The Deceivers (film)

{{Infobox film

| name = The Deceivers

| image = The Deceivers poster.jpg

| caption = Theatrical poster

| director = Nicholas Meyer

| writer = Michael Hirst

| producer = Ismail Merchant

| based_on = {{Based on|The Deceivers|John Masters}}

| starring = {{Plainlist|

}}

| music = John Scott

| cinematography = Walter Lassally

| editing = Richard Trevor

| distributor = Cinecom Pictures

| released = {{Film date|df=y|1988|09|02}}

| runtime = 102 minutes

| country = United States
United Kingdom
India

| language = English

| budget = $5-6 million{{cite web |date=6 April 1987 |last=Harmetz |first=Aljean |author-link=Aljean Harmetz |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1987/04/06/movies/independent-films-making-it-big.html |title=Independent Films Making It Big |work=The New York Times |accessdate=14 October 2015}}{{cite web |last=Broeske |first=Pat H. |title=High Adventure |work=Los Angeles Times |date=20 December 1987 |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-12-20-ca-29861-story.html |access-date=14 October 2015}}

| gross = $346,297{{cite web |url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=deceivers.htm |title=The Deceivers (1988) |publisher=Box Office Mojo |accessdate=5 October 2015}}

}}

The Deceivers is a 1988 adventure film directed by Nicholas Meyer, starring Pierce Brosnan, Shashi Kapoor and Saeed Jaffrey. The film is based on the 1952 John Masters novel of the same name regarding the murderous Thuggee of India.

Plot

The film takes place in India in 1825. The country is being ravaged by Thuggee, a Kali-worshiping cult also known as "Deceivers", who commit robbery and ritualistic murder. Captain William Savage, an honorable district administrator for the East India Company, is informed by his subjects in Madhya about the Thugees' murder raids, and appalled, he starts an investigation. He captures a Thugee named Hussein and wins his cooperation, but Savage's bureaucratic commanding officer and father-in-law, Colonel Wilson, stubbornly adhering to Company protocol, dismisses his report and relieves him of his duty.

Chagrined but determined, Savage decides to disguise himself as an imprisoned native outlaw, Gopal the Weaver, and infiltrate the Thugee cult while aided by Hussein, with only his wife Sarah knowing about his plan. He is accepted, and after a period of training he is forced to participate in their raids. Receiving the consecrated sugar, implied to be LSD, after such a raid awakens in Savage a dark, ecstatic fascination for killing.

One day, however, Gopal appears, revealing himself as a fellow Thuggee, and in order to avoid being exposed, Savage kills him. Savage also discovers that senior British officers know about the Thuggees' activities but let them pass through their districts in exchange for a share of their ill-gotten plunder.

Fearing for Savage's sanity, Hussein flees to inform Sarah of her husband's situation; but Thuggee moles inside the Company overhear them and capture Hussein before he can return to Savage. While Savage's secret is exposed, the Thuggees reveal to his surprise that they are willing to accept him as one of their own; but Savage is first instructed to kill Hussein. Instead taking one of the Thuggees' children hostage, he forces his way out of the fortress, but Hussein is shot dead before they can get away. Savage flees into a field of reeds, where the Thuggees encircle him; but before a former friend can strangle him, East India Company troops, alerted by Sarah's manservant, arrive and defeat the Thuggees. Rehabilitated and promoted to Colonel, Savage receives the official task of eradicating the Thuggee cult throughout India, although he must also struggle with the mental and emotional scars of his time joining the Thuggees and participating in their bloodthirsty ways have left on him.

Cast

Pierce Brosnan as William Savage
Shashi Kapoor as Chandra Singh
Saeed Jaffrey as Hussein
Shanmukha Srinivas as Hira Lal
Helena Michell as Sarah Wilson
Keith Michell as Colonel Wilson
David Robb as George Anglesmith
Tariq Yunus as Feringea
Jalal Agha as the Nawab
Manmohan Krishna as Old Rajput
Ramesh Ranga as Rajput's Son
Gary Cady as Lt. Maunsell
Salim Ghouse as Piroo
Neena Gupta as Gopal's Wife/the Widow
Kanwaljit Singh as Gopal
Nayeem Hafizka as Sepoy
Bijoya Jena as Harlot
H.N. Kalla as The Nawab's Servant
Rajesh Vivek as Priest
Kammo as Official

Production

=Development=

The film is based on John Masters' 1952 novel. In 1957 it was announced John Bryan would produce a film of the novel for the Rank Organization with Masters writing the screenplay.{{cite news|title=ON BRITAIN'S VARIED MOVIE FRONTS: American Star Problem --Chaplin's Rock 'n' Roll--Criticism Poser Up-to-Date "King" Gallic Critique Headed for India Out of the Past|author=STEPHEN WATTS|work=New York Times|date=Mar 3, 1957|page=113}} The film was not made. In 1974 Stanley Donen announced he had the rights and wanted to make "the kind of movie I've never made before – a big sprawling epic."{{cite news|title=Perfect Imperfection: 'That's Donen'|author=Farber, Stephen|work=Los Angeles Times|date=Aug 25, 1974|page=32}} He did not make it either.

