A Passage to India (film)

A Passage to India is a 1984 epic historical drama film written, directed and edited by David Lean. The screenplay is based on the 1960 play of the same name by Santha Rama Rau, which was in turn based on the 1924 novel of the same name by E. M. Forster.

Set in the 1920s during the period of the British Raj, the film tells the story of the interactions of several characters in the fictional city of Chandrapore, namely Dr Aziz, Mrs Moore, Adela Quested, and Richard Fielding. When newcomer to India, Adela, accuses Aziz of an attempted rape within the famed Marabar Caves, the city is split between the British elite and the native underclass as the budding friendship between Aziz and Fielding is tested. The film explores themes of racism, imperialism, religion, and the nature of relationships both friendly and marital.

This was the final film of Lean's prestigious career and the first feature film he had directed in fourteen years since Ryan's Daughter in 1970. Receiving praise as Lean's finest since Lawrence of Arabia, A Passage to India received eleven nominations at the 57th Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actress for Judy Davis' performance as Adela Quested. It won Best Supporting Actress for Peggy Ashcroft's performance as Mrs. Moore, making her, at 77, the oldest actress to win the award, and Best Original Score for Maurice Jarre, his third award in that category.