A Passage To India
1984
David Lean returned to filmmaking after a 14-year absence to direct this award-winning adaptation of E.M. Forster's novel. Adela Quested (Judy Davis), a young and spirited Englishwoman, travels to India alongside the somewhat older Mrs. Moore (Peggy Ashcroft). Mrs. Moore's hope is that her son, an administrator in the British .. Read more
| Starring | Peggy Ashcroft, Judy Davis, James Fox, Alec Guinness |
|---|---|
| Director | David Lean |
| Genres | Drama |
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A Passage To India
David Lean returned to filmmaking after a 14-year absence to direct this award-winning adaptation of E.M. Forster's novel. Adela Quested (Judy Davis), a young and spirited Englishwoman, travels to India alongside the somewhat older Mrs. Moore (Peggy Ashcroft). Mrs. Moore's hope is that her son, an administrator in the British Raj, and Adela will wed. Once in India, the two women pay scant heed to the customs followed by English society. They even agree to accompany a "native" -- the charming and educated Dr. Aziz (Victor Banerjee) -- on a tour of the mystical, ancient Marabar Caves. But their innocent outing turns ugly when Adela emerges from the cave's darkness accusing Aziz of rape. British authorities eagerly pursue--even pressure --Adela to go to court. The truth, however, is not as clear as the bigoted colonial government believes it is.
| Starring | Peggy Ashcroft, Judy Davis, James Fox, Alec Guinness, Nigel Havers, Victor Banerjee, Saeed Jaffrey, Clive Swift |
|---|---|
| Director | David Lean |
| Studio | MGM ENTERTAINMENT |
| Run time | DVD: 2 hrs 37 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Drama |
| Language | DVD: English |
| Dubbed | French, Spanish |
| Hearing-impaired | English |
| Subtitles | DVD: Danish, Dutch, French, Greek, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish |
| Released | DVD: 31 Mar 2003 Production year: 1984 |
| Format | DVD |
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Critics' reviews (3)
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Nominated for 11 Academy Awards, David Lean's final feature trespasses on territory usually reserved for Merchant Ivory, EM Forster and India. But Lean was the master of the stately epic and, in this lusciously photographed picture, the 75-year-old director showed that none of his powers had waned. Stripping away the sheen of Raj life, he exposes the tensions, prejudices and snobberies of imperialism with a satirical blade every bit as sharp as Forster's. Oscar-winning Peggy Ashcroft garnered the acting headlines, but she is surpassed by Judy Davis as the outsider whose disregard for the rules of the game shatters the calm of this Indian Eden.
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Another film about India under the Raj seems somewhat redundant after The Jewel in the Crown, Gandhi and The Far Pavilions, but at least under David Lean's direction this is intelligent and good to look at.
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Most helpful member's review
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7 out of 8 people found this review helpful
Fairly disappointing
If you know anything about David Lean you can appreciate his other works, particularly The Bridge on the River Kwai, Lawrence of Arabia, Doctor Zhivago, etc. He has simply made some spectacular films.
In this instance I was NOT expecting an incredible film, and it turned out to be quite mediocre. The story was somewhat interesting during the first and second acts, albeit played-out, and the third act seemed very disjointed and left me wondering what the point was of this film.
Alec Guinness was improperly cast for a character that showed little reason for being in the film adaptation, and Victor Banerjee's character was often over-the-top.
This movie could have gone somewhere, but then again, you could also have condensed the story into about a 30 minute picture as well.
Perhaps this film doesn't deserve such scathing remarks, but Lean is capable of so much more, unfortunate that this was his last movie. -
Most recent members' review
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3 out of 3 people found this review helpful
A Classic
Another David Lean Classic.
This film has a strong cast and acted superbly. It truly reflects the arrogance of the English in India as depicted by E.M Forster. The film is quick and keeps you in suspense.
Well worth watching a most enjoyable film. -
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David Lean returned to filmmaking after a 14-year absence to direct this award-winning adaptation of E.M. Forster's novel. Adela Quested (Judy Davis), a young and spirited Englishwoman, travels to ... -