Film rights passed to Merchant Ivory Productions. "It's completely different for us", said producer Ismail Merchant. "We're known for doing E.M. Forster and Henry James. Deceivers is in the same genre as Raiders of the Lost Ark. Which is certainly a switch."{{cite news|title=High Adventure|author=Broeske, Pat|work=Los Angeles Times|date=Dec 20, 1987|page=M41}} Merchant later said he made it to "keep the production company moving".{{cite news|title="Why is everyone so jealous?" Ismail Merchant talks to Lens Eye|work=The Times of India|date=Nov 6, 1983|page=2}} In 1984 Michael White was reportedly working on the film.{{cite news|title=A WEST END WINNER: MICHAEL MURPHY met the successful impresario MICHAEL WHITE, an American with a string of theatrical hits behind him, in London|author=Murphy, Michael|newspaper=The Irish Times|date=Dec 20, 1984|page=10}}

Development took ten years. Original directors were Marek Kanievska and Stephen Frears. Then Merchant approached writer and director Nicholas Meyer—fresh off his work on Volunteers and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home—through Meyer's agent about directing The Deceivers. Meyer reportedly agreed to a substantial pay cut in order to direct the film, remarking, "Hollywood is making films I have no interest in seeing, machined tooled, packaged, with a lot of numbers after their names. The studios don't just want home runs. They want grand slams. Anything less than $100 million is not interesting to them." "It's strictly action-adventure = a 'cavalry to the rescue' type film", said Meyer.

=Casting=

Christopher Reeve and Treat Williams were originally considered for the part of William Savage, but Meyer successfully lobbied to have an actual Englishman in the role. In his memoir The View from the Bridge, Meyer wrote, "'Here's a story about an Englishman who disguises himself as an Indian,' I reasoned. 'If you cast this actor, you will have an American disguising himself as an Englishman, disguising himself as an Indian. We will be lost in the stunt, even if he pulls it off, and not pay attention to the story and the things we want to take for granted, i.e., that it concerns an Englishman.'"{{cite book |title=The View From the Bridge: Memories of Star Trek and a Life in Hollywood |last=Meyer |first=Nicholas |year=2009 |publisher=Viking Press |location=NY |isbn=978-0-670-02130-7 |pages=181–186}}

The part ultimately went to Pierce Brosnan, whom Meyer fondly described as "Errol Flynn—with talent." Brosnan had just missed the chance to play James Bond due to his commitments to Remington Steele. His casting was announced in April 1987.{{cite news|title=LA CLIPS Flashing the spirit of independence|author=Deans, Laurie|work=The Globe and Mail|date=3 Apr 1987|page=D.3}} "I play an Englishman, a glorified accountant working for the East India Trading Co.", said Brosnan. "He discovers this cult and disguises himself as an Indian. He goes on the road with the Thugs, who kill people by strangulation."{{cite news|title=Pierce Brosnan Starts, Ends The Year In Asia|author=Buck, Jerry|work=St. Louis Post – Dispatch|date=20 Feb 1988}}

=Filming=

Shooting took place over a four-month period in India, in Jaipur, Agra and Khajuraho, while post-production was completed in London. Filming started 21 September 1987.{{cite news|title=Merchant And Ivory Keep It Personal After their hit, 'A Room With a View,'|author=Joseph Gelmis|work=Newsday|date=Aug 30, 1987|page=4}}

Filming was marred with difficulties from the onset. According to Meyer, the production was subject to frequent disruption from the local Jaipur mafia for declining to make any dealings with their leader. Meyer wrote, "Scores of hooligans stormed through our sets while we were rolling; equipment was sabotaged or stolen; 'cultural' societies were founded for the sole purpose of suing us, alleging pornographic distortions of Indian culture."

The filmmakers were criticised by social and political groups who felt it distorted Hindu religion and culture.{{cite news|title=Rajasthan Social Groups Oppose U.K. Film|work=The Times of India|location=Mumbai|date=28 Sep 1987|page=8}} The producers argued it was "a pure and simple thriller".{{cite news|title=No sati scenes in 'Deceivers'|agency=The Times of India News Service|work=The Times of India|date=5 Oct 1987|page=4}}

At one point, Ismail Merchant and co-producer Tim Van Rellim were arrested for "obscenity and misrepresentation of Hindu culture." Among the allegations was that the production filmed a sati as one really happened. Merchant responded to the allegations with disgust, saying, "What happened was a mockery—people taking advantage of democratic principles in order to whip up a frenzy."

