I recently watched the film "Nicholas and Alexandra" (Columbia, 1971), and wanted to continue refreshing my historical data, so I pulled out this series, which was broadcast on our local PBS station about 15 years ago. I taped most of it, as I found it fascinating, and fairly accurate according to most of the historical biographies I have read. The series is pretty bare bones as far as production values go, but the acting is very good. It can't compare to the lush photography or direction of "Nicholas and Alexandra" or the fictional "Dr. Zhivago," given their American studio budgets. Patricia Neal provides great introduction/narration. I would buy this series in a minute if it was available on DVD, and highly recommend it to anyone who loves late 19th/early 20th century European history.
20 Reviews
One of the best Mini-Series Ever Made
thompsjf8 July 2006
If you like mini-series I Cladius, you will like this series. I watched this as a young teenager and learn more on what brought the world, World War I that all of the boring history lessons I took in school. Also, the breath and scope of this TV mini-series just can not be remade today. Only HBO has the clout and finances to tackle this type of material.
The acting in this series is old school British theater and is a little talkative for the modern MTV generation who are use to more action, however, it is very rewarding to listen to the words and watch the scope of history unfold. You will understand that the end of the series that it is individuals who make history and individuals have the power to literally to change the world.
This mini-series is well worth your time and attention.
The acting in this series is old school British theater and is a little talkative for the modern MTV generation who are use to more action, however, it is very rewarding to listen to the words and watch the scope of history unfold. You will understand that the end of the series that it is individuals who make history and individuals have the power to literally to change the world.
This mini-series is well worth your time and attention.
Astonishing - the most painless history lesson you'll ever get
tonstant viewer13 June 2006
Many of the BBC's mini-series dealt with Britain's loss of Empire - "Jewel in the Crown" was just one. Here the subject is the end of monarchy and the collapse of major royal houses of Europe: Germany, Austria-Hungary and Russia.
The history is grand and sweeping, but the focus of these television dramas is not on spectacle, but on the personalities of the participants. On that basis it succeeds wildly. The cast is huge and the acting is splendid.
Patrick Stewart gives the performance of his career as Lenin, and the same goes for Barry Foster's Kaiser Wilhem. An astonishing array of acting talent strides through, often with only a few telling moments on screen: Michael Aldridge, Pamela Brown, Rosalie Crutchley, Marius Goring, Michael Gough, Charles Gray, Freddie Jones, Curt Jurgens and the list goes on.
Plus it's always fun to see major talents near the beginning of their career, such as Tom Conti and John Rhys-Davies. It's also surprising how little overlap there is with the cast of "I, Claudius" which followed only two years later. What a deep bench the BBC had in those days!
The scripts are uniformly intelligent, though the budget often requires major events to be described rather than shown. However the art department does a valiant job of differentiating among the splendid apartments of different countries, so you almost always know where you are before anyone starts speaking.
If you want to see thousands of extras tumbling across the giant screen, watch "Nicholas and Alexandra" or "Dr. Zhivago" instead. But if you want to meet fascinating people in an absorbing story of the decline and fall of the Hapsburgs, the Hohenzollerns, and the Romanov's, this is grand television.
The history is grand and sweeping, but the focus of these television dramas is not on spectacle, but on the personalities of the participants. On that basis it succeeds wildly. The cast is huge and the acting is splendid.
Patrick Stewart gives the performance of his career as Lenin, and the same goes for Barry Foster's Kaiser Wilhem. An astonishing array of acting talent strides through, often with only a few telling moments on screen: Michael Aldridge, Pamela Brown, Rosalie Crutchley, Marius Goring, Michael Gough, Charles Gray, Freddie Jones, Curt Jurgens and the list goes on.
Plus it's always fun to see major talents near the beginning of their career, such as Tom Conti and John Rhys-Davies. It's also surprising how little overlap there is with the cast of "I, Claudius" which followed only two years later. What a deep bench the BBC had in those days!
