The Far Pavilions
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Movie Reviews of The Far Pavilions
Movie Review: amy irving is beautiful, but not an Indian princess
Summary: 3 Stars
Disappointing at best. It tries to be a visual feast of Indian culture and history at the turn of the 19th C in the height of the British Raj in India. But the colors are washed out, the what ought to be visual lavishness and opulence, dusty and tired, the sets and scenes basedly ruin this movie. The plot is the familiar one of star crossed pre-puberty friends who become lovers separated by enormous differences in time and culture. The subplots are war, the expansion of empire and the wasteful extravagance of the maharajis and other ruling classes of India. But no amount of good writing or excellent acting could have overcome the deficiencies of visual presentation.
And despite a stellar cast of actors, the acting wasn't up to excellent, but rather stuck pretty closely at the level level as the scenery, average at best, bottoming out in the dismal, despite the actor's abilities and the natural beauty of the countryside.
but one problem, above all the rest sticks in my mind. Amy Irving's makeup to portray her as a quarter caste (her mother was russian-indian) european and indian princess. I'm afraid that her makeup and skin tone darker make me constantly think of "blackface" and white people playing at being other races, other cultures, other people. Frankly it is irritating and a bit racist. There are lots of (and even were in the mid 1980's when the movie was made) talented and beautiful indian actresses who could have played the part to the hilt, without skin darkener. You are always conscious that it is Amy Irving, that she is Western, not Indian, that she is out of place, despite her enormous talent and most beautiful blue-gray eyes. She is a knockout in Crossing Delancey and mis casted as the princess here.
It would be interesting to see a good review of the movie from an Indian's viewpoint. Is the movie convincing? would she have leapt into his bed, risking loss of not just life but of family honor? would she really have made the transition from loving a 11 year old indian street waif to lusting after a British Raj military officer? i suspect that the movie coherence and continuity is in the minds of Western viewers, however not in the culture it proposes to portray.
In any case, it is a C+ movie, damaged beyond repair with the lousy scenery and upheld only by a plot and character development that probably doesn't really fit the time and place.
Movie Review: Not as good as I remembered
Summary: 3 Stars
When I first saw this adaptation for TV in the 1980s, I thought it was a fantastic recreation of M M Kaye's epic story of Anjuli and Ash which I had read some years previously. However, having recently reread the book, and followed it up with this DVD, I have to admit that this time round it fell well short of my expectations.
My first gripe is that the story has been changed quite a lot, so that first quarter of the book, dealing with Ash's early life, is covered in the opening credits plus a couple of flashbacks. Additionally, instead of keeping his background quiet, Ash now spouts off about it to virtually everyone he meets, which changes his character somewhat. And thirdly, the book has the Afghan war as the final scene, whereas this film uses the rescue of Anjuli from Bithor. Whilst I understand these changes are probably for the purposes of pace and dramatic effect, for me they spoilt my enjoyment of the film, since the gradual alienation of Ash from the British, Hindu and finally the Moslem communities is not fully explained, and the aftermath of Anjuli's rescue is glossed over as she and Ash ride off into the sunset.
The film is split up into a number of episodes, but after I'd watched the lengthy opening credits for the third time, I began to wish that, before converting it to DVD, it had been edited into a continuous whole. I also felt rather let down by the casting of the film. For my money, Ben Cross was just too short, and Amy Irving (Anjuli) looked as if her face had been covered in plaster of Paris, since her expression hardly ever changed. The child actors were also a bit wooden. However, the Indian cast were mostly fantastic, and the scenes of India, and particularly the bridal cortege, were great. The latter, in particular, combined just the right amount of gaudy splendour with noise and chaos.
Overall I felt this wasn't a terrible adaptation of the book, just not as good as I remembered, though my view of it probably suffered because I had read the book again so recently.
Movie Review: Did not hold my attention very well (2.5 Stars)
Summary: 3 Stars
I may be in the minority here, but The Far Pavilions was just not that interesting to me (I have never read the book so I am solely commenting on the DVD). The story just lulled along, forcing viewers to watch many slow-paced battle scenes and little side plots; Anjuli and Ash, the "star crossed lovers", were hardly ever even together in the movie. It took me a while to get through the entire five hours.
I thought Ben Cross was perfect in his role as Ash, but there was severe miscasting in the role of Anjuli! Amy Irving is a good actress, but the producers should have cast someone more to the character's description. While I realize that Anjuli was of mixed blood (Russian, I believe), they should have cast an actress with at least SOME Indian in her. Irving looks as if her face was painted to make her complexion look darker and that hideous eyeliner...Basically, she stuck out like a sore thumb against the rest of the authentically Indian cast.
To end with, the picture quality was awful. I realize the movie was made in 1984, but my 1939 remastered DVD of Gone With the Wind looks ridiculously better. Viewers are not able to fully appreciate the lush visuals and location shots the movie has to offer. Also, the miniseries was initially divided into six episodes, but one cannot tell on this DVD where they begin and end. It is divided into a Part I and Part II, and Part I cuts off at an inappropriate point where it seems they are still talking. No bonus footage or extras. I suggest they come out with a new remastered version.
Movie Review: A visual treat lacking spark
Summary: 3 Stars
I approached this film with anticipation, for the book by M.M. Kaye, which I have yet to read, had such excellent reviews. I would have to say this movie was extremely good and the scenery compelling. The second half of the six-hour film seemed to move along better than the first half. Most of the performances were very good, but I was let down by Amy Irving's performance in the leading romantic role. Irving is an actress who is one of my favourites and I was disappointed because she seemed curiously lacking in animation. The love scenes between her and Ash, which should have been breathtaking, were short on passion. Ben Cross as Ash was quite good but he too could have been more lively in his role of a fiery and insubordinate soldier of the Raj torn by childhood ties with India. Yet there were marvelous scenes, such as the caravan of the wedding party, and the suttee near the end of the film. The battle scenes, especially in Afghanistan, were excellent. The technical quality of the DVD I watched was top notch. But the pace occasionally dragged. There also seemed to be annoying gaps in motivation which may have been lost in the transition from novel to the screen.
I would like to give this film more stars, but for all the money that must have been spent in the production, the story should have had more drive.
Movie Review: Poor quality recording
Summary: 3 Stars
The quality of this recording is very poor. Certain sections were so dark they were barely watchable. I owed this series on VHS years ago, and there were no problems.