Anastasia: The Mystery of Anna
| Anastasia: The Mystery of Anna | |
|---|---|
 DVD release | |
| Directed by | Marvin J. Chomsky |
| Written by | James Goldman |
| Produced by | Marvin J. Chomsky |
| Starring | Amy Irving Olivia de Havilland Rex Harrison Jan Niklas Omar Sharif |
| Cinematography | Nicholas D. Knowland |
| Edited by | Petra Von Oelffen |
| Music by | Laurence Rosenthal |
| Distributed by | NBC |
Release date | December 7–8, 1986 |
Running time | 195 min. |
| Countries | United States Austria Italy |
| Language | English |
Anastasia: The Mystery of Anna (Also titled Anastasia: The Story of Anna[1]) is a 1986 TV movie, starring Amy Irving, Olivia de Havilland and Jan Niklas. The film was loosely based on the story of Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia and the book The Riddle of Anna Anderson by Peter Kurth.[2] It was Christian Bale's first film and Rex Harrison's last film. It was originally broadcast in two parts.
Plot
The film revolves around Anna Anderson, who believes that she is Anastasia Romanov, daughter of Nicholas II of Russia. Anna first tells her story in the 1920s when she is an inmate in a Berlin asylum. Her story of escape from the Bolsheviks who killed the rest of her family in 1918 seems so vivid that many Russian expatriates are willing to believe her. She slowly gains more trust, but the Romanov family is very resistant to believing her tale and publicly denounces her as an impostor. The movie culminates with Anna deciding to sue the Romanovs to force them to recognize her as Anastasia, but never reveals if Anna really is Anastasia.
Cast
- Amy Irving as Anna Anderson
- Olivia de Havilland as Dowager Empress Maria
- Rex Harrison as Grand Duke Cyril Romanov
- Jan Niklas as Prince Erich
- Nicolas Surovy as Serge Markov
- Susan Lucci as Darya Romanoff
- Elke Sommer as Isabel Von Hohenstauffen
- Edward Fox as Dr. Hauser
- Claire Bloom as Czarina Alexandra
- Omar Sharif as Czar Nicholas II
- Jennifer Dundas as Grand Duchess Anastasia
- Christian Bale as Tsarevich Alexei
- Andrea Bretterbauer as Sonya Markov
- Sydney Bromley as Herbert
- Arnold Diamond as Dr. Markov
- Carol Gillies as Sasha
- Julian Glover as Colonel Kobylinski
- Rachel Gurney as Grand Duchess Victoria
- Betty Marsden as Princess Troubetskaya
- Tim McInnerny as Yakovlev
Awards
| Year | Award | Category | Person | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Artios | Best Casting for TV Miniseries' | Lynn Kressel | Nominated |
| Primetime Emmy | Outstanding Achievement in Music Composition for a Miniseries or a Special (Dramatic Underscore) | Laurence Rosenthal | Won | |
| Primetime Emmy | Outstanding Costume Design for a Miniseries or a Special | Jane Robinson (costume designer) | Won | |
| Primetime Emmy | Outstanding Miniseries | Michael Lepiner Kenneth Kaufman Graham Cottle Marvin J. Chomsky |
Nominated | |
| Primetime Emmy | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Special | Olivia de Havilland | Nominated | |
| Golden Globe | Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV | Olivia de Havilland | Won | |
| Golden Globe | Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV | Jan Niklas | Won | |
| Golden Globe | Best Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV | Nominated | ||
| Golden Globe | Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV | Amy Irving | Nominated |
References
- ^ "The Internet Movie Database (IMDB)". Other Names for Anastasia: The Mystery of Anna. Retrieved March 15, 2008.
- ^ "The Internet Movie Database (IMDB)". Anastasia: The Mystery of Anna. Retrieved March 15, 2008.
- ^ "The Internet Movie Database (IMDB)". Anastasia: The Mystery of Anna, Awards. Retrieved March 15, 2008.