While this is very epic in scope, and beautifully filmed as a four part TV mini-series, there's something so personal and touching about the very conflicted Russian tsar (Jan Niklas, later Maximilian Schell) who opened the country up to the rest of the world, for better or for worse. He has to deal with scheming older sister Princess Sophia (Vanessa Redgrave, seen in parts one through three), and a son (Boris Plotnikov) he's frequently disappointed with (mainly because of the failed marriage of Peter to Alexis's mother, Natalya Andrejchenko), ultimately choosing second wife Hanna Schygulla to be his successor.
This is frequently very violent, showing the murder of a Russian priest by fire and the combination of hangings and beheadings where Peter gets involved. The opening up to the world involves encounters with England, France, Prussia and Sweden (a war later on in Peter's reign), and a rebellion against Peter thanks to his banished sister's continued interference. First wife Natalya Andrejchenko continues to influence their son and is obviously vindictive, while second wife Hanna Schygulla is his conscience.
There are a slew of cameos by an international list of stats, from the aged Laurence Olivier as the king of England to Mel Ferrer as the king of Prussia, and Trevor Howard, Omar Sharif and Lilli Palmer in other small roles. It's beautifully filmed and shows the stunning art of the imperial Russians, although far from gauche like Josef Von Sternberg's over the top "The Scarlet Empress". Definitely inspires the viewer to do their own research because as excellent as it is, it's very selective in what it covers.
This is frequently very violent, showing the murder of a Russian priest by fire and the combination of hangings and beheadings where Peter gets involved. The opening up to the world involves encounters with England, France, Prussia and Sweden (a war later on in Peter's reign), and a rebellion against Peter thanks to his banished sister's continued interference. First wife Natalya Andrejchenko continues to influence their son and is obviously vindictive, while second wife Hanna Schygulla is his conscience.
There are a slew of cameos by an international list of stats, from the aged Laurence Olivier as the king of England to Mel Ferrer as the king of Prussia, and Trevor Howard, Omar Sharif and Lilli Palmer in other small roles. It's beautifully filmed and shows the stunning art of the imperial Russians, although far from gauche like Josef Von Sternberg's over the top "The Scarlet Empress". Definitely inspires the viewer to do their own research because as excellent as it is, it's very selective in what it covers.