MASTERPIECE THEATRE: LORD MOUNTBATTEN: THE LAST VICEROY {EPISODE 6} (TV)
Summary
One in this ongoing series of dramas presented under the title of "Masterpiece Theatre," hosted by Alistair Cooke. This six-part miniseries depicts Lord Louis Mountbatten's involvement with India's independence from Britain and the India-Pakistan partition of 1947. The sixth and final installment begins as Edwina continues her work with the refugees, assuring them that relief is coming. Mountbatten and Patel visit Nehru, who is improving, and tell him that Jinnah has requested a meeting in Lahore. Patel worries that it is a trick, but Nehru agrees that Mountbatten must go, wanting to prevent war at any cost. Ismay accompanies him, and Jinnah states that Kashmir must side with Pakistan. Mountbatten, however, points out that the Pashtun tribesman squandered their own would-be victory by stopping to loot. Jinnah adds that Muslim extremists have made another attempt on his life, but asserts that Pakistan is "his monument." Gandhi visits a Muslim refugee camp, though the crowd aggressively resists him when he urges them to "bless their enemies." Mountbatten talks with Ismay about the challenge of staying neutral, and Ismay informs him that Congress president Kripalani has resigned his post.
Muslims raid the Kashmir camps again, and Singh and Patel angrily state that they must strike back against Jinnah, though Mountbatten argues that crossing the Pakistan border to attack will cause all-out war. He urges them to seek help from the United Nations, but Nehru objects and Patel suggests refusing to give Pakistan the money that they were promised in the partition agreement, hoping that their army will simply run out of ammunition. Gandhi considers this a "matter of honor" and is disappointed in his friends, opting to resume his fast in protest. Mountbatten states that it is a political move and that he therefore cannot interfere, but Edwina convinces him to visit their friend nonetheless. Gandhi states that he will break his fast only on seven specific conditions, apparently unconcerned by his rapidly dwindling health. Nehru, worried that he will die, finally agrees to relinquish the money, and an R.S.S.S. representative tells Gandhi that peace has been agreed upon and urges him to eat. Nehru worries about India's lack of economic progress, but Edwina encourages him that he is capable of making the tough choices.
Gandhi refuses police protection and learns that Patel too intends to resign, feeling distanced from his long-time friend Nehru, though Gandhi urges him to consider the matter further. As he walks through his garden to a prayer meeting, blessing followers along the way, he is shot and killed by a Hindu assassin. Everyone mourns the "great soul," and Mountbatten urges an emotional Nehru to communicate the "right lesson" of his death by addressing the people of India over the radio. He appeals to Patel as well, urging the two friends to come together again. Gandhi is cremated and Nehru gives a moving speech about his passing, and Mountbatten prepares to leave India for good, though Edwina confesses that she wants to stay, saying that she "found herself" there and feels that she is needed there more than in Britain. However, they bid farewell to the people and then attend a goodbye dinner at which Nehru thanks them both for their service and expresses his love, and they head to the airport in an official ceremony. Thousands of Indians send them off with flags and farewells, and Nehru and Edwina exchange one final wordless goodbye. Cooke concludes the program by explaining that Lady Mountbatten continued her charity work until her sudden death at age 58. Lord Mountbatten continued his naval career and his close relationship with the royal family, but was murdered in 1979 by an IRA bomb. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: PBS
- DATE: March 2, 1986 9:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:58:15
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:06717
- GENRE: Drama, historical
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, historical; India - History - 1947; Miniseries
- SERIES RUN: PBS - TV series, 1986
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV - Commercials - "Lord Mountbatten: The Last Viceroy" book
CREDITS
- George Walker … Executive Producer
- Judith de Paul … Producer
- Rebecca Eaton … Producer
- Tom Clegg … Director
- David Butler … Writer
- John Scott … Music by
- Alistair Cooke … Host
- Nicol Williamson … Cast, Lord Mountbatten
- Janet Suzman … Cast, Lady Mountbatten
- Ian Richardson … Cast, Nehru
- Sam Dastor … Cast, Gandhi
- Nigel Davenport … Cast, Ismay
- Vladek Sheybal … Cast, Jinnah
- Zia Mohyeddin … Cast, V.P. Menon
- A.K. Hangal … Cast, Patel
- Nicholas Day … Cast, Peter Howes
- Doran Godwin … Cast, Elizabeth Ward
- Sneh Gupta … Cast, Manu
- Peter Halliday … Cast, Lockhart
- Mamta Kash … Cast, Abha
- Jagdish Kumar … Cast, Gandhi's Secretary
- David Lyon … Cast, Erskine-Crum
- Mellan Mitchell … Cast, R.S.S.S. Officer
- David Quilter … Cast, Campbell-Johnson
- Jeremy Sinden … Cast, Brockman
- Gurdial Sira … Cast, Baldev Singh
- Andrea Weber … Cast, Pamela
- Tony Wredden … Cast, Maulana Azad
- Minnie Boga … Cast, Amrit Kaur
- Saloni Kaul … Cast, Indira Gandhi
- Ashok Mandana … Cast, Edwina's A.D.C. (Dilip)
- Sumant Mastakar … Cast, Rajaji
- Veena Mehta … Cast, Sushila Nayar
- Nana Patekar … Cast, Goose Naturam
- Irpinder Puri … Cast, Nursing Sister
- Sushma Seth … Cast, Mrs. V.L. Pandit
- Nitin Sethi … Cast, Prasad