lcliffor@bbncca.ARPA (Laura Frank Clifford) (12/29/83)
Heat and Dust is a beautiful, romantic film. It follows Julie Christie's quest in India to find out what became of her great aunt, whom she knows through letters from her aunt to her grandmother 60 years previously. Most of the movie occurs in flashbacks to this aunt, who was far too modern for her time. She was quickly bored with the life of a junior British officer's wife, preferring to spend her time with a handsome Indian prince. Christie retraces her aunt's steps. One senses that she feels that she is reliving her aunt's life. Christie boards with an Indian family, becoming great friends with the man of the house (who also happens to be a charming Indian man). She also befriends an American Hindu who has "given up his wordly possessions", believes in the spirituality of orgasm and thinks "psychiatrists are gross". This guy's motivations are amusing, but his character is just as in love with India as the past and present-day women's. This film is as fast-paced as drifting down a river, so don't go if you want adventure. I did get much more of a feel for India from this film than from the overblown "Ghandi", however, and think it's very worthwhile.