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      Cotton Mary

      R Released Dec 17, 1999 2 hr. 2 min. Drama List
      36% 33 Reviews Tomatometer 43% 500+ Ratings Audience Score In 1954 India, Mary (Madhur Jaffrey) is a woman of mixed British and Indian heritage, who is fiercely proud of her European blood. Mary helps a pregnant Englishwoman named Lily MacIntosh (Greta Scacchi) give birth, but Lily is unable to nurse the infant. Mary sneaks the child away to her sister, who acts as a wet nurse. By taking credit for the child's feeding and care, Mary is able to worm her way into the MacIntosh household, where she quickly gains the upper hand over the existing staff. Read More Read Less

      Audience Reviews

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      Audience Member one of the biggest time-wasters, ever. Be forewarned the DVD cover says nothing about the movie -- this is not Romance, it's pure Horror! If you must catch something like this, watch "Hanyo". The biggest problem with this movie, I felt, was that one keeps hoping with each passing agonizing minute, that something will happen that will make everything make sense & the movie worthwhile. I wonder if the acting's convincing because the cast was good, or because they weren't acting at all! Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 02/11/23 Full Review Audience Member A satire of colonialism eating its own bitter fruit. Although Madhur Jaffrey's acting looks a bit odd, she still vividly constructed a detachable yet pitiful & funny, aggressive & manipulating Anglo-Indian woman being lost in her identity. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/04/23 Full Review Audience Member good movie for the fast forward button Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 02/08/23 Full Review Audience Member As a period piece, this film does succeed. In terms of narrative pacing, as well as conclusion, it falls a bit short. Much of the story is delved from cliche exchanges, manipulations and stereotypes. Mary's role can at times be over the top, especially so in the final 15 minutes, but she still manages to keep viewers watching. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/29/23 Full Review Audience Member This is a "serious" movie from the Merchant Ivory Collection which would be unlikely to have wide distribution in any country. The film takes place in 1954 India, which is shortly after the 1947 Partition which saw the end of a large British presence in India. Some British did stay behind, and the effects of the British remained (much like it did in the United States). This film presents a glimpse of that period in a very personal manner. There is another film on the same topic, and it is "Staying On." This could well be a Merchant Ivory film, but it is an independent film based upon an award-winning novel by Paul Scott ("The Jewel in the Crown"). A retired British Colnel and his wife remain in India after the 1947 Partition. Like "Cotton Mary," this movie captures a bit of history. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/14/23 Full Review Audience Member Period drama based in India, this story revolves around a somewhat "mad" nursemaid who has dilusions of granduer. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/30/23 Full Review Read all reviews Post a rating

      Cast & Crew

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      Photos

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      Cotton Mary

      Cotton Mary (1999) Cotton Mary (1999) Cotton Mary (1999) Cotton Mary (1999) Greta Scacchi and James Wilby in Artistic License's Cotton Mary Greta Scacchi in Artistic License's Cotton Mary Madhur Jaffrey in Artistic License's Cotton Mary Madhur Jaffrey and Sakina Jaffrey in Artistic License's Cotton Mary View more photos

      Critics Reviews

      View All (33) Critics Reviews
      Globe and Mail Rated: 2/4 Mar 19, 2002 Full Review Susan Stark Detroit News Rated: 2/4 Feb 15, 2001 Full Review Jay Carr Boston Globe 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. Rated: 2/4 Feb 14, 2001 Full Review Boo Allen Denton Record-Chronicle Shows that Merchant couldn't direct. Rated: 1/5 Jun 17, 2006 Full Review Christopher Null Filmcritic.com Rated: 2.5/5 Jan 20, 2005 Full Review Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com Rated: 1/5 Nov 5, 2004 Full Review Read all reviews

      Movie Info

      Synopsis In 1954 India, Mary (Madhur Jaffrey) is a woman of mixed British and Indian heritage, who is fiercely proud of her European blood. Mary helps a pregnant Englishwoman named Lily MacIntosh (Greta Scacchi) give birth, but Lily is unable to nurse the infant. Mary sneaks the child away to her sister, who acts as a wet nurse. By taking credit for the child's feeding and care, Mary is able to worm her way into the MacIntosh household, where she quickly gains the upper hand over the existing staff.
      Director
      Ismail Merchant
      Executive Producer
      Paul Bradley
      Screenwriter
      Alexandra Viets
      Distributor
      Universal Pictures, Artistic License
      Production Co
      Universal Pictures, Merchant Ivory Productions, Le Studio Canal +
      Rating
      R (Sexuality)
      Genre
      Drama
      Original Language
      English
      Release Date (Theaters)
      Dec 17, 1999, Original
      Release Date (DVD)
      Jun 1, 2004
      Box Office (Gross USA)
      $299.4K
      Sound Mix
      Dolby SR, Surround