

Heat and Dust is a beautiful and elegant film. It was written by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, based on her own novel. She is a frequent collaborator with producer Ismael Merchant and director James Ivory (The Europeans, Quartet, Roselands). The team made films in India in the '60s and '70s, moved to the United States and England in the late '70s. Their body of work, especially that of director Ivory, shows a westerner's understanding of India, society and history.

The film re-creates the period of the Raj in the 1920s (the period of A Passage to India). The film moves forward to the '80s and the two strands of the screenplay illuminate each other - the period, attitudes and stances, relationships between British and Indian, between British women and Indian men. The contrast of the 60 years is quite striking.

The film has an excellent cast, Julie Christie at her best in the '80s period, Greta Scacchi (Coca Cola Kid, Burke & Wills) in the 20s. Shashi Kapoor is the Nawab and Indian actress Madhur Jaffrey is his mother, the Begum. There is an excellent supporting cast led by Nickolas Grace (Brideshead Revisited). The colour photograph by Walter Lassally and the Indian music contribute to the atmosphere and the beauty of the film.

1. The film's acclaim? Impact? Audience interest in India? The many films focusing on India and the Raj in the 80s?

2. The work of Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, her novel, her screenplay? Insight into Indian society, history? Her insight into British women and the impact of India on them? The work of James Ivory, his understanding of India, his visualising of it? Ability to communicate to the western audience some of the realities of India?

3. Location photography, the atmosphere of the 1920s, the British, the Indians? Royalty and wealth? Style and manners? The contrast with the free-flowing '80s? The 60 years of chance? 80s India as national and cosmopolitan? The importance of the editing and pace, the comparisons and contrasts of the two strands of the story? The contribution of the atmospheric music?

4. The structure of the film: Harry and his memories, Anne and her research, the meeting of the two periods, the paralleling of the periods, the persons, the women, the relationship of English women to Indian men, the contrast of attitudes, freedoms? The conception of children - and their future?

5. Harry as observer, his participating in the action, his being an outsider to both British and Indians, his ability to cross cultures? His interviews with Anne, the memories of an old man, critical and cynical? His own experience as an outsider, his eccentric manner, his fastidiousness, illnesses, delight in food and drink, delight in high society, being a confidante of the Nawab? His support of Olivia? The voice-over commentary?

6. Julie Christie as Anne? Her work as a BBC researcher, interest in India? A 1980s woman? Independent, career? Her getting Olivia's letters and reading them? Interest and effect? The interviews with Harry? Her decision to go to India? Busy India of the '80s? Going to the places of Olivia's experience, re-living the letters? Seeing the change of buildings and their use? Perceiving the meaning of the past? Empathy for Olivia? Her own relationship with Indian men, with Inder Lal, his being her guide, the family, his wife, her illness? Indian customs and lifestyle, her adapting? Language? The encounter with Chit at the river, relationship with him, the American culture, a flower child. rebuffing his sexual advances, his illness, urging him back to America? Inder Lal's wife? Inder Lal seducing her? Her allowing it? The effect on her, comparing herself with Olivia? The question of abortion or having the child? Going to the mountain retreat, her decision to have her child - its future? A symbol relationship between Britain and India - in the light of the past?

7. Inder Lal, the young Indian man of the '80s, his wife and her illness, his mother, the household, his working with Anne, attraction towards her, the seduction? The British-Indian? relationship? The child and its future?

8. Chit and his presence in India, the American background, the midwest, the flower-child attitude? Trendy? His visit, his hope for Inder Lal's wife, his own illness and not being able to adapt to India? His advances towards Anne, her rebuffing him? Persuading him to return home?

9. The contrast of the '80s with the '20s, the Raj, Indian affluence and style, the British and the preservation of English society in India, the emphasis on manners and good form, style, the aftermath of Empire? The British attitude towards India, possessiveness, mastership, despising the Indians? The film's critique of the attitudes of the British?

10. The portrait of the Indians, their old kingdoms, wealth, manners and style, attitudes towards the British, customs, authority? The Nawab and his own authority, using the British, relying on them? The flashback to the violent story of the massacre? The Begum and her manner, her cigarette and holder, her shrewdness, her observations of the British, her authority? The comparisons between British and Indian formality?

11. The portrait of Olivia, as a young woman, her English background, her hopes, her marriage, her love for her husband, the quality of the relationship, her being dissatisfied emotionally? Her husband and his authority, his work, his attitudes? Her finding the Raj stuffy, too formal, stifling? Her being a victim of the period? The women and their expectations, society? Her wanting her own life, setting her own standards, behaviour? The meeting with the Nawab, the attraction, his courting her, the outings, the visualising of his story and its colourful violence? The picnic? The effect of the Nawab and his romantic aura? The affair, the consequences? The baby? The attitudes of the community, the women, the military men, the doctor? The abortion? Olivia as victim of the ATawab, of society? Her becoming an outcast and exile? Greta Scacchi presence, charm, vitality - the credibility of the young Englishwoman coming to an alien country, out on her own, making her decisions, betrayal, love?

12. Douglas and his love for his wife, his work, his identifying with British values and standards, the clash with Olivia, the estrangement, the attitude of the British community, their supporting him? Separation and leaving his wife?

13. The British community, the women and their lifestyle, acting as wives, expectations, the British equivalent of Indian Purdah? The men and their military style, administrators? The doctor and his sympathy? The reality of the British in India at the time - caricatures?

14. The Nawab and his position, authority, exercise of power? His manner, treatment of the British? His eye for Olivia, courting her, the Picnic, the seduction, the child? The influence of his mother? The Begum and the ladies of the Purdah, their influence? The focus on Indian women, the formalities and restrictions of the past? The change by the '80s? British women?

15. The title, the focus on India, Indians, British, victims, conquerors, reconciliation and hopes?