The great James Ivory is getting a documentary!

by Nathaniel R

Image credit: Frazer Harrison at Getty ImagesThose of you who have read The Film Experience for a long time know that we're huge fans of 94 year old living legend director James Ivory. I've personally interviewed him (a total dream) and we've done a deep retrospective dive on his 1986 classic A Room With a View. and talked about many of his other films too like Howards End, Call Me By Your Name, and Remains of the Day. Now comes word that this master is getting the biographical documentary feature treatment from Christopher Manning, who previously directed award-winning shorts in the UK. 

The film, currently in production, will be called James Ivory: In Search of Love and Beauty. It follows Ivory's life from his youth to his rise to international acclaim.  

A bit more from the press release...:

The film will chronicle the life and work of the 94-year-old who has enjoyed a career revival after winning the Oscar® and BAFTA® for “Best Adapted Screenplay” for Call Me By Your Name and is behind such celebrated films as A Room with a View, Maurice, Howards End and The Remains of the Day. The six-time Academy Award® nominee (three “Best Picture” and three “Best Director” nominations respectively) is also the director behind Mr. and Mrs. Bridge, which starred Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward, Shakespeare Wallah, and critically acclaimed documentaries The Delhi Way, “Venice: Theme and Variations,” and last year’s A Cooler Climate, among some 19 other titles. 

Featuring Emma Thompson (“Best Actress” Oscar® winner for Howards End, The Remains of the Day), Helena Bonham Carter (A Room with a View, Maurice, Howards End), Hugh Grant (Maurice, The Remains of the Day) and Wes Anderson (“Conversation with James Ivory”), as well as interviews with those closest to him, the documentary draws from never-before-seen archival footage, film clips, vérité sequences, behind-the-scenes outtakes and sit-down interviews to form a comprehensive portrait of the independent filmmaking icon.

Director Christopher Manning. Photograph by Alistair Little.

Christopher Manning is personal friends with the director which will help to assure an intimate peek inside the man's life and career.  Cannot wait!

Comments

[Mike in Canada]

Love him! When I was young I assumed his movies were stuffy - they had that reputation. But they're so not (well, maybe Remains is a little stuffy).

Room with a View is so rewatchable, and Howard's End is such a perfect picture.

[Mr Ripley79]

The Remains of the Day for me isn't stuffy,it's my favourite of all his films,it's full of emotion.

[thevoid99]

Oh, I'd like to check this out as I went through a Merchant-Ivory binge nearly a decade ago and I like those films.