Judy Davis Clash part 2

Just saw this posted on another site, from someone who worked on the production of this film. Definitely gives you another insight into David Lean's antics, and his famed clash with Judy Davis.

"..Maybe no secret, but I worked on the set of A Passage to India and it was a nightmare. I'm shocked the film actually finished production, let alone turned out so well. David Lean treated EVERYONE (bar Peg Ashcroft) like *beep* and was really quite delusional and ailing. One day he made Victor Banerjee cry (very uncomfortable), got into it with Alec Guinness of all people, and said some borderline racist comments about the local extras. When Judy Davis (who had copped it the most over the shoot) called him out, he referred to her as a piece of 'convict scum' and she launched into the most brilliant, scathing dressing down I've ever witnessed, going in on his fading talent and minimal understanding of the source novel (she did come across as much more intelligent, though he was old at the time), as well as a detailed critique of his previous flop and her mockingly understanding why he'd been 'too shy' to make another film for so long. If they weren't already behind schedule and over budget, she would have been fired for sure (and happily, I think). Everyone's jaws had dropped but we were all silently agreeing with her.

Everything was even more antagonistic and tense after that ('ll always remember him referring to the actors as 'puppets', never by name except for Alec and Peggy). I hear they got along during the lengthy reshoots though! Maybe it was all that Indian climate, ha!"


Perhaps Judy Davis can indeed be difficult (she's had issues with many other directors), but if this story is true, then good for her for putting a film legend in his place.