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Nicholas and Alexandra: mashing up history can't make this pair lovable Nicholas and Alexandra: mashing up history can't make this pair lovable
(4 months later)
Nicholas and Alexandra (1971)
Director: Franklin J Schaffner
Entertainment grade: C+
History grade: B+		Nicholas and Alexandra (1971)
Director: Franklin J Schaffner
Entertainment grade: C+
History grade: B+
Nicholas II Romanov became tsar of Russia in 1894. His reign was beset by social and political unrest, culminating in the Russian revolution of 1917.Nicholas II Romanov became tsar of Russia in 1894. His reign was beset by social and political unrest, culminating in the Russian revolution of 1917.
PeoplePeople
The film begins in 1904, with the tsarina, Alexandra (Janet Suzman), finally giving birth to an heir, Alexei. "I thought we'd go on having girls forever," she admits to the tsar (Michael Jayston, a dead ringer for the real thing). They have already produced four little grand duchesses. Meanwhile, at a political meeting, stony-faced Lenin (Michael Bryant) and exasperated Trotsky (Brian Cox) meet a bubbly young Borat lookalike calling himself Stalin (James Hazeldine). The film has elided a couple of events here: the Bolshevik-Menshevik split of 1903, in Belgium, and the All-Russian Bolshevik Conference of 1905, in Finland, at which Lenin first met Stalin. London folklore holds that Lenin and Stalin actually first met when they had a pint together before that conference at the Crown Tavern on Clerkenwell Green, but Soviet historians don't seem all that convinced.The film begins in 1904, with the tsarina, Alexandra (Janet Suzman), finally giving birth to an heir, Alexei. "I thought we'd go on having girls forever," she admits to the tsar (Michael Jayston, a dead ringer for the real thing). They have already produced four little grand duchesses. Meanwhile, at a political meeting, stony-faced Lenin (Michael Bryant) and exasperated Trotsky (Brian Cox) meet a bubbly young Borat lookalike calling himself Stalin (James Hazeldine). The film has elided a couple of events here: the Bolshevik-Menshevik split of 1903, in Belgium, and the All-Russian Bolshevik Conference of 1905, in Finland, at which Lenin first met Stalin. London folklore holds that Lenin and Stalin actually first met when they had a pint together before that conference at the Crown Tavern on Clerkenwell Green, but Soviet historians don't seem all that convinced.
ReligionReligion
Nicholas and Alexandra arrive at a party full of guffawing aristocrats, all of whom are ignoring the oppressed proletariat and practically guzzling Fabergé eggs. One guest stands out: boggly-eyed mad monk and political liability Grigori Rasputin (played splendidly by a pre-Dr Who Tom Baker). He tells racy stories. Grimacing, Nicholas slopes off to find the vodka – but Alexandra is enraptured. When her infant son is diagnosed with haemophilia, she turns to Rasputin and the power of prayer. Or the power of whatever it is he does. This stokes the brewing revolution. The film stages a brilliant recreation of the horrific massacre of Bloody Sunday.Nicholas and Alexandra arrive at a party full of guffawing aristocrats, all of whom are ignoring the oppressed proletariat and practically guzzling Fabergé eggs. One guest stands out: boggly-eyed mad monk and political liability Grigori Rasputin (played splendidly by a pre-Dr Who Tom Baker). He tells racy stories. Grimacing, Nicholas slopes off to find the vodka – but Alexandra is enraptured. When her infant son is diagnosed with haemophilia, she turns to Rasputin and the power of prayer. Or the power of whatever it is he does. This stokes the brewing revolution. The film stages a brilliant recreation of the horrific massacre of Bloody Sunday.
