It's been over a decade since I saw this movie, but despite a lot of criticism it seems to be receiving, I remember how much it touched me way back then.
The story revolves around a disillusioned young American doctor, Max Lowe (played by Patrick Swayze), who goes to India to find himself. He encounters a nun who is trying to set up a free clinic among Calcutta's untouchables, and becomes unable to resist helping her in her struggles. To be honest, I hardly remember Patrick Swayze's role from this movie. I had forgotten he was even in it, and normally associate him with Ghost or Dirty Dancing. I assume he was adequate in the part, as I don't remember otherwise. A reviewer complained he used a lot of profanity, and if so, that would definitely not have been to my liking. I certainly didn't get the impression at the time that they were trying to portray Swayze's character as another Mother Theresa. Frankly, I don't remember the nun either.
The Westerners didn't leave any lasting impression on me. For me, the film was all about the depiction of life among these poorest of the poor, the people to whom the late Mother Theresa devoted her life. Whether portrayed realistically or not, the movie at least elicits viewer awareness of their plight, their poverty and oppression. I recall the squalid living conditions worsened by the monsoons, but also the spirit of some of these so called untouchables.
However, the most memorable aspect of the movie, which has remained with me all these years, is the absolutely endearing Indian farmer, Hasari Pal (played by Om Puri), who has lost his farm and come to Calcutta with his wife and children in order to seek work. Despite his poverty, it is clear that he desires for his family the same basic happiness Westerners want for their own. The relationship he has with his wife is beautiful, as well as with his older daughter, who is having her own romance. (No, not the more realistic arranged marriage, as another commented.) Hasari is truly an unforgettable character that came to embody for me the spirit of India's less fortunate.
This is a movie that calls attention to some of the important truths in life, the overwhelming disparity between rich and poor, and especially the humanity common to us all. Perhaps it's not absolutely true to the culture (dowry etc.) of India, but I fear that some reviewers are, nevertheless, way too hard on it. Suffice it to say, I left the theatre in 1992 feeling uplifted and with food for thought.
The story revolves around a disillusioned young American doctor, Max Lowe (played by Patrick Swayze), who goes to India to find himself. He encounters a nun who is trying to set up a free clinic among Calcutta's untouchables, and becomes unable to resist helping her in her struggles. To be honest, I hardly remember Patrick Swayze's role from this movie. I had forgotten he was even in it, and normally associate him with Ghost or Dirty Dancing. I assume he was adequate in the part, as I don't remember otherwise. A reviewer complained he used a lot of profanity, and if so, that would definitely not have been to my liking. I certainly didn't get the impression at the time that they were trying to portray Swayze's character as another Mother Theresa. Frankly, I don't remember the nun either.
The Westerners didn't leave any lasting impression on me. For me, the film was all about the depiction of life among these poorest of the poor, the people to whom the late Mother Theresa devoted her life. Whether portrayed realistically or not, the movie at least elicits viewer awareness of their plight, their poverty and oppression. I recall the squalid living conditions worsened by the monsoons, but also the spirit of some of these so called untouchables.
However, the most memorable aspect of the movie, which has remained with me all these years, is the absolutely endearing Indian farmer, Hasari Pal (played by Om Puri), who has lost his farm and come to Calcutta with his wife and children in order to seek work. Despite his poverty, it is clear that he desires for his family the same basic happiness Westerners want for their own. The relationship he has with his wife is beautiful, as well as with his older daughter, who is having her own romance. (No, not the more realistic arranged marriage, as another commented.) Hasari is truly an unforgettable character that came to embody for me the spirit of India's less fortunate.
This is a movie that calls attention to some of the important truths in life, the overwhelming disparity between rich and poor, and especially the humanity common to us all. Perhaps it's not absolutely true to the culture (dowry etc.) of India, but I fear that some reviewers are, nevertheless, way too hard on it. Suffice it to say, I left the theatre in 1992 feeling uplifted and with food for thought.