Movie Review ~ Merchant Ivory

Remember the good old days when “arthouse cinema” was almost a four-letter word to most mainstream moviegoers?  Even four years after the pandemic shuttered many of these theaters, which never opened again, I’m finding it hard to remember my local movie houses that played independent cinema.  While some of the larger chains pick up titles that would play at these small but mighty theaters, it isn’t the same when you hear the latest sci-fi blockbuster thundering through the auditorium wall next door. 

Many of my fondest high school and college memories with friends were going to the Landmark Theatres near me  (The Lagoon, The Uptown, and, later, The Edina) and taking an adventure with a sometimes off-the-wall film.  Most of the time, a movie bound to get awards season buzz would open after playing the festival circuit and screen for a week before moving on to a short run at our theaters in the suburbs, but the large majority were foreign titles, period pieces, and tiny budgeted delights (sometimes all three!) that are hard to track down on any streaming service nowadays.  There were many times when my friends and I would arrive at the theater to see one movie, find it sold out, and pick another one, sight unseen, only to be blown away.

What sets Merchant Ivory’s films apart is their seamless fusion of arthouse and mainstream cinema, inviting moviegoers accustomed to a different pace and palette to savor a rich cinematic experience.  They epitomized the golden age of arthouse and independent cinema, reigning supreme with their period dramas.  The Merchant Ivory brand, synonymous with cinematic elegance and intellectualism, ushered in an era where the creation of period dramas branched out from being niche to its own solid subgenre.

Stephen Soucy’s new documentary, Merchant Ivory, offers a detailed look at the legendary production company, as told by one of its founders (Oscar-winner James Ivory) and an enviable cast of globally revered actors, technicians, and other behind-the-scenes individuals who contributed to its success.  Revisiting and celebrating the literary-based work that began with its founding in 1961, Soucy takes viewers through the Indian palaces that first brought Ismail Merchant and director Ivory together and the English manors that gave them their biggest successes.  Like the films that inspired it, the documentary is sophisticated and visually pleasing but occasionally encounters a few problematic characters. 

Ivory’s journey with Merchant Ivory began in India, where he first met Merchant, and they continued their personal and professional relationship shortly after in 1961. Their collaboration with writer Ruth Prawer Jhabvala on adapting her novel for 1963’s The Householder marked the start of a tumultuous twenty years of just scraping by filmmaking. This journey, with its variety of ups and downs, led to 1985’s A Room with a View, the film that finally put Merchant Ivory Productions on the map.  A tremendous success, it received worldwide acclaim, blending literary sophistication with a visual opulence that became their instantly recognizable calling card.

Through interviews with a who’s who of film royalty, including Emma Thompson, Helena Bonham Carter, Hugh Grant, Vanessa Redgrave, Rupert Graves, and James Wilby, we get a glimpse into why their carefully chosen troupes came together to create something so golden and lasting.  Produced independently, the film sets could be rough going if you weren’t prepared, and the outspoken Merchant was by all accounts a penny-pincher who always came through in the end.  Their frank recollections can be dishy (even Soucy gets a little feisty with Redgrave, who gives as good as she gets), but all are tinged with enormous respect for the work and, especially, Ivory.

While Merchant Ivory could have been simply a film rehashing past glories, Soucy takes the opportunity to shine a spotlight on the soft-spoken but steel-willed Ivory.  Continuing his career after the passing of Merchant in 2005 and Jhabvala in 2013, Ivory is 96 at the time of this writing and still going strong.  Winning his first Oscar for the screenplay to 2017’s Call Me by Your Name, the contemplative segments featuring Ivory stand out.  As the film takes us on a crash course through titles like Maurice,  Howards End, The Remains of the Day, Le Divorce, and Merchant Ivory’s final film, 2009’s The City of Your Final Destination, Ivory’s recollections of his esteemed legacy have appropriately satisfied grace that gives the documentary a sublime poignancy.

As much as Soucy’s film is a homage, it’s not without its quirks.  The director occasionally steps into the frame, appearing more as an enthusiastic participant than an objective observer.  I appreciate that he is essentially representative of most audience members watching this, but there were moments when I wished for a more introspective glimpse into the subject.  Instead of feeling like a fan’s tribute, it could have been more of an examination of the Merchant Ivory canon from a filmmaker’s perspective. 

It’s a minor quibble, though, and overall, this is a comprehensive look at Merchant Ivory Productions that is more than just a trip down a heavily gilded memory lane.  One successful creative collaboration in cinema is rare, but Merchant Ivory made 44 films between 1963 and 2009, an astonishing partnership.  For me, reliving the enduring artistry of these films, even in brief clips and interviews, was a wonderful reminder of when movies were both literary and visually grand without feeling out of place next to more populist fare.  There have been several retrospectives on film history lately as the nostalgia boom reaches its loudest volume. Is it any wonder that an appreciation for Merchant Ivory’s catalog of quietly powerful work sits on top of them all?

Merchant Ivory opens in select theaters on August 30, with a broader release planned in the following weeks. Film buffs in Minneapolis can catch it starting September 13.  And yes, it will be at The Lagoon!