A Passage to India (1984)

Director:

David Lean

Writers:

E.M. Forster (by)
E.M. Forster (based on the novel by)
(more)

Release Date:

25 January 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | History

Tagline:

David Lean, the Director of "Doctor Zhivago", "Lawrence of Arabia" and "The Bridge on the River Kwai", invites you on . . .[A Passage to India]

Plot:

Cultural mistrust and false accusations doom a friendship in British colonial India between an Indian doctor, an Englishwoman engaged to marry a city magistrate, and an English educator.

Plot Keywords:

Doctor | India | Mosque | English | Magistrate

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 19 wins & 24 nominations

Cast

Judy Davis	...	Adela
Victor Banerjee	...	Aziz
Peggy Ashcroft	...	Mrs. Moore
James Fox	...	Fielding
Alec Guinness	...	Godbole
Nigel Havers	...	Ronny
Richard Wilson	...	Turton
Antonia Pemberton	...	Mrs. Turton
Michael Culver	...	McBryde
Art Malik	...	Ali
Saeed Jaffrey	...	Hamidullah
Clive Swift	...	Major Callendar
Ann Firbank	...	Mrs. Callendar
Roshan Seth	...	Amritrao
Sandra Hotz	...	Stella Fielding
Rashid Karapiet	...	Das
H.S. Krishnamurthy	...	Hassan
Ishaq Bux	...	Selim
Moti Makan	...	Guide
Mohammed Ashiq	...	Haq
Phyllis Bose	...	Mrs. Leslie
Sally Kinghorn	...	Ingenue (as Sally Kinghorne)
Paul Anil	...	Clerk of the Court
Z.H. Khan	...	Dr. Panna Lal
Ashok Mandanna	...	Anthony
Dina Pathak	...	Begum Hamidullah
Adam Blackwood	...	Mr. Hadley
Mellan Mitchell	...	Indian Businessman
Peter Hughes	...	P & O manager
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
John Michie	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Duncan Preston	...	Club Member (uncredited)

Directed by
David Lean

Writing credits
E.M. Forster		(by)
E.M. Forster		(based on the novel by)
Santha Rama Rau		(based on the play by)
David Lean		(screenplay)

Produced by
John Brabourne	....	producer
Richard B. Goodwin	....	producer (as Richard Goodwin)
John Heyman	....	executive producer (uncredited)
Edward Sands	....	executive producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Maurice Jarre

Cinematography by
Ernest Day		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
David Lean

Casting by
Priscilla John

Production Design by
John Box
Herbert Westbrook		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
Cliff Robinson		(as Clifford Robinson)
Leslie Tomkins
Herbert Westbrook
Ram Yedekar

Set Decoration by
Hugh Scaife

Costume Design by
Judy Moorcroft

Makeup Department
Eric Allwright	....	makeup artist
Elaine Bowerbank	....	hairdresser
Jill Carpenter	....	makeup artist
Vera Mitchell	....	hairdresser

Production Management
Rashid Abbasi	....	unit manager: India (as Rashid Abbassi)
Jim Brennan	....	production manager
Shama Habibullah	....	production manager
Barrie Melrose	....	production supervisor
John Downes	....	production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Patrick Cadell	....	assistant director
Christopher Figg	....	assistant director
Ajit Kumar	....	assistant director
Nick Laws	....	assistant director
Arundhati Rao	....	assistant director

Art Department
Eddie Fowlie	....	props
Bert Hearn	....	property master: UK
Mickey Pugh	....	props
Steve Short	....	props
Frank Billington-Marks	....	assistant property master (uncredited)
Albert Blackshaw	....	construction manager: India (uncredited)
Ron Coleman	....	construction manager: UK (uncredited)
Agnes Goveas	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Cleo Nethersole	....	drapesmaster (uncredited)
Peter Russell	....	draughtsman (uncredited)
Bill Stallion	....	storyboard artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
Jeremy Baylis	....	assistant dialogue editor
Ron Butcher	....	sound engineer
Michael A. Carter	....	sound recordist
Peter Dansie	....	assistant sound editor
Graham V. Hartstone	....	sound recordist
Jack T. Knight	....	effects editor
Nicolas Le Messurier	....	sound recordist
Dick Lewzey	....	sound recordist (as Richard Lewzey)
Archie Ludski	....	dialogue editor
John W. Mitchell	....	sound recordist (as John Mitchell)
Keith Pamplin	....	boom operator
Winston Ryder	....	sound editor
Lionel Strutt	....	sound recordist
Chris David	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Robin Browne	....	effects

Stunts
Richard Graydon	....	stunt coordinator (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Robin Browne	....	second unit photography
Frank Connor	....	stills
Frank Elliott	....	focus
John Fletcher	....	second camera focus
Roy Ford	....	camera operator
W.C. 'Chunky' Huse	....	grip (as Chunky Huse)
Martin Kenzie	....	clapper
Alan Martin	....	electrician
Bill Pochetty	....	electrician
Chris Pinnock	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Nigel Seal	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Rosemary Burrows	....	wardrobe mistress
Keith Morton	....	wardrobe master

Editorial Department
Kees T. Hooft	....	assistant editor (as Kees 'T Hooft)
Ron Lambert	....	color timing
Eunice Mountjoy	....	associate editor
Anne Sopel	....	assistant editor
Alf Wharton	....	color grading: UK

Music Department
Robin Clarke	....	music editor
Maurice Jarre	....	conductor
Christopher Palmer	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Pamela Wells	....	transport

