1984 drama film directed by David Lean
A Passage to India is a 1984 epic period drama film written, directed and edited by David Lean. The screenplay is based on the 1924 novel of the same name by E. M. Forster and the 1960 play adaptation by Santha Rama Rau. The film stars Peggy Ashcroft, Judy Davis, James Fox, Alec Guinness, Nigel Havers, and Victor Banerjee.
Set in the 1920s, in the British Raj, the film follows the interactions of Dr. Aziz, Mrs. Moore, Adela Quested, Ronny Heaslop, and Richard Fielding in the fictional city of Chandrapore, which is split between the British elite and the native underclass. However, their relationships become strained due to cultural tensions and personal misunderstandings.
This was Lean's final film and marked his return to directing after a 14-year hiatus since Ryan's Daughter (1970). Upon its release, A Passage to India was met with widespread critical acclaim, with some praising it as Lean's finest since Lawrence of Arabia. The film received 11 nominations at the 57th Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actress for Davis. It won Best Supporting Actress for Ashcroft, making her, at 77, the oldest actress to win the award, and Best Original Score for Maurice Jarre, his third award in that category.
Plot summary adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.