Letter from James Ivory, London, England, to Cyrus Jhabvala, New Delhi, India, 1971 July 9: autograph manuscript signed.

Offering condolences to Jhabvala for his father's recent death, but remembering that his father had been very unhappy since the death of his wife and had wanted to die; observing that, after both parents have died, "you feel naked and exposed for a while-- anyway, I did"; hoping that Ruth will indeed come to England and New York in September, this being the perfect time-- without premieres or shoots, just the editing of a film, which she enjoys; noting that Merchant will be "taken up" with "Flashman" at that time, working with producer Michael Deeley-- "[a] very chilly fellow. I'd hate to be working for somebody like that"; relating how Merchant and Deeley "go and play squash in the morning"; musing, "Somehow I think that film will not materialize, it's all so unwieldy sounding and inflated. But it would be nice if Ismail could make all that money."