Today’s movie is a biographical drama waith a scene that
happens on January 27. Watch it tonight and enjoy.
PETER THE GREAT
In 1682 Peter’s half-sister Sophia tries to use the
Strelsi, a powerful military group to murder both Peter and his half–brother
Ivan, so she can become ruler of Russia, by claiming Peter’s mother, Natalia
wants to kill Ivan, and make Peter sole ruler. This plot fails, but Sofia is
made regent instead of Natalia. Peter and Ivan are both crowned as Tsars of
Russia. Later, Sophia pushes a plan to attack Azov, a fortress that controls
access to the Black Sea that belongs to the Turks. Peter becomes interested in
all things western. His mother finds a
bride for him and they are married on January 27, 1689. [1:08:15 to
1:18:46] He and his wife don’t get
along and he takes a mistress, Anna Mons from among the foreign colony. Peter
exposes the fact that Sophia’s attack on Azov was totally crushed, instead of being
the victory she proclaimed. Peter survives an assassination attempt and becomes
a father to Alexis. Sophia tries to get rid of Peter again, but the troops
remain loyal to him, and she is exiled. The church claims he’s possessed by the
devil. Peter’s mother dies. He builds a
fleet and uses it to attack and capture Azov. Peter and his wife don’t get
along at all. Due to opposition to his policies, Peter sets up the secret
police. He goes on a tour of Western Europe and selects a wife for Alexis.
People opposed to Peter try to use his son Alexis against him. Sophia and
Peter’s wife form a conspiracy against Peter. They convince Alexis that Peter
intends for his illegitimate daughter with Anna Mons to become Czarina. Peter
returns and stops the attempted coup.
Alexis marries Charlotte, while Peter divorces his wife. He wants
everyone to adopt European customs and clothing. Peter’s meeting with Charles
XII of Sweden ends in failure and war begins. Peter arouses opposition by
expropriating church bells for use in making cannon. Peter is defeated at Narva
by Charles XII due to Russian traitors informing the Swedes of his plans. The
war continues, with the Russians adopting a scorched earth policy until they
finally crush the Swedes at Poltava. Alexis and his mistress flee to Vienna
when his involvement in the anti-Peter plot is exposed. Peter sends agents who
persuade him to return to Russia. Alexis renounces his right to the throne. He
is extensively interrogated about the plot. Alexis is executed for treason.
An interesting and surprisingly
well done historical drama about a man and an era that are little known in this
country. The acting, sets and costumes are fantastic. It is even mostly
historically accurate.
Peter the Great: A Biography by Lindsey Hughes (Yale
University Press, London, 2002) at page 63 gives the date of his marriage
Producer - Marvin J. Chomsky
Director - Marvin J. Chomsky and Lawrence Schiller
Screenplay - Edward Anhalt
Running Time - 6 hours 11 minutes
Released - February 2, 1986
Awards: The film won the
Outstanding Miniseries, Outstanding Achievement in Music Composition for a
Miniseries or a Special (Dramatic Underscore), and Outstanding Costumes for a
Miniseries, Movie or a Special Emmys. It was also nominated for the Outstanding
Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie (Redgrave), Outstanding
Cinematography for a Miniseries or a Special and Outstanding Sound Editing for
a Miniseries or a Special Emmys at the 38th Primetime Emmy Awards.
Starring -
Maximilian Schell as Peter the Great
Vanessa Redgrave as Sophia Romanov
Jan Niklas as Peter the Great (as a young man)
Omar Sharif as Prince Feodor Romodanovsky
Laurence Olivier as William III of England
Trevor Howard as Sir Isaac Newton
Mel Ferrer as Frederick I of Prussia
Elsie Sommer as Queen Charlotte
Ursula Andress as Athalie
Renee Soutendijk as Anna Mons
Natalya Andreychenko as Eudoxia Lopukina
Christoph Eichorn as Charles XII of Sweden
Boris Plotnikov as Tsarevich Alexis
Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015
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