Ismail Merchant

Merchant Ivory is the longest running partnership in the history of cinema. As a film production entity, Merchant Ivory was founded in 1961 by producer Ismail Merchant (1936–2005) and director James Ivory (b. 1928). Merchant and Ivory were life and business partners from 1961 until Merchant's death in 2005. During their time together they made 43 films.

Um diplomata cego norte-americano abre uma casa noturna e acaba abrigando no local uma aristocrata russa refugiada que está tentando ganhar a vida como pode. Ela logo se torna a atração principal do local, mas a beira de um cenário conturbado e com uma guerra civil prestes a explodir, ela passa por uma série de dificuldades. Ao mesmo tempo, o seu protetor também tenta controlar as pressões da melhor maneira possível, mas as coisas estão cada vez mais complicadas e tudo se transforma em uma grande corrida para que a jovem russa consiga reencontrar a sua filha. Enquanto tudo isso acontece, os dois percebem que existe algo mais entre eles.

Isabel (Elizabeth Banks) é uma fotógrafa que tem dúvidas sobre seu casamento com Jonathan (James Marsden), que está para acontecer em breve. Sua mãe, Diana (Glenn Close), descobriu recentemente que seu marido tem um novo amor, o que faz com que ela repense as escolhas de sua vida e também seu casamento aberto. As vidas de Isabel e Diana logo criam ligações com Alec (Jesse Bradford), um jovem ator, e Peter (John Light), um jornalista.

Satyajit Ray’s masterpiece the Apu Trilogy is widely considered one of the most important works in cinema history. In 1992, Ray was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Oscar. But when film-preservationist David Sheppard volunteered to go to Bengal, he found the original negatives in a terrible state. “It’s hard to think of another world-class filmmaker”, says Sheppard, “whose oeuvre hangs by such a thin thread!” The Song of the Little Road tells the story of how a master’s body of work came so close to disintegration, and why Ray’s films move audiences so deeply across time and cultural boundaries. Three icons – director Martin Scorsese, producer Ismail Merchant, and music composer Ravi Shankar – illustrate stirringly what makes a masterpiece.

Isabel Walker, americana, vai para a França visitar sua irmã Roxeanne, que está grávida, mas foi abandonada pelo marido recentemente. Durante sua estadia na França, Isabel se apaixona por Edgard, um diplomata francês que é casado e também é tio de sua irmã. E juntamente com Roxeanne, Isabel passa a conhecer a bela Paris e participar de seus acontecimentos e eventos sociais.

The filmmakers and lead actors of The Remains of the Day (1993) discuss how they came to make the film, and the subtle power of its execution.

Circa 1940 in Trinidad, still a British Colony, lives Ganesh Ramseyor, of East Indian origin, along with his wife, Leela. He longs to reach out to people, especially to Hindus, in order to promote the Hindu Faith, and be known as a writer. He does get considerable success, so much so that he becomes famous as a miracle worker, having cured a man of sharing intimacy with his bicycle; prevented a man from believing that he can fly; and convincing a young woman to end her fast. His fame spreads all over the island and thousands throng to seek his blessings, which he does dole out quite benevolently, without charging any fees from the poor and the needy. He then decides to spread his wings by challenging the local politician Pandit Narayan Chandrashekhar alias Cyrus T., and takes over The Hindu Organization, thence opening his way to a seat in the prestigious Member of the Legislative Assembly

A documentary about making The Remains of the Day.

Historical context for The Remains of the Day.

An intricately plotted tale of thwarted love and betrayal, "The Golden Bowl" tells the story of an extravagantly rich American widower and his sheltered daughter, both of whom marry only to discover that their respective mates, a beautiful American expatriate and an impoverished Italian aristocrat, are entangled with one another in a romantic intrigue of seduction and deceit.

A British family is trapped between culture, tradition, and the colonial sins of the past.

This fictionalized story, based on the family life of writer James Jones, is an emotional slice-of-life story. Jones is portrayed here portrayed as Bill Willis, a former war hero turned author who combats alcoholism and is starting to experience health problems. Living in France with his wife, daughter, and an adopted son, the family travels an unconventional road which casts them as outsiders to others. Preaching a sexual freedom, his daughter's sexual discovery begins at an early age and betrays her when the family moves to Hanover in America. Her overt sexuality clashes with the values of her teenage American peers and gives her a problematic reputation. Meanwhile, her brooding brother copes with his own interior pain regarding his past, only comfortable communicating within the domestic space.

