The film begins in 1904 and shows the stark contrast between the opulent. In this 1971 academy awardwinning film, the cinematography of freddie young contrasts the pomp and ceremony of the russian court of czar nicholas ii michael jayston and his beloved wife, czarina alexandra janet suzman, with the misery and despair of the czars povertystricken subjects. If i had lost my mother at 6 years old, watch my brother. And if it werent for the way the bolshevik revolution keeps interrupting things like news bulletins, their story might have made a nice, muted. Nicholas and alexandra is an elegant and allencompassing look at the rise and fall of the royal family. In her first film, nicholas and alexandra, her performance as empress alexandra feodorovna earned her several honours, including a nomination for the academy award for best actress. Nicholas and alexandra 1971 movie clip your gentle czar. Production designer and second unit director john box. Schaffner it won academy awards for best art directionset decoration john box, ernest archer, jack maxsted, gil parrondo, vernon dixon and best costume design.
They have finally produced a son and heir to the throne, alexis roderic noble, but he has hemophilia, a condition where the blood does not clot correctly. This alert and classy britisher seemed poised for hollywood stardom in the early 1970s. The woman is the empress alexandra, the gently neurotic, germanborn consort to nicholas ii, and her son is the hemophile czarevich, alexis. We first meet czar nicholas michael jayston and his german bride alexandra janet suzman at their 1894 wedding. Massie, this book was first published in 1968 and is an amazing and historically accurate account of the fall of the romanovs and the collapse of imperial russia but is also the story of nicholas a husband and father and a family who dealt with a child suffering from haemophilia. Massie sweeps readers back to the extraordinary world of imperial russia to tell the story of the romanovs lives. Schaffners nicholas and alexandra, 1971 view the tcmdb entry for nicholas and alexandra. Tsar nicholas ii, the inept last monarch of russia, insensitive to the needs of his people, is overthrown and exiled to siberia with his family. Massies book of the same name, which is a partial account of the last ruling russian monarch, tsar nicholas ii of russia, and his wife, tsarina alexandra. We first meet czar nicholas michael jayston and his german bride alexandra janet suzman at their 1894. Nicholas and alexandra depicts fall of romanovs the. It was a time when the giant tales of history were popular at the box office, whether it was caesar and cleopatra or becket and henry ii, but russian history, more than any other apart perhaps from chinese, seems to naturally demand a grand stage for its tales, a stage as metaphorically large as the country itself. Nicholas and alexandra franklin j schaffner 1971 180min. The real romanov sisters were prettier than the actresses who portray them, with the exception of lynne frederick.
The film received three nominations from bafta including best actress and most promising newcomer for janet suzman and best costume design. Michael jayston, janet suzman, roderic noble, et al. Michael jayston is excellent as nicholas, but janet suzman is miscast as alexandra. If i had lost my mother at 6 years old, watch my brother and uncle. Janet suzman and michael jayston forever set the gold standard in portrayals of empress alexandra and tsar nicholas a highwater mark to which future actors should attain. It won academy awards for best art directionset decoration john box, ernest archer, jack maxsted, gil parrondo. The score by richard rodney bennett was nominated for a grammy. He was president of the authors guild from 1987 to 1991. Nicholas and alexandra covers the rise and fall of the last of the russian romanovs. All the performances are nicely keyed to an ensemble acting style that avoids the poses and flourishes of most epics. Dame janet suzman, dbe born 9 february 1939 is a south africanbritish actress who enjoyed a successful early career in the royal shakespeare company, later replaying many shakespearean roles, among others, on tv. Nicholas and alexandra is a 1971 biographical film which tells the story of the last russian monarch, tsar nicholas ii of russia, and his wife, tsarina alexandra the film was adapted by james goldman from the book by robert k. In the early 1970s janet branched out into films and, following an auspicious turn in a day in the death of joe egg 1972, won the coveted role of czarina alexandra in the florid historical piece nicholas and alexandra 1971 costarring michael jayston. Schaffner, freddie young, historic events, janet suzman, michael jayston, nicholas and alexandra, rasputin, russia, tom baker.
