Lord Mountbatten: The Last Viceroy (1986)/ ep3 p4/5

"Lord Mountbatten: The Last Viceroy" (mini series, UK, 1986, 6 x 70 minutes, colour.). Directed by Tom Clegg.
This dramatization is a solidly acted depiction of the last days of the British Empire in India and Mountbatten's role in the transition from colony to independent nation.


http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090475/fullcredits#cast

IMDB: Mountbatten has many biographies out there, some less flattering than others. This depiction of him falls more or less in the middle, showing his strengths and his weaknesses. Also the show does not shy away from showing his wife, Edwina, and her relationship with Nehru (it should be noted her wild ways long before she arrived in India made her not welcome at Buckingham Palace).
Much of the actual history is greatly abridged (such as the partition) so as to not delve into the complexities of the India/Pakistan split. And some things are fictionalized for dramatic purposes.

Nehru's politics is not given much examination in this depiction (he was a socialist). Gandhi's role is historically accurate (unlike the movie that bears his name, he was not an active participant in the partition) as are other things. This is a good start to understand this important moment in history. Mountbatten is still a controversial figure both in England and India over what happened as the last viceroy.
Cast:
Nicol Williamson ... Lord Louis Mountbatten
Janet Suzman ... Lady Edwina Mountbatten
Ian Richardson ... Nehru
Sam Dastor ... Gandhi
Malcolm Terris ... Winston Churchill

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• India
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• independent

[newargot]

If you listen to Jinnah's actual speeches he didn't have the accent you hear in this series - it was very close to a standard British accent.

[newargot]

The portrayal of Jinnah is basically that of a cartoon villain. All that's missing is the twirling mustache.

[MegaBrijen]

This series is based on a book by Larry collins & Dominique Lappierre "Freedom at Midnight". both were non british (american-french). And there accounts of event is most accurate without any bias.

[trixwiz7]

@martynblackburn1977 May I ask who you know who knew Lord Mountbatten? Did your grandad work under him in the Pacific Theatre?

From what I understand Mountbatten was not particularly intelligent, he was vain, arrogant and a bit of a prima donna. He was reckless with his own and others' lives at sea. But he seems to have been nice and kind. Don't forget what was asked of him in India and during the war was near impossible to accomplish without giving some people grief.

[martynblackburn1977]

Apparently Mountbatten was a bastard. He was a cruel slave-driver according to people I know who knew him, including my grandad who worked under him.

[lowspark68]

Forget this trash. Watch the documentary presented by the real Lord Mountbatten about his experience in India before he was murdered aboard his boat by the IRA.

[qureshi27]

im surprised why they couldnt find someone else for jinnah's role..... he is talking in kinda arabic eccent and sounds more like character assasination..... he wasnt a clown.... he was always known as a serious person.....