Merchant Ivory

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• 68   Metascore
• 2023
• 1 hr 52 mins
• Documentary

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In hearing the phrase "Merchant Ivory", most would arguably first think of lush period drama films of the late 1980s and 1990s adapted from literary sources. For those in the know, many of those insiders who are interviewed for this documentary, it was an independent film company from the early 1960s to the mid 2000s centered on four creatives, most specifically the first two, and each's primary role: producer Ismail Merchant, director James Ivory, screenwriter Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, and the latest to join the group, composer Richard Robbins. Its filmography largely in chronological order, and which does not solely consist of these period dramas, but which were arguably its most successful, are presented. Their business and personal relationships are discussed, both which are intertwined in that Merchant and Ivory were in a personal relationship for that entire period, Merchant, Ivory and Jhabvala lived together for much of that time, and Merchant and Robbins also embarked on a personal relationship together in Merchant and Ivory's relationship being filled with somewhat open "extramarital" (i.e. they never having married) liaisons. Specifically with Merchant and Ivory, the yin and the yang between the two is also presented, Merchant described as the "con man" who did anything both to secure funding and reduce costs (their films made on a shoestring, especially considering the expense associated with costume pieces), and Ivory the soft spoken perfectionist. Their method of working also led to the familial atmosphere of their productions, albeit most of the time a dysfunctional family, but one where there was an overall mentality by all involved of making an end product of which they all would be proud. With Ivory the sole surviving member of the foursome at the production of this film, an epilogue of sorts is provided in showing Ivory's professional life, especially since Merchant's unexpected passing in 2005.