Other crew
Pamela Allen	....	contact: London
Mohini Banerji	....	liaison: Delhi
Charles Cannon	....	production accountant
Eleanor Chaudhuri	....	production secretary: India
Eddie Fowlie	....	locations
Diana Hawkins	....	publicist
John Heyman	....	in association with
Christopher Palmer	....	assistant to: Maurice Jarre
P.N. Parthasarathy	....	government liaison: India
Pat Pennelegion	....	production assistant
Brioni Pereira	....	location secretary
Germinal Rangel	....	couturier
Rex Saluz	....	location accountant
Edward Sands	....	in association with
Maggie Unsworth	....	continuity
Marcus Wilford	....	customs liaison
David Cherrill	....	location manager (uncredited)
Yeti Jindal	....	location manager (uncredited)
Lee Katz	....	production consultant (uncredited)
Richard Morrison	....	title designer (uncredited)
Kevin Phelan	....	unit projectionist: Mercury Theatres, London (uncredited)
Thomas Thanangadan	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• EMI Films (A John Brabourne and Richard Goodwin Production) (David Lean's Film)
• Home Box Office (HBO) (in association with) (as Home Box Office Inc.)
• Thorn EMI Screen Entertainment (copyright owner) (as Thorn EMI Film Finance plc)

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1984) (USA) (theatrical)
• Sandrew Film & Teater (1985) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (1985) (USA) (VHS)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical) (35mm print)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2003) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (Europe) (2003) (UK) (DVD)
• Svensk Filmindustri (SF) (2003) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2006) (Germany) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Columbia TriStar (USA) (laserdisc)
• MGM Home Entertainment (UK) (video)
• MTC Video (1985) (Greece) (VHS)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)
• Tec Home Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Blowup  stills processing (uncredited)
• C.T.S. Studios  music recorded at (as CTS Studios, Wembley)
• Capitol Records  soundtrack (uncredited)
• Government of India  the producers wish to thank
• Mayflower Recording  adr recording (uncredited)
• National Maritime Museum  ship models and paintings: courtesy of (as National Maritime Museum and P & O)
• Optical Film Effects  titles by (as Optical Film Effects Ltd.)
• P & O Cruises  the producers wish to thank
• Peerless Camera Company  opticals by (as Peerless Camera Company Ltd)
• Pinewood Studios  post production at (as Pinewood Studios, Iver, Buckinghamshire, England)
• Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, The  orchestra (as The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

164 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English | Hindi

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Chile:TE | Finland:K-11 (DVD rating) | Sweden:11 | USA:PG (PCA #27462) | Ireland:PG | UK:PG | Singapore:PG | Netherlands:AL | Iceland:L | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Norway:12 | West Germany:6 (f) | Brazil:Livre | UK:PG (video rating) (1987) | Peru:PT | Portugal:M/12

Filming Locations:

Bangalore Palace, Bangalore, Karnataka, India

Company:

EMI Films

Trivia:

David Lean's first (and last) film after a 14-year hiatus from the industry. He was so devastated by the negative reviews of Ryan's Daughter (1970), he dropped out of the filmmaking scene.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Adela climbs up the hill and goes into the cave, she is wearing white shoes. When she runs down the hill, she is wearing black shoes.

Quotes:

Ali:How is Britain justified in holding India?
Dr. Aziz H. Ahmed:Unfair political question!
Richard Fielding:No, no! Well, personally, I'm here because I need a job.
Ali:Qualified Indians also need jobs!
Richard Fielding:I got here first.
[laughter]
Richard Fielding:Well, I like it here and that's my excuse.
Advocate Hamidullah:And those Englishmen who do not like it here?
Richard Fielding:Chuck 'em out.
[laughter]
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Indiana Jones: Making the Trilogy (2003) (V)

Soundtrack:

God Save the King

There'll Always Be a Raj-------NOT

A Passage Through India tells a story about the radicalization of a native Indian who happens to be a Moslem. This was in the days before the idea of a separate Pakistan took hold in the independence movement.

Victor Bannerjee plays Dr. Aziz Ahmed and as you see by his title he's a professional man. But he's still looked down upon by most of the British who are ruling India. He's befriended by Peggy Ashcroft who is visiting India with her daughter-in-law to be, Judy Davis. Peggy's son is a magistrate. Bannerjee is also friends with James Fox who is an administrator at a local college.

He's warned against fraternizing with the British by his friends and family, but Bannerjee goes on a picnic with Ashcroft and Davis and Davis has a horrifying experience in the historic caves at Marabar. It's only her claustrophobia acting up, but Bannerjee winds up accused of rape. And his trial becomes a cause celebre for the Congress Party. Note that Bannerjee has two defense attorneys, a Moslem and a Hindu.

E.M. Forster who wrote A Passage to India brought two elements of his background to the writing of this novel. He served as a private secretary to a local maharajah so he knew the customs of India as well as the political scene. Most in the United Kingdom wanted to see India free after World War I. A few very powerful folks like Winston Churchill and some influential press lords, most prominently Lord Beaverbrook did not. There opposition kept India a British colony until after another World War.

Secondly Forster was a closeted gay man. His homosexuality was not publicly revealed, he wasn't 'outted' until after he died in 1970. One of his relationships was with a Moslem Indian who died at a young age. He's the model for Dr. Aziz. The India Forster writes about is not Rudyard Kipling's India. A place where the native population is made to feel like outsiders. Forster identified with them in a way Kipling could never conceive.

Peggy Ashcroft won a Best Supporting Actress Award for her role as the kindly Mrs. Moore. I've got a sneaking suspicion that Forster modeled her character on his own mother who lived with him until she died in 1945. Judy Davis got a nomination for Best Actress and A Passage to India was nominated in a whole bunch of technical categories.

A Passage to India is a disturbing look at a bygone era in a place where you can see a lot of the problems we face today being nurtured.