Clarissa Dalloway looks back on her youth as she readies for a gathering at her house. The wife of a legislator and a doyenne of London's upper-crust party scene, Clarissa finds that the plight of ailing war veteran Septimus Warren Smith reminds her of a past romance with Peter Walsh. In flashbacks, young Clarissa explores her possibilities with Peter.

An expatriated French novelist returns to Paris when she learns that her childhood home is being placed on the auction block.

Em 1943 o famoso pintor Pablo Picasso (Anthony Hopkins), com 60 anos, conhece Françoise Gilot (Natascha McElhone), que tem 23 anos, sonha ser pintora e idolatra o grande mestre. Ela se tornaria sua amante, mas isto não impede Picasso de ser infiel. Françoise lhe dá dois filhos, Claude e Paloma, e aceita as mulheres dele como parte do relacionamento. Ele, em contrapartida, lhe mostra grandes obras de arte e a apresenta aos grandes mestres, mas a união gradativamente começa a se desgastar de forma inexorável.

40 international directors were asked to make a short film using the original Cinematographe invented by the Lumière Brothers, working under conditions similar to those of 1895. There were three rules: (1) The film could be no longer than 52 seconds, (2) no synchronized sound was permitted, and (3) no more than three takes.

After an abandoned young woman in late 19th Century England is taken in by a rural couple with three handsome sons, tragic consequences result.

A história de Thomas Jefferson enquanto embaixador em Paris, alguns anos antes de ser presidente, e as especulações em torno de uma suposta amante, a escrava Sally, de apenas 15 anos, com quem teria tido um filho.

Ismail Merchant's feature directorial debut addresses a subject close to his heart: the expressive Urdu language of Northern India, in danger of extinction as political trends and modernization obscure its contributions to Indian culture. Merchant 's treatment is wry and good humored , as his characters - an aging Urdu poet (Shashi Kapoor) and a worshipful young college lecturer - clash despite their shared passion for the beauty of words.

1958. James Stevens (Anthony Hopkins), um homem de idade, em um grande carro antigo começa uma viagem pela Inglaterra em direção ao mar. Por muitos anos ele foi o mordomo-chefe de Darlington Hall, uma famosa casa de campo. Neste época sacrificou sua vida pessoal por vários anos para ter um alto desempenho profissional, reprimindo seus sentimentos e aparentando uma frieza que na verdade não era parte da sua personalidade. Ele está indo visitar Sally Kenton (Emma Thompson), que tinha sido governanta em Darlington e ele não vê há muito tempo. Ele pensa que talvez ela possa ser persuadida a retomar a sua antiga posição, trabalhando para o novo proprietário de Darlington, um congressista americano aposentado. (e Livre - Estimado Livre)

Helen Shlegel se apaixona por Paul Wilcox, mas é rejeitada. Sua irmã Margaret se torna amiga da mãe dele, que promete à ela a casa da família, Howards End. Infelizmente, depois de sua morte, o testamento desaparece. Até que o viúvo Henry Wilcox se torna atraído por Margaret.

A small-town eccentric opens a café in her decaying home.

Set during World War II, an upper-class family begins to fall apart due to the conservative nature of the patriarch and the progressive values of his children.

Meet the denizens of New York City: artists, prostitutes, saints, and seers. All are aspiring toward either fame or oblivion, and hoping for love and acceptance. Instead they find high rents, faithless partners, and dead-end careers.

Meet the denizens of New York City: artists, prostitutes, saints, and seers. All are aspiring toward either fame or oblivion, and hoping for love and acceptance. Instead they find high rents, faithless partners, and dead-end careers.

India, 1825: the country lives in mortal fear of cult members known as the “Deceivers." They commit robbery and ritualistic murder. Appalled by their activities, an English military man, Captain William Savage, conceives a hazardous plot to stop them. In disguise, he plans to himself become a “Deceiver” and infiltrate their numbers. Ever present in Savage’s adventures is a sense of dread; he is in constant fear of betrayal and vengeance and also undergoes a disturbing psychological transformation as he experiences the cult’s blood lust firsthand.

Police Inspector Ghote lives a middle-class life in Bombay along with his wife, Pratima. He has been employed with the Bombay Police for many years. He is assigned to investigate the deadly assault on a Parsi man named Perfect, who is the Secretary of Lala Heera Lal, a wealthy man with underworld links. Inspector Ghote commences his investigation and is displeased when his superiors ask him to work with a Swedish Forensic Expert by the name of Axel Svennson.

