| The Deceivers | |
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| Directed by | Nicholas Meyer |
| Produced by | Ismail Merchant |
| Written by | Michael Hirst |
| Starring | Pierce Brosnan Saeed Jaffrey Shashi Kapoor Helena Michell Gary Cady |
| Music by | John Scott |
| Cinematography | Walter Lassally |
| Editing by | Richard Trevor |
| Distributed by | Cinecom Pictures |
| Release date(s) | September 2, 1988 |
| Running time | 102 minutes |
| Country | India |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $346,297[1] |
The Deceivers is a 1988 adventure film directed by Nicholas Meyer. It stars Pierce Brosnan and Saeed Jaffrey. The film is based on the 1952 John Masters novel of the same name.[2]
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The film takes place in 1825 India. The country is being ravaged by Thugees. Cult members also known as "Deceivers," who commit robbery and ritualistic murder. Appalled by their activities, English Captain William Savage undertakes a hazardous task which he disguises himself, and infiltrates the Thugees. A constant risk of betrayal and vengeance, Captain Savage undergoes a disturbing psychological transformation, experiencing firsthand the cult's bloodlust. The film was shot on location, showing the countryside not as a jungle, as many think of India, but as an arid steppe.
Shooting took place over a four month period in India while post-production was completed in London. According to Meyer's memoir, The View from the Bridge, the production was subject to frequent disruption from the local Jaipur mafia for declining to make any dealings with their head. Meyer wrote, "Scores of hooligans stormed through our sets while we were rolling; equipment was sabotaged or stolen; 'cultural' societies were founded for the sole purpose of suing us, alleging pornographic distortions of Indian culture."[3] Despite these disruptions, Meyer spoke highly of his production crew, stating, "One day when we needed our tulip crane for a big shot, I was flummoxed to learn that four of its bolts had been stolen, incapacitating a vital piece of equipment. I don't deal well with last minute alterations to The Plan, but my Indian crew managed to mill four new bolts by the time we were ready to roll."[3]
The Deceivers was released on September 2, 1988 and received mostly negative reviews from film critics. The film currently has a 20% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 5 reviews.[4]
Roger Ebert, of the Chicago Sun-Times, gave the film a mediocre review and stated that, "Despite the film's claims to be based on fact, I didn't believe it for a moment. I did, however, enjoy it at various moments. Brosnan disappears so completely into the leading role that he hardly seems present in the movie, and the film's portrait of Victorian India is a triumph (the production was designed by the British master of period atmosphere, Tony Adams). It looks great even at its most incredible."[5]
Janet Maslin, of the New York Times, thought negatively of the film due to its many flaws. In her review, Maslin said, "The tinniness of Michael Hirst's screenplay (It's older than time and just as mysterious) hardly helps bring this material to life, any more than Mr. Brosnan's unconvincing and (despite several episodes in which he proves himself capable of violent killing) rather passive performance." Maslin then went on to say that, "In its own way, The Deceivers is oddly old-fashioned."[6]
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