Sun March 23, 2014
The Coward with The Holy Man, Satyajit Ray (India, 1965)
SEE EVENT DETAILS
at Pacific Film Archive (PFA) Theater
(see times)
Restored Print!
(Kapurush). One of Ray’s most light-hearted works, The Coward (intended to screen as a double bill with The Holy Man) was intentionally designed as a comic make-weight between more serious fare, but still showcases Ray’s consummate craftsmanship and attention to detail. A junior scriptwriter from Calcutta finds himself in a backwater tea plantation looking for “local flavor,” and discovers that his good-natured, frequently drunk host has a gorgeous, extremely intelligent wife, who is also . . . his former lover. Nerves, emotions, alcohol, and more quickly flow as this bizarre love triangle reaches its (un)natural conclusion. “Light in touch, gently humorous, the ironic The Coward is far from complimentary to the male animal” (MoMA).
—Jason Sanders
• Written by Satyajit Ray, based on stories by Premendra Mitra. Photographed by Soumendu Roy. With Soumitra Chatterjee, Madhabi Mukherjee. (75 mins, In Bengali with English subtitles, B&W, 35mm, Restored by the Satyajit Ray Preservation Project at the Academy Film Archive, From the Academy Film Archive, permission Janus Films/Criterion Collection)
Followed by:
The Holy Man
Satyajit Ray (India, 1965) Restored Print!
(Mahapurush). The Holy Man is a comic exposé of the folly of the superstitiously devout, who make it possible for confidence men to earn a living posing as saints—in this case, a “Babaji” who claims to be ageless. Looking for dupes, “this holy man finds a truth-seeker with far more money than brains, and quickly sets about to cleanse him of earthly distractions, like cash. Like The Coward, The Holy Man was created as a quick comic stopover between more serious films, and offers a side of Ray unknown to most: populist, funny, and willing to try anything.
• Written by Satyajit Ray, based on stories by Premendra Mitra. Photographed by Soumendu Roy. With Charuprakash Ghosh, Rabi Ghosh, Prasad Mukherjee. (65 mins, In Bengali with English subtitles, B&W, 35mm, Restored by the Satyajit Ray Preservation Project at the Academy Film Archive, From the Academy Film Archive, permission Janus Films/Criterion Collection)
Total running time: 140 mins
show less
(Kapurush). One of Ray’s most light-hearted works, The Coward (intended to screen as a double bill with The Holy Man) was intentionally designed as a comic make-weight between more serious fare, but still showcases Ray’s consummate craftsmanship and attention to detail. A junior scriptwriter from Calcutta finds himself in a backwater tea plantation looking for “local flavor,” and discovers that his good-natured, frequently drunk host has a gorgeous, extremely intelligent wife, who is also . . . his former lover. Nerves, emotions, alcohol, and more quickly flow as this bizarre love triangle reaches its (un)natural conclusion. “Light in touch, gently humorous, the ironic The Coward is far from complimentary to the male animal” (MoMA).
—Jason Sanders
• Written by Satyajit Ray, based on stories by Premendra Mitra. Photographed by Soumendu Roy. With Soumitra Chatterjee, Madhabi Mukherjee. (75 mins, In Bengali with English subtitles, B&W, 35mm, Restored by the Satyajit Ray Preservation Project at the Academy Film Archive, From the Academy Film Archive, permission Janus Films/Criterion Collection)
Followed by:
The Holy Man
Satyajit Ray (India, 1965) Restored Print!
(Mahapurush). The Holy Man is a comic exposé of the folly of the superstitiously devout, who make it possible for confidence men to earn a living posing as saints—in this case, a “Babaji” who claims to be ageless. Looking for dupes, “this holy man finds a truth-seeker with far more money than brains, and quickly sets about to cleanse him of earthly distractions, like cash. Like The Coward, The Holy Man was created as a quick comic stopover between more serious films, and offers a side of Ray unknown to most: populist, funny, and willing to try anything.
• Written by Satyajit Ray, based on stories by Premendra Mitra. Photographed by Soumendu Roy. With Charuprakash Ghosh, Rabi Ghosh, Prasad Mukherjee. (65 mins, In Bengali with English subtitles, B&W, 35mm, Restored by the Satyajit Ray Preservation Project at the Academy Film Archive, From the Academy Film Archive, permission Janus Films/Criterion Collection)
Total running time: 140 mins
Restored Print!
