Cotton Mary
By: Universal ; Merchant Ivory Productions presents a film by Ismail Merchant ; directed by Ismail Merchant ; written by Alexandra Viets ; produced by Nayeem Hafizka, Richard Hawley
Contributors: Jaffrey, Madhur, 1933- actor; Wilby, James, actor; Gupta, Neena, actor; Badel, Sarah, actor; David, Joanna, actor; Jaffrey, Sakina, actor; Jones, Gemma, actor; Nadira, 1932-2006, actor; Raj, Prayag, actor; Sikri, Surekha, actor; Lumley, Laura, actor; Universal Pictures (Firm); Merchant Ivory Productions; Universal City Studios
Publisher: Universal Studios
Published: 2000
Place of publication: Universal City, CA
Language: eng
Format: [videorecording] /
Number of pages: 124
Subjects: Racially mixed people; Indic drama (English); Social classes; Drama; French language materials; English drama; Social conditions; Women
Description: 1954, the Malabar Coast. British and Anglo-Indian identities blur when an English-woman with a neglectful husband births a sickly baby. Cotton Mary, a hospital aide and moralizing Anglophile who claims her father was a British officer, takes over the infant's care and, without a word to the mother, takes the baby daily to her sister to nurse. Mary moves into the English household, taking over more and more duties as she plays on the mother's fatigue and lack of spousal counsel: in effect, Mary colonizes the English household while she pilfers its stores and tells tall tales to her own family. For how long can Mary sustain her rule before the Englishwoman stands on her own feet?
Notes: Widescreen format (aspect ratio 1.85:1).

Originally produced as a motion picture in 1999.

Editor, John David Allen ; music, Richard Robbins ; director of photography, Pierre L'Homme.

Greta Scacchi, Madhur Jaffrey, James Wilby, Neena Gupta, Sarah Badel, Joanna David, Sakina Jaffrey, Gemma Jones, Nadira, Prayag Raaj, Surekha Sikri, Laura Lumley.

MPAA rating: R.

DVD.

English (surround) or French language soundtrack with optional French subtitles; closed-captioned in English.