The scripts are uniformly intelligent, though the budget often requires major events to be described rather than shown. However the art department does a valiant job of differentiating among the splendid apartments of different countries, so you almost always know where you are before anyone starts speaking.
If you want to see thousands of extras tumbling across the giant screen, watch "Nicholas and Alexandra" or "Dr. Zhivago" instead. But if you want to meet fascinating people in an absorbing story of the decline and fall of the Hapsburgs, the Hohenzollerns, and the Romanov's, this is grand television.
One of the Great Documentary Dramas
jacksflicks8 January 2005
There is a scene in Fall of Eagles, when the German General Ludendorff falls into a fit of rage, screaming "Traitors! Traitors!" Ludendorff will appear later in history, near a certain beer hall in Munich, with an equally enraged colleague, who will visit upon us another world war.
After thirty years, BBC have finally released Fall of Eagles on DVD. What's more, they've done it right, with a beautiful transfer. This elaborate production presents the defining event of the twentieth century, the Great War (World War I), from the points of view of those who brought it about and were themselves consumed by it.
Some may regard Fall of Eagles as soap opera, and it is indeed staged like one, with almost all the scenes shot indoors. However, British television has always worked well within this constraint, as in I Claudius and Elizabeth R. The sets are magnificent and varied, shot in and around some imposing locations. The costumes are lavish and intricate, making me appreciate how "dressing the part" in those times could be called part of one's duty. I can't imagine how the women managed.
Except for Patrick Stewart, Barry Foster, Michael Kitchen, and Gayle Hunnicutt, the cast is made up of character actors unfamiliar to non-British audiences, especially when hidden by beards and mustaches. However, the depth of talent in this huge cast is striking, with convincing portrayals, from the walk-ons to the leads. The producers also should be praised for running a tight ship, which could easily have become an unwieldy mess, due to the parallel and complex events, the 13-episode length and the fact that the directors varied from one episode to the next.
Though the story is made up of undocumentable private dialog (except perhaps via diaries), skillful writing, directing and acting create an intimacy that makes one truly to feel like a fly on the wall. Some of the scenes are indeed contrivances. For example, the future empress of Russia, Alexandra, is told by the current empress Marie Dagmar about her concern, that she, Alexandra, wife of the future Emperor, is not Russian Orthodox but German Lutheran. This should not have concerned the old Empress, since she herself was a Danish Lutheran who had converted and was embraced by the Russians. Alexandra not only converts to Russian Orthodoxy, but does it with a militancy that's downright, well, German. Though such an exchange probably wouldn't have taken place, it serves the historical and dramatic purpose of establishing religion as a major factor in the fate of the Romanov dynasty. Alexandra had something to prove, and she did so with a disastrous vengeance. Another value of apocryphal scenes like this is to portray characters as real people, rather than mere "names on a page".
Through the intimacy of these private scenes, we can see how the lack of detachment from their own affairs and complete detachment from the affairs of their subjects is the central thesis of Fall of Eagles: that mundane concerns and banal motives in an age of romantic excess, drove monarchs, ministers and consorts, who in turn drove history. Oh yes, did I mention the word "hubris"?
Do not let the length of Fall of Eagles put you off. This is one of those wonderful viewing experiences, so rich, so deep, that while watching it the first time, you resolve to watch it again, because you know that characters and events will fall into place, in a seamless, poignant, often maddening saga of real people, caught up in real events, rushing like lemmings to their dooms or, in one case, to a pitiful denouement.
And speaking of the Kaiser, Fall of Eagles is not just a routine chronicle of events, but a particular interpretation of history, not only in its choice of dialog but in its perspectives and emphasis. For example, the actual trigger of the Great War depicted here is more complex than what you may recall from your generalized history lessons. So, yes, there is a bit of revisionism here -- that the Kaiser by no means bears sole responsibility for this tragedy -- which you may or may not be inclined to accept. (As a history buff, I do.) Though Fall of Eagles is conventional, i.e. top-down, in perspective, it makes clear that history is not only driven by individuals in power but by the currents and events confronting them and, in this history, overwhelming them.
