Gandhi: An important collection of production documents

Columbia, 1983, Qty

Columbia, 1983,
these production items from Richard Attenborough's 1983 Academy Award® winning film Gandhi, starring Ben Kingsley and John Gielgud, include; an internal production typed letter to Richard Attenborough from John Mollo dated 16th December 1980 regarding military wardrobe requirements for Gandhi's funeral scene reading...'Mounted Troops... Approximately 634 Army will be turning up in their own uniforms. These would be acceptable apart from the headdress which is totally wrong for 1947...the cost of providing correct headdress will be 12,000RPS... 71 all ranks of the Indian Airforce will be taking part dressed in their own uniforms... 40 Ratings of the Indian Navy will require complete RN winter uniforms and caps... and 94 Delhi Police will require 1947 uniforms and turbans...,' together with a letter from the Delhi Police dated 22nd October 1981, call sheets, letter-heads, shooting parade passes, crowd budgets, cast/extra positions for the key funeral procession scene, and 35mm location negatives (sold without copyright); accompanied by John Mollo's Academy Award® nomination letter dated 22nd February 1983 congratulating him on his nomination for 'Best Costume Design' and notifying him of his invitation to the Nominees Luncheon to take place at The Beverly Hilton on the 22nd March, also inlcuded is a final cast list, and a final unit list, (Qty)

A film of Gandhi's life had been the dream project for Richard Attenborough and after two failed attempts was finally able to enter production in 1980. This was an epic film by any definition, made with the cooperation of the Indian Government, high production values backed by a significant budget. The funeral scene in Delhi alone featured over 400,000 extras, and required over 1000 security staff, close to the figure present for the actual occasion.

Provenance:
From The John Mollo Archive