The Bengali Night (1988)

Good story, Not enough for a whole film

I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

I studied the book "Maitreyi" by Mircea Eliade (or "La nuit Bengali" as it is know internationally) two years ago in high school and was gawked to discover a movie was made after it with Hugh Grant as Allan *Mircea Eliade's persona in the novel).This movie is made after a semi-autobiographical novel by one of Romania's most successful writers and philosophers, Mircea Eliade. It's about his early years, after finishing his studies in Romania he received a scholarship to Calcutta where he worked with Narendra Sen. In the novel he uses all the actual name, except his own, changing it to Allan. Internationally, he was (and still is) mostly known by the intellectuals and I have a strong feeling that the director of this movie, Nicolas Klotz was a personal friend of Mircea Eliade.The movie is rubbish compared to the novel, but the actors do a pretty good job. Of course it could have been much better. I hope someday a remake will be made by a very capable director. If you stumble across the movie watch it, but the novel has to be on everybody's "must read at least once in my lifetime" list.

I accidentally stumbled upon this film. I didn't know there was a movie based on one of my favourite books. I read the book twice, and i could still read it a hundred times. The film is very succinct, presents the main events, but shows very little of the feelings and inner thoughts of the characters, and of the Indian culture and philosophy. The book is much more introspective, deep and painful to read. The book is based on a true story. Mircea Eliade (Allan in the book/movie), a very famous Romanian philosopher (who also wrote the first History of Religions) travels to India in order to discover its culture. There he meets the love of his life, Maytreyi (Gaytri) but the cultural gap between western and eastern civilization gets in their way. The romance ends very badly, leading the two to extreme sufferance. After many years, Maytreyi and Eliade both become very important writers, and they accidentally meet at a conference. After this event, Maytreyi writes a book with her side of the story. I liked the casting very much of this movie, but the director could have done much more justice to such a painful romance.

The beautiful part is that it is based on a true story that shows both the light and shadow in the interplay of Western and non-Western cultures. The less than wonderful part for an American audience (my wife and myself) was the pacing, the cinematography, the rambling philosophical bon mots that didn't seem to go anywhere or have a perspective one could really get a hold of. Not at all a Hollywood product -- a European effort and perhaps better enjoyed by those who enjoy European directors. We didn't watch the whole thing -- too slow, too painful. We found that the DVD's special feature interview with the producer was the best part. It also is about a Westerner's encounters with the Indian culture, but is more accessible.

Allan (Hugh Grant in the beginning of his career) is an English engineer of about twenty-six years old expatriated in India who builds bridges and roads. One day, he got ill and his boss invites him to stay in his huge home with his family (his wife and his two daughters). There, Allan will fall in love with the older daughter Gayatri (Supriya Patrak). However, the abyss between European and Indian cultures and the lack of comprehension and misunderstanding of the Indian culture by Allan will lead the lovers and the Indian family to a tragic end. The story does not situate the viewer in an exact period of the Twentieth Century (maybe in the 50's), but the romance is wonderful and exotic and supported by a great cast. The character of John Hurt has a small participation in the plot, but with a great and intense acting. The actresses who played the mother Indira Sen (Shabana Azmi) and Gayatri (Supriya Patrak) are of an incredible beauty. My vote is seven.Title (Brazil): "As Noites de Bengali" ("The Nights of Bengalli")