If you are truly concerned about how we got where we are today, you owe it to yourself and your children to witness this amazing epic.
__________________
Further thoughts:
1. There are two soundtracks, one for the opening credits, the other for the end credits. (Opening theme is Mahler, I think.) Both are in perfect accord with their subject, the closing music, in particular, a chilling depiction of the title.
2. There is an indispensable program guide included with the DVD. Each episode is supplemented by well-written capsule biographies. There's even a genealogical chart to help keep the dynasty members and their relationships (one might say incestuous relationships) straight in our minds.
3. There are three interviews with two players (not including Patrick Stewart, alas) and a director. Gayle Hunnicutt, in particular, stands out for her insightful observations.
After thirty years, BBC have finally released Fall of Eagles on DVD. What's more, they've done it right, with a beautiful transfer. This elaborate production presents the defining event of the twentieth century, the Great War (World War I), from the points of view of those who brought it about and were themselves consumed by it.
Some may regard Fall of Eagles as soap opera, and it is indeed staged like one, with almost all the scenes shot indoors. However, British television has always worked well within this constraint, as in I Claudius and Elizabeth R. The sets are magnificent and varied, shot in and around some imposing locations. The costumes are lavish and intricate, making me appreciate how "dressing the part" in those times could be called part of one's duty. I can't imagine how the women managed.
Except for Patrick Stewart, Barry Foster, Michael Kitchen, and Gayle Hunnicutt, the cast is made up of character actors unfamiliar to non-British audiences, especially when hidden by beards and mustaches. However, the depth of talent in this huge cast is striking, with convincing portrayals, from the walk-ons to the leads. The producers also should be praised for running a tight ship, which could easily have become an unwieldy mess, due to the parallel and complex events, the 13-episode length and the fact that the directors varied from one episode to the next.
Though the story is made up of undocumentable private dialog (except perhaps via diaries), skillful writing, directing and acting create an intimacy that makes one truly to feel like a fly on the wall. Some of the scenes are indeed contrivances. For example, the future empress of Russia, Alexandra, is told by the current empress Marie Dagmar about her concern, that she, Alexandra, wife of the future Emperor, is not Russian Orthodox but German Lutheran. This should not have concerned the old Empress, since she herself was a Danish Lutheran who had converted and was embraced by the Russians. Alexandra not only converts to Russian Orthodoxy, but does it with a militancy that's downright, well, German. Though such an exchange probably wouldn't have taken place, it serves the historical and dramatic purpose of establishing religion as a major factor in the fate of the Romanov dynasty. Alexandra had something to prove, and she did so with a disastrous vengeance. Another value of apocryphal scenes like this is to portray characters as real people, rather than mere "names on a page".
Through the intimacy of these private scenes, we can see how the lack of detachment from their own affairs and complete detachment from the affairs of their subjects is the central thesis of Fall of Eagles: that mundane concerns and banal motives in an age of romantic excess, drove monarchs, ministers and consorts, who in turn drove history. Oh yes, did I mention the word "hubris"?
Do not let the length of Fall of Eagles put you off. This is one of those wonderful viewing experiences, so rich, so deep, that while watching it the first time, you resolve to watch it again, because you know that characters and events will fall into place, in a seamless, poignant, often maddening saga of real people, caught up in real events, rushing like lemmings to their dooms or, in one case, to a pitiful denouement.
And speaking of the Kaiser, Fall of Eagles is not just a routine chronicle of events, but a particular interpretation of history, not only in its choice of dialog but in its perspectives and emphasis. For example, the actual trigger of the Great War depicted here is more complex than what you may recall from your generalized history lessons. So, yes, there is a bit of revisionism here -- that the Kaiser by no means bears sole responsibility for this tragedy -- which you may or may not be inclined to accept. (As a history buff, I do.) Though Fall of Eagles is conventional, i.e. top-down, in perspective, it makes clear that history is not only driven by individuals in power but by the currents and events confronting them and, in this history, overwhelming them.
