BIB_ID
457058
Accession number
MA 23840.1512
Creator
Merchant, Ismail, sender.
Credit line
Gift of James Ivory, 2022.
Description
1 item (2 pages) ; 28.8 x 20.7 cm
Notes
The project Merchant discusses here is David Carradine's unfinished film "Mata Hari." According to IMDb, the film was to be shot over a number of years as his daughter Calista, playing the title character, grew up. At the start of production in 1977, she was 15.
Aerogramme addressed to Mr. James Ivory, 400 East 52nd Street, Apt. 12G, New York, 10022, U.S.A., postmarked June 14, 1977.
Aerogramme addressed to Mr. James Ivory, 400 East 52nd Street, Apt. 12G, New York, 10022, U.S.A., postmarked June 14, 1977.
Provenance
James Ivory.
Summary
Noting that he had been thinking of Ivory the day before, as it was both Ivory's birthday and "the recording session"; describing in detail his day's shoot in Nashik: "twelve nymphs bathing nude in the a [sic] green water tank near Trimbakeshwar"; describing the scene with the crew "in a total daze" watching the nude actresses-- twelve Nepalese extras and Calista Carradine-- perform: "It was so extraordinary to see all this happening in India and me in charge of all this"; describing a holy man who was so enchanted by the scene that he stayed until well after dark.
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