A Passage to India (1984)

 This film was largely decent, though it was far from perfect. 

Adela Quested (Judy Davis) journeys to India in roughly 1924 to meet her boyfriend and eventual fiancé, Ronnie Heaslop (Nigel Havers ) who is a district magistrate there. She's also a companion for his mother, the kind, understanding and knowledgeable, Mrs. Moore (Peggy Ashcroft), who doesn't even get a first name. It is by chance that Mrs. Moore meets the talkative, genuine but wanting Dr. Aziz (Victor Banerjee). Desperate to meet more Indians and truly get a lay of the land, Mrs. Moore and Adela meet with Dr. Aziz and two professors from the local college, Fielding (James Fox) and the eclectic Godbole (Alec Guinness) and it is there where Dr. Aziz invites everyone on an epic hike to some remote, boring caves. 

And it is there was where the centerpiece scene occurs. Through a series of circumstances, Adela and Dr. Aziz and the guide go to a cave alone and Adela goes into the one cave alone and then bursts out, bleeding. Dr. Aziz is accused of rape and the case becomes a huge media sensation. Now, what isn't clear is why Adela signs the affidavit accusing him of rape when he just peered in, without seeing her. Adela breaks down on the stand and recants her statement. 

Fortunately, everyone gets a happy ending, though Mrs. Moore dies on her way home to England, and is shockingly never called to testify for either side. Fielding meets Mrs. Moore's daughter and Aziz eventually forgives Adela, though it is unclear if she got a happy ending or not, but hopefully she doesn't marry Ron as she doesn't love him. 

Now, despite the solid plot and well-developed characters, there are some jarring edits and minor plot holes, including the already mentioned Mrs. Moore not being called as a witness. Some of the scenes at the beginning are weird as they cut and jump to new characters without an explanation. And we never learn what really happened to Adela. But given how injured she was, something had to happen and I don't believe it was Dr. Aziz, so we're left to wonder, and I also don't believe that she was type who would have signed the affidavit with a clear mind but she was surrounded by those pressuring her to do just that. Still, the performances are solid and Ashcroft fully deserved her Oscar and I liked how the roles were different than tradition. The sets were also great and the score haunting, so the film was almost really great. Grade: B+

Side Notes:

-It is interesting how you see Fielding get a telegram for Mrs. Moore's death but if Ron is notified, that isn't shown.

-Ron really is the boring fiancé ever. 

-We also cannot forget the traumatizing monkey scene with Adela not long before the cave scene.