Maurice conta a história de dois jovens estudantes ingleses que se tornam grandes amigos. Cada vez mais íntimos, Maurice Hall e Clive Durham percebem que estão apaixonados, mas lutam contra esse sentimento já que a homossexualidade, além de condenada socialmente, era considerada crime na Inglaterra do século XIX,O Mais lindo filme Gay de todos os tempos, uma história do amor entre amigos em uma época distante ,conservadora e cheia de preconceitos. Este clássico é estrelado por Hugh Grant e James Wilber.

A young girl agrees to work in a center for girls who can't stay with their parents. She gets wrapped up in the plights of several of the girls, and tries to help them, but only gets herself into trouble with her parents and supervisor.

When Lucy Honeychurch and chaperon Charlotte Bartlett find themselves in Florence with rooms without views, fellow guests Mr Emerson and son George step in to remedy the situation. Meeting the Emersons could change Lucy's life forever but, once back in England, how will her experiences in Tuscany affect her marriage plans?

A bored lawyer and a suffragette vie for the attention of a faith healer's charismatic daughter.

Documentary about Merchant Ivory Productions, including interviews with the principals of the film production company and actors which have appeared in their films.

Anne está investigando a vida de sua tia avó Olívia, cujo destino sempre foi envolto em escândalo. A busca remonta ao início da década de 1920, quando Olívia, recém-casada com Douglas, funcionário público da administração colonial, vai morar com ele na Índia. Lentamente, Olivia fica fascinada pela Índia e pelo governante local, um Nawab que combina a distinção britânica com a pompa e crueldade da Índia. Esse fascínio não é isento de riscos: a região está sendo saqueada por um grupo de bandidos sanguinários, e as intrigas se opõem à comunidade britânica preconceituosa liderada pelo Major Minnies e pelo Dr. Saunders contra o Nawab. Como Anne investiga a história de sua tia-avó, ela é levada a reconsiderar sua própria vida. (e 14 - Estimado 14 Anos)

Anne está investigando a vida de sua tia avó Olívia, cujo destino sempre foi envolto em escândalo. A busca remonta ao início da década de 1920, quando Olívia, recém-casada com Douglas, funcionário público da administração colonial, vai morar com ele na Índia. Lentamente, Olivia fica fascinada pela Índia e pelo governante local, um Nawab que combina a distinção britânica com a pompa e crueldade da Índia. Esse fascínio não é isento de riscos: a região está sendo saqueada por um grupo de bandidos sanguinários, e as intrigas se opõem à comunidade britânica preconceituosa liderada pelo Major Minnies e pelo Dr. Saunders contra o Nawab. Como Anne investiga a história de sua tia-avó, ela é levada a reconsiderar sua própria vida. (e 14 - Estimado 14 Anos)

In the Mumbai, India, tenement community of Pavanpul, young female courtesans sing, dance and perform sexual favors for male clientele. Directors James Ivory and Ismail Merchant blend documentary footage and dramatic reenactments in their exploration of this seamy underworld, the flip side of the Bollywood film industry, where aspiring actors and dancers -- some even sold into prostitution by their own families -- end up, with their innocence lost and their hopes for movie stardom shattered.

In the Mumbai, India, tenement community of Pavanpul, young female courtesans sing, dance and perform sexual favors for male clientele. Directors James Ivory and Ismail Merchant blend documentary footage and dramatic reenactments in their exploration of this seamy underworld, the flip side of the Bollywood film industry, where aspiring actors and dancers -- some even sold into prostitution by their own families -- end up, with their innocence lost and their hopes for movie stardom shattered.

In the Mumbai, India, tenement community of Pavanpul, young female courtesans sing, dance and perform sexual favors for male clientele. Directors James Ivory and Ismail Merchant blend documentary footage and dramatic reenactments in their exploration of this seamy underworld, the flip side of the Bollywood film industry, where aspiring actors and dancers -- some even sold into prostitution by their own families -- end up, with their innocence lost and their hopes for movie stardom shattered.

When her husband's arrest leaves her penniless, a woman accepts an invitation to move in with a strange couple.

Two teachers vie for the right to stage a play written by Jane Austen when she was twelve years old.

