The Fall of the Romanoffs

The Fall of the Romanoffs

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Directed by Herbert Brenon
Produced by Herbert Brenon
Written by Van Wyck Brooks
George Edwardes-Hall
Austin Strong
Iliodor (book)
Starring Alfred Hickman
Nance O'Neil
Edward Connelly
Iliodor
Music by James C. Bradford
Distributed by First National Pictures
Release dates
  • September 6, 1917 (New York City)
Running time
 8 reels
Country United States
Language Silent (English intertitles)
Budget $250,000[1]

The Fall of the Romanoffs is a 1917 silent American historical drama film directed by Herbert Brenon. It was released only seven months after the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II in February 1917. This film is also notable for starring, Rasputin's rival, the monk Iliodor, as himself. Costars Nance O'Neil and Alfred Hickman were married from 1916 to Hickman's death in 1931. The film was shot in North Bergen, New Jersey, nearby Fort Lee, New Jersey, where many early film studios in America's first motion picture industry were based at the beginning of the 20th century.[2][3][4] Its survival status is classified as unknown,[5] suggesting that it is a lost film.[6]

Plot

The film takes place during the final days of Rasputin's influence on the Imperial Family shortly before the Russian Revolution.

Cast

Alfred Hickman and Nance O'Neil as Nicholas and Alexandra

Production

Iliodor, who left Russia in 1914, played himself in the film, while Nance O'Neil was cast as the czarina due to her resemblance of Empress Alexandra.[1] Director Brenon edited the film during production, allowing it to premiere at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in New York City on September 6, 1917, which was just days after filming ended.[1] To keep the film current with events in Russia, Brenon continued to edit and add footage through October 1918 to include scenes of the czar's execution and the death of the czarina.[1]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Mallory, Mary (2013-11-13). "The Fall of the Romanoffs Documents Russian Revolution". Los Angeles: The Daily Mirror. Retrieved 2014-12-02.
  2. ↑ Koszarski, Richard (2004), Fort Lee: The Film Town, Rome, Italy: John Libbey Publishing, ISBN 0-86196-653-8
  3. ↑ "Studios and Films". Fort Lee Film Commission. Retrieved 2011-05-30.
  4. ↑ Fort Lee Film Commission (2006), Fort Lee Birthplace of the Motion Picture Industry, Arcadia Publishing, ISBN 0-7385-4501-5
  5. ↑ Progressive Silent Film List: The Fall of the Romanoffs at silentera.com
  6. ↑ The Library of Congress American Silent Feature Film Survival Catalog:The Fall of the Romanoffs

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to The Fall of the Romanoffs.