Fall of Eagles
| Fall of Eagles | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Serial drama |
| Created by | John Elliot |
| Narrated by | Michael Hordern |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of episodes | 13 |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) | Stuart Burge |
| Running time | 50 to 55 minutes |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | BBC |
| Original run | 15 March 1974 – 7 June 1974 |
 |
This article does not cite any references or sources. (November 2012) |
Fall of Eagles is a 13-part British television drama aired by the BBC in 1974. The series was created by John Elliot and produced by Stuart Burge.
The series portrays historical events from 1848 to 1918, dealing with the ruling dynasties of Europe in Austria-Hungary, Germany and Russia; the Habsburgs, the Hohenzollerns and the Romanovs respectively.
The scriptwriters were Keith Dewhurst, John Elliot, Trevor Griffiths, Elizabeth Holford, Ken Hughes, Troy Kennedy Martin, Robert Muller, Jack Pulman, David Turner and Hugh Whitemore.
Contents |
Episodes [edit]
| # | Title | Time period |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Death Waltz" | 1853–1860 |
| Franz Josef is Emperor of Austria and unmarried. His mother Archduchess Sophie is determined to ensure the Habsburg line and favours her niece Helene as the future empress. Franz, however, has other ideas when he prefers Helene's 15-year-old sister Elisabeth. | ||
| 2 | "The English Princess" | 1858–1871 |
| Queen Victoria's eldest daughter Victoria ("Vicky") marries Prince Frederick ("Fritz") of Prussia. The British princess is unprepared for her new life in Germany, where her liberal views clash with the Prussian doctrine of iron and blood. | ||
| 3 | "The Honest Broker" | 1887–1890 |
| Bismarck's aim of a unified German empire is furthered through a new League of the Three Emperors. His plans also extend to Fritz and Vicky's son Wilhelm, who has become estranged from his parents. Unfortunately, events will prove fatal for Bismarck as, first Wilhelm I and then his successor Frederick III (Fritz), die and the imperious Wilhelm—now Kaiser Wilhelm II—assumes the throne; Bismarck was forced to resign. The elderly Chancellor seeks support from Vicky but she blames him for the estrangement between mother and son. | ||
| 4 | "Requiem for a Crown Prince" | 1889 |
| Tragedy besets the Imperial Family when Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria-Hungary and his young mistress Mary Vetsera are found dead at the hunting lodge at Mayerling. The Imperial Family exerts efforts to hide the outcome to the outside world to cover what may be a potential scandal. | ||
| 5 | "The Last Tsar" | 1892–1894 |
| Alexander III of Russia doubts the ability of his son and heir-apparent, Nicholas, to rule Russia. The young Tsarevich is similarly apprehensive. Meanwhile, the autocratic conservatism of the Imperial Government is breeding revolutionaries. | ||
| 6 | "Absolute Beginners" | 1903 |
| Nicholas II has been Tsar for nine years. In Russia, the question is no longer whether revolution, but how and led by whom? In London, Vladimir Lenin is developing his own, more radical, brand of Marxism and manoeuvres to divide the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party from his rival Julius Martov. | ||
| 7 | "Dearest Nicky" | 1904–1905 |
| While Nicholas is pre-occupied by war with Japan, the health of his only son Alexei, and the continual unsolicited advice of his cousin the Kaiser, a rising tide of discontent among St. Petersburg's working class leads to the assassination of the interior minister Vyacheslav von Plehve and then to a disastrous demonstration led by police spy Georgy Gapon. | ||
| 8 | "The Appointment" | 1905 |
| When Grand Duke Sergei is murdered, Nicholas dismisses his Police Chief and considers Pyotr Rachkovsky as a suitable replacement, even though he is rumoured to use agent provocateurs. Both Sergei Witte and Empress Alexandra also have grave concerns about his methods. | ||
| 9 | "Dress Rehearsal" | 1908–1909 |
| Russian Foreign Minister Alexander Izvolsky, who has his sights set narrowly on the Dardanelles and the freedom of the Russian fleet rather than peace in the Balkans, find himself diplomatically outmanoeuvred by Austrian Foreign Minister Alois Lexa von Aehrenthal. | ||
| 10 | "Indian Summer of an Emperor" | 1914 |
| Franz Josef fears for Austria-Hungary's future in the hands of his nephew and heir-presumptive Franz Ferdinand. | ||
| 11 | "Tell the King the Sky is Falling" | 1915–1916 |
| While the Russian army drowns in its own blood, and Russian politicians Alexander Trepov, Alexander Protopopov, and Mikhail Rodzianko thrash about, Nicholas and Alexandra have begun to rely heavily on the advice of faith healer Grigori Rasputin. | ||
| 12 | "The Secret War" | 1917 |
| As World War I rages, Alexander Kerensky incites revolution in Russia, and Lenin and his comrades are stuck in Switzerland. Germany, however, may prove to be an unexpected ally in ending their exile, with the help of Dr Helphand. | ||
| 13 | "End Game" | 1918 |
| As America enters the war and British tanks make advances across France, Kaiser Wilhelm's optimism is not shared by generals Hindenburg and Ludendorff. However, the 1918 mutiny forces the Kaiser's abdication and he flees to exile in Holland. | ||
Cast [edit]
Music [edit]
The music accompanying the main title and credits is the Trauermarsch (Funeral March), the first movement of Symphony No. 5 (Mahler). The closing theme music is the central section from the first movement of Symphony No. 6 (Shostakovich).
DVD release [edit]
Fall of Eagles was released on video and DVD in 2004 in the United Kingdom, with the release including a comprehensive viewing notes booklet written by Andy Priestner providing further details on the historical events and characters in the series and new interviews with Gayle Hunnicutt, Charles Kay and David Cunliffe (one of the directors). The DVD was also released in May 2006 in the United States, without the companion booklet.