A New England household is upset by the arrival of two cousins from Europe.

This lighthearted romp through Royal India presents a world of Maharajas, palaces, imperiled art objects, and the foreign collectors who will stop at nothing to possess them. Peggy Ashcroft and Larry Pine star as two rapacious art collectors who come to the decaying Art Deco palace of a young Maharaja (Victor Banerjee) to examine a legendary collection of Indian miniature paintings. While vying with each other to get the pictures away from the royal couple—nicknamed Georgie and Bonnie as children by their Scottish governess—they must also divine the true motives of the Indian curator of the collection (Saeed Jaffrey), who, in league with the Maharaja’s beautiful sister (Aparna Sen), may be working against them. Amidst the backdrop of lavish tourist entertainments, Christmas parties, fireworks, and even an English ghost, a desperate game of palace intrigue will determine the ultimate resting place of the priceless paintings.

"Roseland" is made up of three stories, sometimes connecting, all set in the famed New York dance palace, and all having the same theme: finding the right dance partner.

On the birthday of her late father, a deposed Maharaja, a displaced Indian princess living in London and his former private secretary watch home movies and reminisce about royal India.

A Hollywood dos anos 20 foi resgatada de forma exuberante, realista e violenta neste filme pouco conhecido de James Ivory. A lei seca pegava pesado e o contrabando de rum, que era a fonte de renda de muita gente. Um famoso ator de comédia estava em crise no casamento, o que foi dilacerando sua vida profissional. O diretor James Ivory, sempre gostou de temas sobre relacionamentos, que tenha o sexo como ponto de equilíbrio (ou desequilíbrio) de uma vida a dois. Em Festa Selvagem, ele traz todo o glamour e a decadência dos anos de ouro de Hollywood.

In the time frame of a single day (from dawn to dust), the film records the wanderings of an Indian youth who sleeps on the beach, holds conversations with a statue of Mahatma Gandhi, and scavenges for food with his monkey. By afternoon, a little ceremony is held by well-to-do Gandhi-ites, at which a speaker delivers a sermon on "godly love"; but when the boy comes too close, he is told to move on by a guard, one of a series of exclusions of this onlooker-outcast.

In the time frame of a single day (from dawn to dust), the film records the wanderings of an Indian youth who sleeps on the beach, holds conversations with a statue of Mahatma Gandhi, and scavenges for food with his monkey. By afternoon, a little ceremony is held by well-to-do Gandhi-ites, at which a speaker delivers a sermon on "godly love"; but when the boy comes too close, he is told to move on by a guard, one of a series of exclusions of this onlooker-outcast.

Looks at the musical extravaganzas which constitute the main bulk of commercial cinema in India; in particular at the career of Helen, the undisputed Queen of such sagas, having appeared in some five hundred since 1957. Excerpts from some of her films are interspersed with an interview with the star in her dressing room.

A tribe of primitive "mudpeople" encounter a croquet ball, rolling through their forest. Following it, they find themselves on a vast, deserted Long Island estate. Entering, they begin to become civilized and assume the stereotypical roles and dress of people at a weekend party. There follows an allegory of upper-class behavior. At last, they begin to devolve toward their original status, and after a battle at croquet, they disappear into the woods.

An English novelist travels to Bombay to watch one of her novels translated to film. She chases after the movie's leading man while the screenwriter chases after her.

An English novelist travels to Bombay to watch one of her novels translated to film. She chases after the movie's leading man while the screenwriter chases after her.

Britain's top pop artiste, Tom Pickle, travels to Bombay, India, circa 1960s to learn to play the sitar from renowned maestro Ustad Zafar Khan.

The story of a family troupe of English actors who travel around the towns and villages in India 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 Bollywood movies. Based on the travels of Geoffrey Kendal with his daughter Felicity Kendal.

The story of a family troupe of English actors who travel around the towns and villages in India 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 Bollywood movies. Based on the travels of Geoffrey Kendal with his daughter Felicity Kendal.

Follows the fortunes of a young teacher, Prem, who isn't ready to take on the responsibilities of his arranged marriage.

Follows the fortunes of a young teacher, Prem, who isn't ready to take on the responsibilities of his arranged marriage.

This 14-minute film talks about the Hindu god Brahma's creation of life, the world and of course the first woman. Saeed Jaffrey narrates the story as dancers Bhaskar, Dinu and Anjali Devi "act" out the story.