Nicholas and Alexandra (1971)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Franklin J. Schaffner

Writers:

Edward Bond (additional dialogue)
James Goldman (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

13 December 1971 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | History | War

Plot:

Czar Nicholas II, the inept monarch of Russia, insensitive to the needs of his people, is overthrown and exiled to Siberia with his family.

Plot Keywords:

Czar | Execution | Siberia | Rasputin | Russian Revolution

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 11 nominations

Cast

Michael Jayston	...	Nicholas
Janet Suzman	...	Alexandra
Roderic Noble	...	Alexis
Ania Marson	...	Olga
Lynne Frederick	...	Tatiana
Candace Glendenning	...	Marie
Fiona Fullerton	...	Anastasia
Harry Andrews	...	Grand Duke Nicholas (Nikolasha)
Irene Worth	...	The Queen Mother Marie Fedorovna
Tom Baker	...	Rasputin
Jack Hawkins	...	Count Fredericks
Timothy West	...	Dr. Botkin
Katherine Schofield	...	Tegleva
Jean-Claude Drouot	...	Gilliard
John Hallam	...	Nagorny

Runtime:

183 min | UK:189 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English | French | German | Russian

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) (UK release) | Mono (35 mm prints)

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating) (1986) | USA:GP (original rating) | USA:PG | West Germany:12 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Sa Conca Beach, S'Agaró, Castell-Paltja d'Aro, Girona, Girona, Cataluña, Spain

Company:

Horizon Pictures (II)

Trivia:

Press reports at time of pre-production said that Rex Harrison and Vanessa Redgrave were to appear as the leads. However, a recent biography of producer Sam Spiegel stated that paperwork (in an Israeli museum) belonging to Spiegel shows that he never offered them the leads.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): Rasputin continuously mispronounces Matushka (little mother) when addressing Alexandra. The accent is on the first syllable.

Quotes:

Tsar Nicholas II: Things. Things one can do without. They break. They get lost. One buys and sells them. The main thing is that we are together.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Charlie Rose Show: Quentin Tarantino" (1994)

Soundtrack:

Russlan and Ludmila, Act II, Scene 3

The best so far on the Last Tsar and Tsarina of Russia.

When Robert Massie's monumental work, Nicholas and Alexandra, first came out in the last sixties, I was amazed he was able to get as much information as he did on a subject that Soviet Russia was petrified of. It became a sort of standard for all future researchers on the fall of the Romanovs. The movie soon followed and it, too, was fairly accurate. Obviously, it was impossible to cover so much of a story in a three hour time-frame, but some important details of Nicholas' and Alexandra's reign was missing: where was Anna Vyburova? Where was Elizabeth Feodorovna, Alix's sister? These might seem small criticisms but they did play a significant part in the story. I was amazed by how much they matched actors appearances with their historical character: Michael Jayston is a spitting image of Nicholas, physically as well as his personality. Laurence Olivier is quite perfect as Count Witte, Janet Suzman is also a mirror image of Alexandra. The movie could have benefitted from more music in the background, especially at crucial moments. I kept waiting for a swell of instrumental music and... Nothing! Fortunately, I saw this movie when it first came out on TV and remembered the scenes that were cut when it came out on video (Why these scenes were cut is beyond me: The deciding vote creating the Bolshevik Party where Stalin and Lenin meet; a touching scene where Nicholas explains to Alexis the meaning of "war in the Balkans (July 1914)" and not to worry; Alexis' fall on the bob-sled on the steps in the house in Tobolsk and after Nicholas' scolds him he shouts in tears, "Why did you abdicate for me? I could have helped Russia!" All in all, however, it's the best we have so far on this period of history and a must-see for all Romanov students.