Nicholas and Alexandra


Nicholas and Alexandra is a 1971 British epic historical drama film directed by Franklin J. Schaffner, from a screenplay by James Goldman and Edward Bond based on Robert K. Massie's 1967 book of the same name. It tells the story of the last ruling Russian monarch, Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, and his wife, Tsarina Alexandra, from 1904 until their deaths in 1918. The ensemble cast includes Tom Baker as Grigori Rasputin, Laurence Olivier as Sergei Witte, Brian Cox as Leon Trotsky, Ian Holm as Vasily Yakovlev, Vivian Pickles as Nadezhda Krupskaya, and Irene Worth as The Queen Mother Marie Fedorovna.
The film was theatrically released on 13 December 1971 by Columbia Pictures to mixed reviews and commercial failure, grossing $7 million on a $9 million budget. Regardless, the film received six nominations at the 44th Academy Awards, including for Best Picture and Best Actress, and won two: Best Art Direction and Best Costume Design.

Plot

Tsarina Alexandra Feodorovna, wife of Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, gives birth to their fifth child and first son, Alexei. Despite pleas from Grand Duke Nicholas and Count Sergei Witte, Nicholas refuses to end the Russo-Japanese War or accept demands for a constitutional monarchy, believing that doing either will make him look weak and endanger the Romanov dynasty. As the war drags on, growing public unrest causes workers to march to the Winter Palace, hoping to present Nicholas with a petition demanding political representation. Soldiers open fire on the approaching crowd, killing hundreds. The resulting revolution forces Nicholas to create the Duma.
At a birthday party for the Tsar's mother, Alexandra meets Grigori Rasputin, a self-proclaimed holy man, whom she later turns to for spiritual guidance after court physicians diagnose Alexei with haemophilia. As the years go by, the close relationship between the royal family and Rasputin, along with Rasputin's behavior, leads to public mockery of the royal family. Nicholas eventually dismisses Rasputin from the court despite Alexandra's pleas to keep him.
The Romanov Tercentenary celebrations take place, and a lavish tour across Imperial Russia follows, but resentment among the impoverished persists. Amidst the national festivities, Russian prime minister Stolypin is assassinated. Nicholas responds by executing the assassins, allowing the police to terrorize the peasants, and closing the Duma.
After a fall at the Spała Hunting Lodge, Alexei experiences a severe bleeding attack, and it is believed he will die. Alexandra sends a telegram to Rasputin, who responds with prayer and instructions for the doctors to leave Alexei alone. His recovery is credited to Rasputin's intervention, and he is allowed to return to the imperial household.
After the assassination of Franz Ferdinand, Nicholas orders a mobilization of the Imperial Russian Army on the European border aimed at Austria-Hungary during the July Crisis. Germany responds by declaring war. Later, with the war going badly for Russia on the Eastern Front, Alexandra persuades Nicholas to take personal command of the troops; he leaves for the front, relieving the weary but experienced Grand Duke Nicholas.
Alexandra is left nominally in charge upon Nicholas' absence but a series of poor decisions leaves her seen to be a German agent under the influence of Rasputin, resulting in growing unpopularity amongst the population at large as conditions get worse. Nicholas receives a visit from the Dowager Empress, but her requests for him to return to St. Petersburg and remove Rasputin go unheeded. Rasputin's later assassination does little to stop Alexandra's misrule, culminating in revolt by workers and soldiers in St. Petersburg. Nicholas finally attempts to return to Tsarskoye Selo but is instead forced to abdicate on his train.
The family, along with a small entourage, are exiled by Alexander Kerensky and the provisional government to Siberia after none of Russia's allies agree to grant the former royals sanctuary, fearing that the lingering resentment at their autocratic rule would unleash similar domestic revolts. The provisional government doesn't last however following the seizing of power by the Bolsheviks and the country's descent into civil war. Fearing that the encroaching pro-monarchist "Whites" will attempt to restore the Romanovs, the Bolsheviks in Moscow attempt to have the royal family brought back for trial.
En route back to the capital, the royals and their escort are intercepted by representatives of the local Ural Soviet, who seize the royals and bring them to Yekaterinburg. Under harsh conditions, they are guarded by Yakov Yurovsky, who later receives orders to have the family killed. In the middle of the night the family are awoken by his men and, under the pretense they need to be transferred again, are brought to the cellar where they are executed.

Cast

;The Imperial Family
;The Imperial Household
;The Statesmen
;The Revolutionaries
;Other characters

Development

Producer Spiegel tackled Nicholas and Alexandra when he was shut out from working with director David Lean on Doctor Zhivago, which was also set against the backdrop of revolutionary Russia. Spiegel had alienated Lean when the two worked together on the film Lawrence of Arabia, pressing the perfectionist director in order to get the movie finished on time.
Spiegel initially tried to make Nicholas and Alexandra without buying the rights to the book by Robert K. Massie, claiming that the historical account was in public domain but, eventually, Spiegel purchased the rights for $150,000. He hired writer James Goldman to adapt Massie's book as a screenplay. Goldman had written the popular play and film The Lion in Winter.
The first director was George Stevens who left the project. Anthony Harvey became involved in December 1968 but he left by February 1969. Ken Russell, Lindsay Anderson, and John Boorman were all approached but turned it down. Joseph L. Mankiewicz was briefly part of the project then Charles Jarrott joined in November 1969. After seeing Patton, Goldman recommended Franklin J. Schaffner who signed in July 1970.
Spiegel turned to former collaborators John Box for production design, and cinematographer Freddie Young to give the production the epic touch he felt it needed. Principal photography took place in Spain and Yugoslavia.
Spiegel had to work with stricter budget constraints from Columbia Studios than before. He had wanted Peter O'Toole as Rasputin and Vanessa Redgrave as Alexandra but was constrained. Notable actors such as Laurence Olivier, Irene Worth, Michael Redgrave and Jack Hawkins appeared in the film, but actor Rex Harrison turned down a supporting role as too small. Spiegel offered the role of the Empress to Grace Kelly who turned it down.
Tom Baker, a member of the Royal National Theatre, was recommended for the role of Rasputin by Laurence Olivier, then the director of the company.

Filming

Filming began in Spain in November 1970 and took twenty weeks.

Reception

Critical

Despite the detailed production design, photography, and strong performances from the cast, Nicholas and Alexandra failed to find the large audience it needed to be a financial success. However, it was chosen by the American National Board of Review as one of the Top 10 Films of 1971.
The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported that 67% of critics have given the film a positive review based on 15 reviews, with an average rating of 6.20/10. On Metacritic, the film has an average score of 57 out of 100 based on 10 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews".
Variety called it "a film of exquisite taste."
Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun Times gave it two-and-a-half stars out of four, writing "If the movie isn't exactly stirring, however, it is undeniably interesting, especially after the intermission."
Halliwell's Film and Video Guide described Nicholas and Alexandra as an "inflated epic of occasional interest, mainly for its sets" and "generally heavy going", awarding it one star from a possible four. In 2013, Alex von Tunzelmann wrote for The Guardian, "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." For Radio Times, Tom Hutchinson awarded the film three stars out of five, describing it as a "sumptuous, if overlong, epic" which "shows the stretchmarks of too much padding" and "overwhelms us with its detail, though Tom Baker is a lot of fun as the leering mystic Rasputin". Stanley Kauffmann of The New Republic described the film as 'flabby'.