Bombay Talkie (1970)

I love the Merchant Ivory films and I love the 70s aesthetics, so I was quite drawn initially into this movie. The initial sequence around the giant typewriter is spectacular. Unfortunately, it just fizzled out from that moment onwards. I just couldn't bring myself to care about any of the characters: the guys are stupid, the female lead vain, narcissistic and self-centered to the point of implosion.It remains somewhat watchable as a document of an era, but it's a surprisingly poor movie.

This is a film about two very annoying people from very different cultures. Lucia Lane (Jennifer Kendal) is a British author who is visiting India. A screenwriter is obviously enamored with her but she is drawn towards Vikram (Shashi Kapoor). The two begin an affair--one that seems built on selfishness. After all, she's already been married four times and he is currently married. Because of this and Lucia's unpredictable and moody behavior (the b-word comes to mind when I think of her), it's really hard to care about this couple. However, it also seems that they are doomed for disaster--something I actually looked forward to! Normally, you are NOT supposed to wish to see a tragic ending--but because I hated both the characters so much, I couldn't wait! Unfortunately, it isn't horrible enough--as even killing the couple wouldn't have been good enough to merit my wasting my time on "Bombay Talkie"!This is a rather bad romantic movie. While I love the behind the scenes look at the Indian film industry, the story itself was tepid and the characters vapid. And, interestingly, the romance between Lucia and Vikram is totally unconvincing, as in real life the pair were married and remained so for many years (until Kendal's death). The only thing else I really liked was the way the opening credits were done! All in all, a very poor film--mostly because the script is poor and the dialog is even worse. A clear misfire.

Sorry, I love most Merchant-Ivory films, but this was truly agonizing to watch. I only watched it all the way through because I kept thinking it had to get better...but it never did. Also, on the DVD version that I watched the sound quality was horrible. It sounded as if it were recorded on a Fisher-Price tape recorder. One thing I dislike in films is when the main characters are not at all sympathetic. Unfortunately, that's another of this films shortcomings. The three main characters are all self-obsessed, self pitying wretches, and the dialog they have been given by the screenwriter (whom I also usually adore) is simply pathetic.By the time I got to the end of the film, I was praying that they wouldn't give in to the urge to end the film with the trite senseless killing that they telegraphed earlier with close-ups of the murder weapon; but they did. Another disappointment. Even if you've set yourself a goal of watching all of James Ivory's films, you may guiltlessly excuse yourself from this one. It's just not up to his usual standards.

I agree with Dilip, it is an OK movie, but the DVD that I got from my library had an added feature - a half hour of dancer Helen. She is really over the top. So skip the movie and enjoy Helen!!!!! I have to give ten lines of text, so here goes. The opulent sets and costumes of the movie were a definite plus, a nice look at the modern wealthy Indian life style. While not great, the movie's plot did generate some interest. For me high lights of the Helen feature were her cabaret dance with an caged afro-wigged "wild man" and a portrayal of a drunken bar patron at the end. During the course of this half hour she dances through several world dance genres.