Editing Merchant Ivory Productions (section)

==History==
Merchant Ivory Productions was founded in 1961 by Ismail Merchant and James Ivory<ref>{{cite web |last1=Fristoe |first1=Roger |title=Introduction to 50 Years of Merchant Ivory |url=https://www.tcm.com/this-month/article/430598 |website=Turner Classic Movies |access-date=March 15, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160326121035/http://www.tcm.com/this-month/article/430514%7C430598/Introduction-to-50-Years-of-Merchant-Ivory.html |archive-date=26 March 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> in India to produce English language films.<ref name=vty/>

After early, modest successes with films such as ''[[The Householder]]'', ''[[Shakespeare Wallah]]'', and ''[[Bombay Talkie]]'', Merchant and Ivory suffered a lean period during the 1970s. Films such as ''[[Jane Austen in Manhattan]]'' and ''[[The Wild Party (1975 film)|The Wild Party]]'' failed to find an audience. Their fortunes revived dramatically in 1979 when they made [[The Europeans (1979 film)|an adaptation]] of [[Henry James]]' novel ''[[The Europeans]]''. Their film ''[[Heat and Dust (film)|Heat and Dust]]'' (1983) was an art-house hit in Europe, particularly in England. However, it was not until their work together on ''[[A Room with a View (1985 film)|A Room with a View]]'' (1985) that they broke out from the art house into broader success.

In 1985, Merchant Ivory Productions was signed by film distributor [[Cinecom|Cinecom International Films]] in order to gave Cinecom access to the 11 Merchant Ivory productions at that time as Cinecom had to increase its distribution schedule.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Robbins|first=Jim|date=1985-07-10|title=Cinecom Acquires Ancillary Sales Rights to 11 Merchant Ivory Pics|page=4|work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]}}</ref> In 1986, Merchant Ivory and Cinecom begin their co-production lineup with the film ''[[The Deceivers (film)|The Deceivers]]''.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Cohn|first=Lawrence|date=1986-03-12|title=Merchant Ivory, Cinecom Teaming On Coproductions|page=5|work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]}}</ref> In 1987, after 25 years as an independent producer, Merchant Ivory Productions declined offers by Hollywood power brokers and deep-pocketed investors, mesmerized by the success of the triple-Oscar winning ''[[A Room with a View (1985 film)|A Room with a View]],'' to take the company public.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Gold|first=Richard|date=1987-04-22|title=Merchant Ivory Resists Offers From Hollywood To Go Public|pages=4, 7|work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]}}</ref>

Around 1990, they moved their productions to England and the United States. Ruth Prawer Jhabvala became their frequent collaborating writer.<ref name=vty>{{cite news |last1=McNary |first1=Dave |title='Howards End,' Merchant Ivory Library Bought by Cohen Media Group |url=https://variety.com/2015/film/news/howards-end-merchant-ivory-cohen-media-1201616018/ |access-date=March 15, 2019 |work=Variety |date=October 12, 2015 |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170415063757/http://variety.com/2015/film/news/howards-end-merchant-ivory-cohen-media-1201616018/ |archive-date=15 April 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Major film studios]] sought them out; [[Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures|Disney]] signed Merchant Ivory Productions to a three-year distribution deal in 1991.<ref name="tto">{{cite news |title=Ismail Merchant |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1490737/Ismail-Merchant.html |access-date=March 15, 2019 |work=Telegraph Obituaries |date=May 25, 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190121120053/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1490737/Ismail-Merchant.html |archive-date=21 January 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Disney Buys Miramax In Leap Toward Industry Lead – 60 Movies A Year Goal For Studio |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/19930501/1698849/disney-buys-miramax-in-leap-toward-industry-lead----60-movies-a-year-goal-for-studio |access-date=March 15, 2019 |work=Seattle Times |agency=AP |date=May 1, 1993 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190413032821/http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19930501&slug=1698849 |archive-date=13 April 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In October 2015, [[Cohen Media Group]] acquired the Merchant Ivory brand and library, 21 films and 9 documentaries including worldwide distribution, for restoration and rerelease as a part of the [[Cohen Film Collection]]. Ivory would be creative director on the films' restoration, re-release and promotion.<ref name=vty/>