Heat and Dust

Stately, low-key Merchant-Ivory production is a trifle stifling (in every sense of the word) but gets better as it goes on, especially as the resonances between Christie and Scacchi's stories start to parallel and ping off one another, becoming an intriguing and insightful feminist critique of "now and then" and "East and West", though its sometimes glacial pacing is a little frustrating. Scacchi and Christie are both terrific, even making an effort to coordinate reaction shots and approaches.

This is a perfect example of Sunday evening TV (in film format). I enjoyed the depiction of opulence/lavishness from the time its set in, visually speaking, with fancy costumes and dances etc., though I did also feel pretty uncomfortable knowing colonialism was at play, with a band playing god Save the Queen et al. Its both impressive and sobering at times. It has a 'genteel English tea and cake' feel to it. At first I thought its a bit of escapism, with a peek towards a moral tale present.