(Kapurush). One of Ray’s most light-hearted works, The Coward (intended to screen as a double bill with The Holy Man) was intentionally designed as a comic make-weight between more serious fare, but still showcases Ray’s consummate craftsmanship and attention to detail. A junior scriptwriter from Calcutta finds himself in a backwater tea plantation looking for “local flavor,” and discovers that his good-natured, frequently drunk host has a gorgeous, extremely intelligent wife, who is also . . . his former lover. Nerves, emotions, alcohol, and more quickly flow as this bizarre love triangle reaches its (un)natural conclusion. “Light in touch, gently humorous, the ironic The Coward is far from complimentary to the male animal” (MoMA).
—Jason Sanders
• Written by Satyajit Ray, based on stories by Premendra Mitra. Photographed by Soumendu Roy. With Soumitra Chatterjee, Madhabi Mukherjee. (75 mins, In Bengali with English subtitles, B&W, 35mm, Restored by the Satyajit Ray Preservation Project at the Academy Film Archive, From the Academy Film Archive, permission Janus Films/Criterion Collection)
Followed by:
The Holy Man
Satyajit Ray (India, 1965) Restored Print!
(Mahapurush). The Holy Man is a comic exposé of the folly of the superstitiously devout, who make it possible for confidence men to earn a living posing as saints—in this case, a “Babaji” who claims to be ageless. Looking for dupes, “this holy man finds a truth-seeker with far more money than brains, and quickly sets about to cleanse him of earthly distractions, like cash. Like The Coward, The Holy Man was created as a quick comic stopover between more serious films, and offers a side of Ray unknown to most: populist, funny, and willing to try anything.
• Written by Satyajit Ray, based on stories by Premendra Mitra. Photographed by Soumendu Roy. With Charuprakash Ghosh, Rabi Ghosh, Prasad Mukherjee. (65 mins, In Bengali with English subtitles, B&W, 35mm, Restored by the Satyajit Ray Preservation Project at the Academy Film Archive, From the Academy Film Archive, permission Janus Films/Criterion Collection)
Total running time: 140 mins
read more
(Kapurush). One of Ray’s most light-hearted works, The Coward (intended to screen as a double bill with The Holy Man) was intentionally designed as a comic make-weight between more serious fare, but still showcases Ray’s consummate craftsmanship and attention to detail. A junior scriptwriter from Calcutta finds himself in a backwater tea plantation looking for “local flavor,” and discovers that his good-natured, frequently drunk host has a gorgeous, extremely intelligent wife, who is also . . . his former lover. Nerves, emotions, alcohol, and more quickly flow as this bizarre love triangle reaches its (un)natural conclusion. “Light in touch, gently humorous, the ironic The Coward is far from complimentary to the male animal” (MoMA).
—Jason Sanders
• Written by Satyajit Ray, based on stories by Premendra Mitra. Photographed by Soumendu Roy. With Soumitra Chatterjee, Madhabi Mukherjee. (75 mins, In Bengali with English subtitles, B&W, 35mm, Restored by the Satyajit Ray Preservation Project at the Academy Film Archive, From the Academy Film Archive, permission Janus Films/Criterion Collection)
Followed by:
The Holy Man
Satyajit Ray (India, 1965) Restored Print!
(Mahapurush). The Holy Man is a comic exposé of the folly of the superstitiously devout, who make it possible for confidence men to earn a living posing as saints—in this case, a “Babaji” who claims to be ageless. Looking for dupes, “this holy man finds a truth-seeker with far more money than brains, and quickly sets about to cleanse him of earthly distractions, like cash. Like The Coward, The Holy Man was created as a quick comic stopover between more serious films, and offers a side of Ray unknown to most: populist, funny, and willing to try anything.
• Written by Satyajit Ray, based on stories by Premendra Mitra. Photographed by Soumendu Roy. With Charuprakash Ghosh, Rabi Ghosh, Prasad Mukherjee. (65 mins, In Bengali with English subtitles, B&W, 35mm, Restored by the Satyajit Ray Preservation Project at the Academy Film Archive, From the Academy Film Archive, permission Janus Films/Criterion Collection)
Total running time: 140 mins
show less
Date/Times:
Pacific Film Archive (PFA) Theater
2575 Bancroft Way, Berkeley, CA 94720
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