Nine Hours To Rama (1963)

Feeling that Mahatma Gandhi (J.S. Casshyap) is responsible for the partition of India as well as appeasing the Muslim population to the detriment of the Hindu, Naturam Godse (Horst Buchholz) sets in motion a plot to assassinate the beloved leader. Meanwhile, when a police superintendent (Jose Ferrer) uncovers the plot, he realizes he has only 9 hours to prevent the assassination. A predominantly fictionalized account of the events leading up to Gandhi's assassination, director Mark Robson (PEYTON PLACE) manages some genuine suspense but it's frequently dissipated with flashbacks involving Buchholz's romance with a sophisticated married woman (Valerie Gearon, ANNE OF THE THOUSAND DAYS) which has nothing to do with the main story but allows the attractive screen presence of Gearon to take over. Also problematic is the presence of non-Indian actors playing Indians like the German Buchholz, the American Ferrer, the British Robert Morley etc. opposite genuine Indian actors which undercuts the believability. The musically authentic score is by Malcolm Arnold and the BAFTA nominated cinematography by Arthur Ibbetson who shows the Indian locations to advantage. With Diane Baker, very good as a prostitute, Harry Andrews and Don Borisenko.