Letter from James Ivory, New York, New York, to Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, Delhi, India, 1972 January 3 : typescript signed.

Commenting on 1971 having been a much better year, ultimately, than he had expected; going over the year's events in great detail, beginning with the editing of "the Chaudhuri film" in London with Kent; the attempt at a "Holly Woodlawn project" and its eventual transformation in to "Savages" with Joe Saleh producing; London and "that ridiculous N.F.T. appearance," then holidays in France and Morocco; reflections on the differences in "Savages," made with Walter Lassally, George Trow, and Michael O'Donoghue, from his earlier films; drifting and bored after completing the editing while Merchant was in India and news of the war there came across to the U.S.; "Ved and Madhur and I on the phone all the time sharing what news there was" and "Lillian saying Gee, I wonder if they'll let [Merchant] out"; recalling that "then I get from Ismail what the war was really like, with Sunita Bajphal's special silk black-out curtains, and the drinking of martinis and the showing of movies during the black-out"; "Mrs. Gandhi saying India had accomplished its objective ... And then the holidays began, one after the other-- the birthday of the Child, Christmas, New Year"; wondering what will happen to "Savages" and "What new film will we make?"; reporting on a screening of the Chaudhuri film attended by Lillian, but not "Mr. Shawn" who was recovering from a mild heart attack and being tended to by Wally and his mother; recalling recently meeting Jonathan Schell's mother and brother, and Saul Steinberg; telling Jhabvala how much he liked the story "The Housewife" in her new collection, "An Experience of India"; mulling over the idea of shooting two short films adapting "The Housewife" and "An Experience of India" and asking her opinion on the idea; asking what she thinks of the book's cover, and assuring her that he never saw "that little figure sitting on the sofa, that Bar-Bee doll in blue" in the designs he was shown by John Murray, then describing the Barbie doll phenomenon for her; saying that it's been "ages since I've had a real letter from you, I don't know why"; describing the first Christmas tree in their New York apartment, "with lights and colored balls, and some glass trumpets I bought in Germany"; telling her that he and Merchant went for "a sumptuous feast" on Christmas Day at Dick and Philippa's, which was delicious except for a "bread pudding" which had "no taste whatsoever"; telling her that Gotham Book Mart has shipped her books and apologizing for the "crooked" photocopy of her first letter to Filmways.