Letter from Ismail Merchant, Mumbai, India, to James Ivory, New York, New York, 1971 December 1 : autograph manuscript signed.

Observing that "[t]o get you so quickly on the telephone was a pleasant surprise"; telling him they are nearly finished shooting in Rajasthan, that they are leaving today for their last stop, Bikaner, and he will be back in Bombay on December 5, with Tony continuing on to Hyderabad alone; asserting that "the documentary will turn out to be very interesting"; telling Ivory he is enclosing a copy of the letter he sent to Joe Saleh [see MA 238940.897], and asking Ivory to "see that he send [sic] the agreement to me as soon as possible. I will not [be able to] leave India till I have the agreement in my hands"; hoping that "by the time I get to New York" that Ivory will have complete work on "Savages" and any reshoots can be done after Merchant returns; asserting that "Now that Walter Reade has committed Joe should have no problem with the money even if it is coming in January. I do not want to haggle with anyone any more. I am tired and I need to get a little rest"; begging Ivory to finish before he returns because "I do not want to get back and again start arguing with you and the rest of the world"; asking Ivory to write "in detail"; asking Ivory to promise that the film will be ready in January, in time for Cannes; asking for that promise in writing.