Post by kijii on Feb 12, 2021 5:13:49 GMT
Shakespeare-Wallah (1965) / James Ivory
I enjoyed this B&W film, the 2nd feature film made by the Ivory /Merchant / Ruth Prawer Jhabvala collaboration. It's also great if you are familiar with Shakespeare's plays because there are several scenes from his plays throughout the film. The play scenes serve to separate episodes from the acting family's travels throughout India. The husband and wife acting team seems to have come to India before 1947 because they couldn't quite make it in England. They never left India, but the pace of life, over time, has made their audiences much smaller and less profitable.
The story of a family troupe of English actors in India. They travel around the towns and villages giving performances of Shakespearean plays. Through their travels we see the changing face of India as the old is replaced by the new, Maharajas become hotel owners, sports become more important than culture and the theater is replaced by Bolliwood movies. Based on the travels of Geoffrey Kendal with his daughter Felicity Kendal.
—Steve Crook <steve@brainstorm.co.uk>
—Steve Crook <steve@brainstorm.co.uk>