Letter from James Ivory, New York, New York, to Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, Delhi, India, 1967 January 31 : typescript signed.

Telling her that the script for "Vertical and Horizontal" is finished and "a great improvement on whatyou read"; describing some of the changes; discussing the "fantastically prolonged negotiations with Paramount," including Lillian's right to final cut; decribing in great detail their "funny evening" out with Stella Snead ("The Budi"), Lisbeth Holmes, and Mike Neff (a.k.a. Muriel Peters) at a Jewish restaurant on the Lower East Side; teasing news of "the Prime Budi" [socialite and philanthropist Dorothy Strelsin] but then saying Mr. Shawn wants it written up as a Talk of the Town piece, so it will have to wait; discussing the news about Shashi [recently cast as the male lead in "A Matter of Innocence" (also known as "Pretty Polly") opposite Hayley MIlls, making him the first Indian actor in a lead role in an international film] and his salary negotiations, and claiming they tried to cast Merchant in the role first; describing how Kushwant Singh has portrayed the Jhabvalas in a recent article Ruth had misgivings about; discussing in detail the latest draft of the "Shakespeare Wallah" sequel; referring obliquely to a producer who has expressed interest in the sequel, "the Red Brute's man, the one financed by Piggy Smith"; outlining Merchant's plans to fly to India for three weeks to handle the "Shakespeare Wallah" premiere-- "I think he's mad"-- and expressing concern that Merchant's absence will coincide with the negotiations with Paramount coming to a head; elaborating on the earlier projection of how much money Jhab will need while in New York.