The Russian Revolution was not just the most turbulent period in the history of that great nation. It was regarded as one of the most important events in world history, at least until the fall of the Berlin Wall and the subsequent degradation of Communist ideology to one of the tragic mistakes of the human spirit. As such an important event, the Russian Revolution inspired many filmmakers, including some who contributed greatly to the history of cinema as art, such as Sergei Eisenstein. However, due to ideological reasons, almost all of those films presented the Revolution from the perspective of its victors, the Communists. Western cinema, which was supposed to offer a somewhat different picture, was mostly silent on the subject. There were, of course, a few exceptions, the most notable being the celebrated epic Doctor Zhivago by David Lean. Seven years later, Franklin J. Schaffner directed Nicholas and Alexandra, another epic that covers the same period, this time from the perspective of the ultimate losers.
For almost three centuries, the Romanov dynasty, using the iron grip of Oriental despotism, ruled Russia and witnessed the rise of that country into the most powerful empire in Europe. But, at the same time, Russia is also the most backward empire in Europe, because the autocratic regime bars any serious reforms and leaves most of the people in utmost poverty and deprived of basic rights. In 1904, when the movie begins, Tsar Nicholas II (Michael Jayston) is convinced that things are good as they are. Soon, the humiliating defeat in the war with Japan brings the wrath of the oppressed masses and Nicholas reluctantly agrees to begin reforms. But the attempt is half-hearted, because Nicholas is basically a weakling, unable to act strongly because of cowardice, yet unable to compromise because of pride. The woes of his empire are secondary to the woes of his family – wife Alexandra (Janet Suzman) and the children, including the haemophiliac Alexis. The power vacuum is quickly being misused by many shady characters, including the demonic Rasputin (Tom Baker). But the real danger emerges only after Russia is sucked into World War One and when the military disasters shatter any remaining authority of the Tsarist regime. The ensuing chaos would give an opportunity to revolutionaries – first the moderates under Kerensky (John McEnery), then the radicals under Lenin (Michael Bryant) and his Bolsheviks.
Based on the novel by Robert K. Massie, the screenplay by James Goldman neatly condenses the last thirteen years of Romanov rule into a three-hour-long film. The direction by Franklin J. Schaffner (known for epic films such as Planet of the Apes and Papillon) is also superb, with segments that balance well between the intimate tragedy of the last Russian Tsar and the even greater tragedy that looms before him, his family and country. The film is perhaps less successful in contrasting the luxurious, almost fairy-tale life of the Tsar and the utter poverty and misery of his subjects – the unwashed masses are given a role in rather short segments that are sometimes not so subtle in illustrating the growing discontent that would lead to revolution. The acting, on the other hand, is superb. Apart from Jayston, we have many fine actors in supporting roles, with Tom Baker being one of the more humane Rasputins in the long series of actors who have portrayed that mystical figure. Also, the film doesn't lack spectacle, but the greatest value is the great care for period details, with eye-pleasing production design and costumes. The film ends brutally, which is somewhat disappointing, but the filmmakers are less to blame for that than history itself.
RATING: 7/10 (+++)
(Note: The text in its original form was posted in Usenet newsgroup rec.arts.movies.reviews on May 9th 1999)
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