Letter from James Ivory, London, England, to Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, Delhi, India, 1971 June 24: autograph manuscript signed.

Acknowledging, "Here we are [in London]. And it seems very small and a bit dull"; telling her that he and Merchant are missing "Beechwood House on the Hudson, where we could imagine the evening sun slanting through the trees"; admitting that "the weather at least is superb"; reporting that his BFI lecture "went off quite well" and that they screened "four bits from the four films," plus "a reel of rushes from 'Savages' (the temporary title; I want to call it 'Trow and O'Donoghue's Ancient History' but am not being allowed to)"; lamenting "those British Film Institute types! Dried up, unattractive, patronising [sic] ..."; reporting numerous "mishaps" during the premiere of "Bombay Talkie" at the National Film Theatre-- the wrong print screened, Jhabvala's "About the Film" essay not used for the program notes; observing that "[i]f you don't see to every last detail, you get loused up. But how could we?"; reporting that even though he gave those who came champagne, he felt the occasion was not "a very festive one."