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A Passage To India (1984) DVD Review
A Passage To India (1984) DVD Credits:
A Passage To India (1984) Directed by:
David Lean
A Passage To India (1984) Written by:
David Lean
A Passage To India (1984) Cast:
Judy Davis, Alec Guinness, Victor Banerjee, Peggy Ashcroft, James Fox, Nigel Havers, Clive Swift
A Passage To India (1984) Released by:
Not available at this time
Region:
1
A Passage To India (1984) DVD Release Date:
14th April 2008
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A Passage To India (1984) Synopsis:

This adaptation of E.M. Forster's mysterious tale of British racism in colonial India turned out to be master director David Lean's final film. Subtle and grand at the same time, Lean's adaptation is faithful to the book, rendering its blend of the mystical and the all-too human with exquisite precision. Judy Davis plays a young British woman traveling in India with her fiancé's mother. While visiting a tourist attraction, she has a frightening moment in a cave--one that she eventually spins from an instant of mental meltdown into a tale of a physical attack that ruins several lives. Lean captures Forster's sense of awe at the kind of ageless wisdom and inexplicable phenomena to be encountered in India, as well as the British tendency to dismiss it all as savage, rather than simply different.

A Passage To India (1984) DVD Review:

A Passage to India isn’t David Lean’s most famous work. Lawrence of Arabia and Bridge on the River Kwai are the Lean films best remembered. But David Lean’s last picture still maintains the level of excellence in cinematography and acting that was his hallmark.

A Passage to India is based on the E. M. Forster novel, published in 1924. The story follows Mrs. Moore (Peggy Ashcroft) and her companion Adela Quested (Judy Davis) who journey India to see Mrs. Moore’s son: Ronny Heaslop. The two Englishwomen quickly learn about the strict racial boundaries in post WW1 India. But both women flout conventions and begin a friendship with Dr. Aziz. With the help of professor Richard Fielding, Aziz organizes a picnic at the Marabar Caves to show the two women the real India. But when Adela comes out of the caves, scratched and bloody, accusations of rape are made towards Dr. Aziz. Is Dr. Aziz innocent, and will his true nature really matter in a racist English court of law?

It would be difficult for me to comment on how well the film adapts the novel, though I have studied several symbolic aspects of it. I can say that the film does leave you with similar questions as those raised in the book, but has a different ending (all of this information is revealed in the special features). Whether or not the film does the novel justice, it does maintain a literary quality. The dialogue may appear stilted due to the fact that so much information must be delivered quickly to move the film along. The film is over two and a half hours, but that is due to the immense amount of story it must present. Because of this, the scenes move rather succinctly and the dialogue rarely elaborates or explains in detail.

As in most of David Lean’s films, A Passage to India has a star-studded cast. Judy Davis was Academy Award nominated for fully encompassing the role of Mrs. Moore. Peggy Ashcroft, Australian not English, won an Academy Award for her performance. Victor Banerjee and the other Indian actors were a refreshing casting choice. The diversity of the casting adds to the verisimilitude. Which is why Alec Guinness’s performance as Professor Godbole is such a disappointment. It isn’t like Ben Kingsley and his portrayal of Gandhi. Guinness’s character is the only stereotypical, false portrayal of an Indian. According to the special features, even a few of the other actors questioned his casting.

Along with superb acting, audiences see a David Lean film for the cinematography. Ernest Days cinematography reminds me very much of the cinematography in Kubrick’s films, just without the cold aesthetic. A Passage to India uses the on site location of India to its full advantage. The bold colors and vast scale of the landscape are magnificent and add to the mysterious theme of the film. The music, though Academy-award winning, isn’t your typical score. It doesn’t have the memorable themes like Lawrence of Arabia or Dr. Zhivago. Instead, the music is only used at emotional moments and is very minimal for a 1980s film score. Despite the avant-garde style, it is effective. The choice of minimal music is used to bring the audience’s attention to the visual elements of the film, such as the editing. Russian director Sergei Eisenstein would have been proud of the intellectual editing in A Passage to India. For instance, when Peggy Ashcroft’s character is staring up at the Indian moon, the shot cuts to a reflection of the moon in a pool at an Indian mosque.

There are numerous special features on the 2 disc set. There is commentary with Producer Richard Goodwin on the first disc. Disc 2 contains: “E.M. Forster: Profile of an Author”, “An Epic Takes Shape”, “An Indian Affair”, “Only Connect: A Vision of India”, “Casting a Classic”, David Lean: Shooting With the Master”, and “Reflections of David Lean”. The features on the second disc are short and have very little energy. But the tidbits of information revealed, give an immeasurable insight into the filmmaking process rarely found with special features today that seem more like self-congratulation.

A Passage to India is not just a visual aspect; its approach to the racial turmoil in British-ruled India is very profound. The film presents racism within and between both cultures. Its message of friendship and the difficulty of crossing cultures transcend the movie’s run time.

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A Passage To India (1984) DVD review written by: Lyz Reblin

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