Heat and Dust

For those who are fans of Merchant Ivory films they will certainly like Heat and dust. Others who may not enjoy Merchant Ivory's style may not enjoy this film as much. However, for Indian movie fans it would be interesting to... Full review

Excellent film, maybe Merchant-Ivory's best. The story is wonderfully compelling. I love how the lives of the two British women are linked together. It's fascinating to see how differently they were treated by falling in love an Indian at different... Full review

This is an awesome movie, I am not writing a critical review, perhaps it is because I allow myself to fade into the film, I am transported to that time and place, I am not looking to find fault with... Full review

Heat and Dust is a Merchant/Ivory production detailing the story of an Englishwoman who has an affair with an Indian while living in India. It is hard to watch this film without thinking of "A Passage to India". The story here... Full review

I just discovered this movie, which I must have missed when it was originally released. I am a big fan of Greta Scacchi since I saw her in "White Mischief" and I just lately admired Julie Christie in "Away from... Full review

During the 1980s the British entertainment industry was going through a period of fascination with all things Indian, especially with the Raj. This was the decade of Richard Attenborough's "Gandhi", David Lean's "A Passage to India" and the television version... Full review

As per usual, James Ivory captures a good feel for the period and setting, helped by, as usual, a fitting Richard Robbins score. As a cultural study, it has some things to say, with an insight into the culture of... Full review

'Heat and Dust' became a minor favorite of mine from the first time I saw it shortly after it was released in 1983. It isn't up to the Merchant/Ivory standards of 'A Room with a View' 'Maurice' or 'Howards End'... Full review

This, the the first internationally successful Merchant-Ivory production, continues to be a major achievement. Effortlessly passing from post-sixties soul-searching to twenties scandal, it uses the stylistic freedom of the filmmaker to make solid what can be only suggested in the... Full review

Based on Ruth Prawer Jhabvala's Booker Prize winning novel of the same name, this film is not so much as being about India but rather using the country as an effective setting to tell a story spanning approximately 3 generations.... Full review

The funniest and warmest speech of the afternoon was delivered by Scacchi, whose film career was launched in Merchant Ivory's Heat and Dust . We are left with the memory of his charm, his mischief, his outrageous thrift, his beautiful belief in the art of filmmaking. ... Full Review

Final Thoughts: The movie was very well made on all levels and thoughtful viewers will appreciate it deeply. It's an excellent movie Thus, the writing and direction were great. ... Full Review

The dust comes from James Ivorys direction, which is too dry and genteel to conjure any real passion. The mood is far from testy on the love-in chat-track, where Merchant, Scacchi and actor Nickolas Grace abuse the word wonderful for two hours. ... Full Review

Heat and Dust " contains wonderful sights and sounds and textures. Eventually she has an affair with the local Nawab ( Shashi Kapoor ), who is beguiling, attractive, cheerfully sophisticated and possibly a murderer. ... Full Review

Heat And Dust is an interesting and beautiful early Merchant Ivory film that in may ways concentrates more on the story and emotions of its characters than on the period detail that their later films are so obsessed with. Cutting between the two stories, this is a sensitive, thoughtful film based on Ruth Prawer Jabhvala's novel. ... Full Review