Schaffner and written by james goldman, based on robert k. My heart is only tender toward this family, and especially the tsarina. It stars michael jayston and janet suzman, with a number of major actors in supporting roles. Schaffner nicholas and alexandra 1971 academy awards 1972 winner ntsc, 1,2,3,4,5,6 all region dvd. The acting, particularly from janet suzman and tom baker is. The story of the love that ended an empire in this commanding book, pulitzer prizewinning author robert k. Janet suzman was online to discuss her remarkable career from shakespeare to south africa, federico fellini to kim cattrall, here are her answers to your questions. Dame janet suzman, dbe is a south africanbritish actress who enjoyed a successful early career in the royal shakespeare company, later replaying many shakespearean roles, among others, on tv.
Born to be one of the worlds most powerful men, ruler of millions with an empire that stretched over more than one sixth of the world. Micheal jayston nicholas ii and janet suzman alexandra star in this epic portrayal of the years of corruption, oppression and bloodshed leading up to the russian revolution. Massies book of the same name, which partly tells the story of the last ruling russian monarch, tsar nicholas ii of russia, and his wife, tsarina alexandra. So watching nicholas and alexandra would be a much needed history lesson. Nicholas michael jayston and alexandra janet suzman covers the fall of the russian romanovs. His books include nicholas and alexandra, peter the great. Street date february 12, 20 available through screen archives entertainment 29. Janet suzman, richard warwick, timothy west and irene worth. The movie itself is worth watching, and i recommend watching it on bluray.
Massie shows conclusively how the personal curse of the young heirs haemophilia, and the decisive influence it brought rasputin, became fatally linked with the collapse of imperial russia. Nicholas and alexandra is a 1971 biographical film which partly tells the story of the last ruling russian monarch, tsar nicholas ii of russia, and his wife, tsarina alexandra. Original dvd framegrab photographs by will holub 2014. Nicholas and alexandra simple english wikipedia, the. The most important book totv adaptations coming in 2020. Nicholas was king george vs cousin and alexandra was queen victorias granddaughter, so the casting of british actors michael jayston and janet suzman was a stroke of genius and they are hardly unknown actors, at least in britain.
Nicholas and alexandra 1971 journeys in classic film. Michael jayston is truly remarkable as nicholas and even resembles him. Horizon pictures lavish retelling of the final years of the russian tsar and empress. Nicholas and alexandra bluray twilight time 1971 color 2. She was a thrilling bbc hedda gabler and was nominated for an oscar for her title role in. Unfollow nicholas alexandra to stop getting updates on your ebay feed. Massie was born in lexington, kentucky, and studied american history at yale and european history at oxford, which he attended as a rhodes scholar. Michael jayston makes a most believable nicholas, while janet suzman is also just right in the perhaps more difficult role of the empress. Dame janet suzman, dbe born 9 february 1939 is a south africanbritish actress who. In her first film, nicholas and alexandra 1971, her performance as empress alexandra feodorovna earned her several honours, including a nomination for the academy award for. I thought the acting excellent, and for me, janet suzman and michael jayston forever set the gold standard in portrayals of empress alexandra and tsar nicholas a highwater mark to which future actors should attain. Born to be one of the worlds most powerful men, ruler of millions with an empire that stretched over more than one sixth of the world, nichols and his family are.
Suzman later starred in a wide range of classical and modern drama as well as directing many productions, both in britain and. It was nominated for best actress in a leading role janet suzman, best cinematography, best music, original dramatic score and best picture. Tender early sequence, 1904, as nicholas romanov, the last russian czar michael jayston, learns he has a son, and discusses names with the czarina janet suzman in director franklin j. Nicholas and alexandra is a 1971 british biographical film directed by franklin j. With michael jayston, janet suzman, roderic noble, ania marson. Nicholas and alexandra wikimili, the best wikipedia reader. The film begins with a high note, with the czar learning he is to finally have a son to his heir. Michael jayston and janet suzman, two experienced british actors who are movie unknowns, inhabit the title roles very naturally. His life and world for which he won a pulitzer prize for biography, the romanovs. The film received three nominations from bafta including most promising newcomer for janet suzman, best art direction and best costume design.