A great grandson of Queen Victoria, nephew of the Tsar, and cousin of the Prince of Wales, Lord Louis Mountbatten had proven his mettle as Supreme Allied Commander in Southeast Asia during World War II. But his toughest mission came after the war, when British prime minister Attlee tapped Mountbatten to oversee India's transition to self-rule. This Emmy-winning Masterpiece Theatre classic portrays the human drama behind the history. As blood runs in the streets, Mounbatten (Nicol Williamson) becomes the go-between for the charismatic leaders at the heart of the struggle: the Congress Party's Pandit Nehru (Ian Richardson) and Sardar Patel (A.K. Hangal), the Muslim League's Ali Jinnah (Vladek Sheybal), and the father of independent India, Mahatma Gandhi (Sam Dastor). The task is daunting, but the blue-blooded Englishman and his compassionate wife (Janet Suzman) soldier on, ending 200 years of British rule in India.
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Posted: 12/23/2009
Mountbatten decides to attempt the challenge of becoming Viceroy of India with the aim of fulfilling the Labor Party's promise of Indian independence. He is optimistic, despite news of escalating violence between Muslims and Hindus, and his wife, Lady Edwina, shares his enthusiasm for returning to India.
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Length: 51:00
Posted: 10/13/2009
The fight over the partition of India and the creation of Pakistan heats up. Gandhi believes partition would make a mockery of his life's work and suggests turning over all of India to Jinnah to avoid dividing the country. Mountbatten believes partition is inevitable and the only way to avert civil war.
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Length: 52:00
Posted: 10/13/2009
Mountbatten accelerates the timetable for withdrawal and settles on a date just months away. The princely states clamor for independence, providing another stumbling block. To establish boundaries for the partition, Mountbatten calls on Sir Cyril Radcliffe and gives him only five weeks for the task.
Paid | Amazon Video on Demand
Length: 52:00
Posted: 10/13/2009