Associate producer Paul Bradley said the charge came from a politically well-connected Jaipur businessman who was unhappy at the depiction of Kali and the subplot about suttee. "The script has already been submitted to and passed by the Indian government", said Bradley. "Any film made in India, certainly by a foreign company, has to be vetted and passed by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting." Bradley said the businessman and some film workers had been "pressuring the production company to employ them at exorbitant rates."{{cite news|title=Offended sensibilities lead to trouble with Indian film|work=The Globe and Mail|location=Toronto|date=7 Nov 1987|page=C.4}}

Despite the disruptions, Meyer spoke highly of his Indian production crew, stating, "One day when we needed our tulip crane for a big shot, I was flummoxed to learn that four of its bolts had been stolen, incapacitating a vital piece of equipment. I don't deal well with last minute alterations to The Plan, but my Indian crew managed to mill four new bolts by the time we were ready to roll."

Reception

=Box office=

The Deceivers was a box office failure. The film earned only $346,297 in the North American market against an estimated $5–6 million budget.

=Critical response=

The Deceivers was released on 2 September 1988 and received mostly negative reviews from film critics. The film has a 33% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 6 reviews.{{cite web| url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/deceivers/ |title =The Deceivers Movie Reviews, Pictures |work=Rotten Tomatoes |accessdate=18 August 2010}}

Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the film a mediocre review and stated that, "Despite the film's claims to be based on fact, I didn't believe it for a moment. I did, however, enjoy it at various moments. Brosnan disappears so completely into the leading role that he hardly seems present in the movie, and the film's portrait of Victorian India is a triumph (the production was designed by the British master of period atmosphere, Tony Adams). It looks great even at its most incredible."{{cite web |date=23 September 1988 |author=Roger Ebert |author-link=Roger Ebert |url=http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-deceivers-1988 |title=The Deceivers | work=Chicago Sun-Times |accessdate=18 August 2010}} Janet Maslin of The New York Times also thought negatively of the film, stating "The tinniness of Michael Hirst's screenplay (It's older than time and just as mysterious) hardly helps bring this material to life, any more than Mr. Brosnan's unconvincing and (despite several episodes in which he proves himself capable of violent killing) rather passive performance." Maslin then went on to say that, "In its own way, The Deceivers is oddly old-fashioned."{{cite web |date=2 September 1988 |author=Janet Maslin |author-link=Janet Maslin |url=https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=940DE7D8133EF931A3575AC0A96E948260 |title=Review/Film; Going Undercover in 1820s India |work=The New York Times |accessdate=18 August 2010}} Hal Hinson of The Washington Post called it "an adventure epic with a pretty measly sense of adventure." He added, "There are a few patches of exotic fun, like the opening murder scene, and there's a seductive campfire dance by a young boy that's creepy enough to send chills (though perhaps inadvertently). But for the most part all we react to is the squandering of a good idea."{{cite news |last=Hinson |first=Hal |author-link=Hal Hinson |title='The Deceivers' Missed Metaphor |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=9 September 1988 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1988/09/09/the-deceivers-missed-metaphor/6f71fb36-a2a9-457d-a6d6-8f546c13f11d/ |accessdate=14 October 2015}}

Conversely, Jay Boyar of the Orlando Sentinel gave the film modest praise, saying it "casts quite a spell, combining supernatural overtones with scenes of shootings, stabbings and (especially) strangulations. Without being crude or exploitative it tells its story in a modest, old-fashioned way with no reliance on gratuitous gore."{{cite web |last=Boyar |first=Jay |title=The Deceivers review |work=Orlando Sentinel |date=17 February 1989 |url=http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1989-02-17/lifestyle/8902180306_1_deceivers-pierce-brosnan-william-savage |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151007004419/http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1989-02-17/lifestyle/8902180306_1_deceivers-pierce-brosnan-william-savage |url-status=dead |archive-date=7 October 2015 |accessdate=6 October 2015}}

Home media

The Deceivers was released on DVD through The Criterion Collection.[http://www.criterion.com/films/1533-the-deceivers The Deceivers: Nicholas Meyer]. The Criterion Collection. Retrieved 11 April 2012. In 2021, it was released on Blu-ray by Cohen Media Group.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-Deceivers-Blu-ray/300001/ |title=The Deceivers Blu-ray |access-date=2024-04-01 |via=www.blu-ray.com}}