Shows that Merchant couldn't direct.
Cotton Mary (2000)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work ![]()
Reviews Counted: 33
Fresh: 12
Rotten:21
Average Rating: 4.9/10
Runtime: 2 hrs 4 mins
Genre: Dramas
Synopsis: In COTTON MARY, director Ismail Merchant explores the dynamics of being Anglo-Indian in post-colonial India. In 1954 British rule has officially ended in India but class-consciousness is still very... In COTTON MARY, director Ismail Merchant explores the dynamics of being Anglo-Indian in post-colonial India. In 1954 British rule has officially ended in India but class-consciousness is still very much alive in the Macintosh household. After Lily Macintosh (Greta Scacchi) endures a painful pregnancy and delivery she becomes unable to breast-feed her baby daughter. Hospital nurse Cotton Mary (Madhur Jaffrey) comes to the rescue, secretly bringing the baby to her sister, a wet nurse, and uses the opportunity to become indispensably helpful and fulfill her ambitious desire to work in an English home. As an Anglo-Indian--she insists her father was a member of the British military--Cotton Mary ingratiates herself to Lily, considering herself more British than Indian. John Macintosh (James Wilby) is an absentee husband and father whose neglectful ways are fueled by the appearance of Mary's seductive niece, Rosie (Sakina Jaffrey, who is Madhur Jaffrey's real life daughter). Cotton Mary, whose nickname comes from her insistence upon wearing only British cotton, longs for acceptance by the white upper class members she serves while denouncing her Indian roots. Madhur Jaffrey, a long-time collaborator on Merchant Ivory productions, served as co-director of the film. [More]
Starring: Greta Scacchi, Madhur Jaffrey, James Wilby, Sarah Badel
Starring: Greta Scacchi, Madhur Jaffrey, James Wilby, Sarah Badel, Joanna David, Sakina Jaffrey, Gemma Jones, Richard Hawley
Director: Ismail Merchant
Director: Ismail Merchant
Composer: Richard Robbins
Get This Movie
Reviews for Cotton Mary
There's a definite thrill to be gained from watching elements of genre trash invade such a film.
Cotton Mary, Ismail Merchant’s second film as a director, puts some interestingly layered material into play, but he can’t quite bring it together.
Cotton Mary suffers from its lack of sympathetic characters, but it is still far from a disaster.
Engrossing from the first frame and written with admirable skill and insight by Alexandra Viets, Cotton Mary is a milestone for Merchant Ivory and a pleasure for the company's admirers.
Cotton Mary...is an obsequious, scheming, condescending, ambitious, callous, insincere, officious snob and thief. Two hours in her company is too much to ask.
Merchant's direction is not as smooth as one might imagine after all his years as James Ivory's producer, but the understanding of the subject matter brings resonance and authentic surprise to many scenes.
Related Forums for Cotton Mary
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
|
The Code |
23% 23% |
Confessions of a Shopa… |
39% 39% |
Inkheart |
80% 80% |
Gran Torino |
28% 28% |
Tyler Perry's Madea Go… |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
22% 22% |
Push |
12% 12% |
The Unborn |
29% 29% |
The Little Red Truck |
|
Five Fingers |
|
Night Train |
RT On Current TV
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
Sponsored Links
Around The Network
- Cotton Mary at Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh Links
Featured

TIME music critic Josh Tyrangiel remembers - and appreciates - the high peak of Michael Jackson's career in the early '80s.

With the Best Picture Oscar noms now 10 deep, BuzzSugar looks at 10 films that should have made the cut.

Sequels never used to be as good as the original, but now they can be even better. Can Transformers 2 follow suit?

The AV Club's Zack Handlen explores why Snowbeast has been dismissed and forgotten.



Top Critic

