Is it just me or has Merchant Ivory become a bit superficial and gimmicky of late? I thought these guys brought art-house to the main stream in the early 80's by creating these kind of grande sweeping movies bu that also has aggressive social and political undercurrents? A Room with a View! Its not like Helen Bonham Carter was frivolous in it. Look here's the history:


The White Countess (To Be Announced)
Heights (2004)
Le Divorce (2003)
The Mystic Masseur (2002)
The Golden Bowl (2001)
Cotton Mary (2000)
A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries (1998)
Surviving Picasso (1996)
The Proprietor (1996)
Jefferson in Paris (1995)
Feast of July (1995)
In Custody (1994)
The Remains of the Day (1993)
Howards End (1992)
Street Musicians of Bombay (1991)
The Perfect Murder (1990)
Mr. and Mrs. Bridge (1990)
The Ballad of the Sad Café (1990)
Slaves of New York (1989)
The Deceivers (1988)
Maurice (1987)
A Room With a View (1985)
The Bostonians (1984)
Heat and Dust (1983)
The Courtesans of Bombay (1983)
Quartet (1981)
Jane Austen in Manhattan (1980)
The Europeans (1979)
The Five Forty-Eight (1979)
Hullabaloo Over Georgie and Bonnie's Pictures (1976)
Roseland (1977)
Sweet Sounds (1976)
The Wild Party (1975)
Autobiography of a Princess (1975)
Mahatma and the Mad Boy (1974)
Helen: Queen of the Nautch Girls (1973)
Savages (1973)
Adventures of a Brown Man in Search of Civilization (1972)
Bombay Talkie (1970)
The Guru (1969)
Shakespeare Wallah (1965)
The Delhi Way (1964)
The Householder (1963)
The Creation of Woman (1960)
The Sword and the Flute (1959)
Venice: Theme and Variations (1957)


I'm referring to these three. Golden Bowl was very stylized, and decent to look at, but it lacked subtlty. Its like everything that could have been an undertone became an actual plot line. Mystic I didn't see, but wasn't it very poorly received? And Divorce was terrible. Its like when they tried to call the spice-girls femenists, even though I'd be more likely to believe that than Kate Hudson cuteness and coy looks (but not too coy...that would be aggressive, so their was always an accompanying perky smile and an explanation talk b/w the sisters). Meh, I miss the element of austerity and formality that was contrived but alowed for things to go unsaid. There was a much heavier queer/political element, and its as though their productions no longer straddle the fence of arts-house and mainstream, and have rather just become sort of frivolous tidbits that still try to act as though they have more to say.

My favorite, clearly, is:


What's your favorite Merchant-Ivory? Do you like their recent work at all?

My only experience with Merchant Ivory is from years ago. I do not recall the name of a single movie of theirs I saw but I do remember that most of them related to India and one starred Naseeruddin Shah (lso seen in Monsoon Wedding)

I actually had no idea they were still making movies.

Yeah, they do have a bit of the British colonialist/imperialist aspect to them. I saw their production list and was surprised to see just how many films are [retty much about India, or Brits in India.

The name Merchant Ivory, from what iremember comes the the last name of the 2 people who started it. I believe Merchant is an indian fellow.

Yes, bABA, you're right. It stands for James Ivory and Ismail Merchant. I guess Merchant had directed about 9 movies, including Mystic Masseur, but had a much bigger hand in the production aspects and the formation/business of Merchant-Ivory.

I know Ivory did Room with a View, Howard's End, and remains of the Day, etc. He also did Le Divorce. They've gotten a bit soft in their old age, lol.

Case in Point:





Ugh. Its like even their adds are infinately more sugar coated.

I saw Le Divorce in theatres last year. It was terrible, truly bad, one of last year's worst movies, definitely.

Thankyou. My mom loved it...that should be sending warning bells off left and right already. I couldn't stand it.

I haven't seen too many of their films, but of what I have seen A Room With A View is the best. I'd follow that with Remains Of The Day and then Howard's End. I have no desire to see Le Divorce.

So did you see it?

I was pretty disappointed because the movie looked somewhat refreshing. I like both Kate Hudson and especially Naomi Watts. The movie was just outright pretentious and the plot was simple senseless from time to time. I can't complain about Watts' acting, she was as good as always, even though not exactly oscar-worthy. The subplots of the movie were annoying and there were quite a couple of missed opportunities.