I hate to be pedantic but this historical inaccuracy bothered me throughout the film. Nick II wasn't Victoria's grandson and wasn't the first cousin of Kaiser Wilhelm. That was his wife, Alix of Hesse, aka Alexandra Feodorovna, one of Victoria's most beloved granddaughters. He was, however, the first cousin of George V on his mother's side - their mothers were sisters as daughters of the King of Denmark. Nick II and George looked like twins and they were both big and blonde, not short and dark as depicted here. Other inaccuracies also irritated me: a Duke's son is not addressed as "Your Grace" and he would have a courtesy title as an earl or a marquess; he wouldn't be known as plain "Conrad Oxford." Also a Duke's title is usually different from his surname, but here they are the same. As for the film, the plot is a bit thin and revolves around England trying to get America to enter World War I to save their bacon. This at least was true as both England and France did scheme to drag us into a war that had nothing to do with us. Always nice to see Fiennes who seems to have not aged one bit since his English Patient days. Gemma Arterton is great as Polly. This is okay as a spy film but nothing special and it will drive history buffs nuts.
Reviews
2 Reviews
Picnic at Hanging Rock
(2018)
Dreadful.
15 June 2018
Warning: Spoilers
Just watch the 1975 Peter Weir film. This version is like an episode of Pretty Little Liars. Mrs. Appleyard, Miranda, Miss McCraw, Sarah, Marion and the other characters are creatures of the 21st Century, not Victorians. And why make Michael gay? He was obsessed with Miranda and an important plot turn (the finding of Irma) depends on that. Making him gay makes his actions inexplicable. Just idiotic.
Tell Your Friends