Letter from Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, Delhi, India, to James Ivory, London, England, 1971 July 15 : autograph manuscript signed.

Telling him "Everything here now is frightening and uncertain. A terrible force has been let loose and these people are streaming in endless millions across the border and no one knows what to do or what will happen"; noting that this is the fourth "monstrous happening" she has witnessed in India, and "[f]amine & pestilence have already broken loose & perhaps war will follow"; wondering how Merchant's "Flashman" project could possibly shoot in India under these circumstances; observing that "[m]y mother is very odd," as she has refused to reschedule her holiday to Brighton to accommodate Jhabvala's planned visit in September; reacting with surprise to Ivory's recent description of himself [see MA 23840.952]-- "A beard? El Greco? Hankerings after cloak and sandals? Oh Jim! Never did I think I'd hear with regret that Bond Street and Trend are leaving you cold"; passing on the news that "the Motion Picture Export Association is not having its contract in India renewed ... instead the State Trading Corporation [is] going to take over the import of all foreign films"; wondering what will happen to their films now, and recalling their previous dealings with both agencies; noting that this is part of "the general movement of getting rid of foreign influence or just foreign presence"; reporting that "it was in the papers [this morning] that foreigners were to be replaced by Indian relief organisations to work among the E. Bengal refugees"; remarking on the insecurity of Indians when it comes to foreigners-- "they are ashamed somehow & are afraid that you might not think highly enough of them, or sneer at their ways (hence also the big camouflage of 'our Indian ways' & 'in India we do like this only,' defiantly). It is so in the country at large: they don't want foreigners to see"; assuming that this is "why they also hate our films" more than those of, say, Louis Malle.