ViolenceViolence
The Russian people get their parliament, and Pyotr Stolypin (Eric Porter) as prime minister. It's now 1913, the tercentenary of the Romanov dynasty, so the tsar appears before his subjects. "God help me, but I do love it when they stand and wave," he murmurs. Afterwards, Stolypin is shot at the opera by a revolutionary while the tsar and his terrified daughters watch from the royal box. This remarkable scene is accurate – though, since Stolypin was assassinated in 1911, two years before the tercentenary, it's in the wrong place.The Russian people get their parliament, and Pyotr Stolypin (Eric Porter) as prime minister. It's now 1913, the tercentenary of the Romanov dynasty, so the tsar appears before his subjects. "God help me, but I do love it when they stand and wave," he murmurs. Afterwards, Stolypin is shot at the opera by a revolutionary while the tsar and his terrified daughters watch from the royal box. This remarkable scene is accurate – though, since Stolypin was assassinated in 1911, two years before the tercentenary, it's in the wrong place.
WarWar
When the first world war comes along, Nicholas is convinced that the Kaiser, who he calls "Cousin Willi", will help Russia. "With due respect to your cousin," growls his adviser Sergei Witte (Laurence Olivier), "the Kaiser is a deceitful megalomaniac. If he is offering to help, then it is time to pray." Witte is right. The war is a complete disaster.When the first world war comes along, Nicholas is convinced that the Kaiser, who he calls "Cousin Willi", will help Russia. "With due respect to your cousin," growls his adviser Sergei Witte (Laurence Olivier), "the Kaiser is a deceitful megalomaniac. If he is offering to help, then it is time to pray." Witte is right. The war is a complete disaster.
PoliticsPolitics
The film focuses accurately on Nicholas and Alexandra's pigheadedness in the face of change. It could have gone further. "Be firm," she wrote to him in real life, "Russia loves to feel the whip – it's their nature – tender love and then the iron hand to punish and guide. How I wish I could pour my will into your veins." He replied: "Tender thanks for the severe written scolding," and signed himself "Your poor little weak-willed hubby." The film's big challenge is to make these dreadful people into sympathetic characters. It tries hard with limited success, helped out by the fact that the other side aren't all that cuddly, either.The film focuses accurately on Nicholas and Alexandra's pigheadedness in the face of change. It could have gone further. "Be firm," she wrote to him in real life, "Russia loves to feel the whip – it's their nature – tender love and then the iron hand to punish and guide. How I wish I could pour my will into your veins." He replied: "Tender thanks for the severe written scolding," and signed himself "Your poor little weak-willed hubby." The film's big challenge is to make these dreadful people into sympathetic characters. It tries hard with limited success, helped out by the fact that the other side aren't all that cuddly, either.
AbdicationAbdication
The tsar abdicates (and, in the film's most powerful scene, must tell his wife that he has done so). He and his family are moved to Tobolsk, and thence to Ekaterinburg. Hard though it is to care much for the ex-tsar and tsarina, both of whom have been running full tilt towards their fate, you might expect to feel a twinge of pity for their children. Curiously, though, and on scant historical evidence, the film portrays the 13-year-old tsarevich as the image of his unspeakable mother. He gives precocious, entitled speeches, injures himself for attention, berates his father for losing the crown, and says of his guards, "I'd like to kill them all." Bad luck, kiddo. That's not the way this goes.The tsar abdicates (and, in the film's most powerful scene, must tell his wife that he has done so). He and his family are moved to Tobolsk, and thence to Ekaterinburg. Hard though it is to care much for the ex-tsar and tsarina, both of whom have been running full tilt towards their fate, you might expect to feel a twinge of pity for their children. Curiously, though, and on scant historical evidence, the film portrays the 13-year-old tsarevich as the image of his unspeakable mother. He gives precocious, entitled speeches, injures himself for attention, berates his father for losing the crown, and says of his guards, "I'd like to kill them all." Bad luck, kiddo. That's not the way this goes.
VerdictVerdict
Nicholas and Alexandra boasts terrific performances and gorgeous production design, but it's bloated and unwieldy. There is more history here than the film-makers know what to do with.Nicholas and Alexandra boasts terrific performances and gorgeous production design, but it's bloated and unwieldy. There is more history here than the film-makers know what to do with.
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