If you are truly concerned about how we got where we are today, you owe it to yourself and your children to witness this amazing epic.
__________________
Further thoughts:
1. There are two soundtracks, one for the opening credits, the other for the end credits. (Opening theme is Mahler, I think.) Both are in perfect accord with their subject, the closing music, in particular, a chilling depiction of the title.
2. There is an indispensable program guide included with the DVD. Each episode is supplemented by well-written capsule biographies. There's even a genealogical chart to help keep the dynasty members and their relationships (one might say incestuous relationships) straight in our minds.
3. There are three interviews with two players (not including Patrick Stewart, alas) and a director. Gayle Hunnicutt, in particular, stands out for her insightful observations.
The Best series never seen
zedh2 October 2002
Back in 1974 my father encouraged me to stay up late and watch this mini series, which initially I hated. As I watched I became engrossed in this real life soap opera, that eventually caused more death through two world wars than any Hollywood fiction could. It is a superb recreation of the period 1880-1917, full of atmosphere and a great history lesson. Nowadays this would be considered a factional series as it is all based on fact but with extensive supposition, however it is all believable. The cast is extensive and full of well known actors in their early years. The subject is large and the BBC did well to make everything understandable using realistic sets, but no grandiose outdoor scenes that would been ineffective. For example, Archduke Ferdinand's assassination is referred to rather than portrayed, as the procession would have been too expensive to do realistically.
I long to rewatch this, so I hope a video or DVD will be reissued, if only for schools to use as a history lesson.
I long to rewatch this, so I hope a video or DVD will be reissued, if only for schools to use as a history lesson.
Back at last
pausher14 October 2006
I haven't seen "Fall of the Eagles" since it was first broadcast in the 1970's. I remember watching the first episode, which I believe featured Curt Jurgens playing Otto von Bismarck. It totally hooked me for the subsequent 12 episodes. I vividly remember Jurgens bellowing "I am Bismarck!!!!" when "The Iron Chancellor" is suddenly put out to pasture.
Another standout is Gayle Hunnicutt as the Tsarina Alexandra. I can still see her fiercely admonishing the clueless and lethargic Nicholas (Charles Kay) to, "Be Ivan the Terrible!!!! Be Peter the Great!!!" It's a real shame this beautiful and talented actress hasn't had a more prominent career.
About 5 years ago, I tried searching for a copy of the program. There was nothing anywhere. I even sent an email to the BBC. I received a very polite response from a BBC researcher who advised me that she was able to locate some documentation related to the program, but had no information about availability either for broadcast or home video. At that point, I sadly concluded that it was lost forever.
Well, I'm happy to discover that other enthusiasts had more perseverance than I did. I just ordered the set from Amazon, and can't wait to watch it once more.
Another standout is Gayle Hunnicutt as the Tsarina Alexandra. I can still see her fiercely admonishing the clueless and lethargic Nicholas (Charles Kay) to, "Be Ivan the Terrible!!!! Be Peter the Great!!!" It's a real shame this beautiful and talented actress hasn't had a more prominent career.
About 5 years ago, I tried searching for a copy of the program. There was nothing anywhere. I even sent an email to the BBC. I received a very polite response from a BBC researcher who advised me that she was able to locate some documentation related to the program, but had no information about availability either for broadcast or home video. At that point, I sadly concluded that it was lost forever.
Well, I'm happy to discover that other enthusiasts had more perseverance than I did. I just ordered the set from Amazon, and can't wait to watch it once more.
WWI: Like witnessing a terrible accident when you can't look away
kbertrand6515 January 2010
Warning: Spoilers
Always hated the dryness of History, but loved this. I never really understood how one assassination could trigger nations falling into World War I or why 'bad guys' do what they do. But watching this series I found myself engrossed in the clash between altruistic principles on all sides. How could everything go bad so quickly when everyone was devoted to 'doing the right thing'? Fall of Eagles begins its tempo with the slow idyllic personal lives of the ruling class and its petty complications and entanglements; gradually meshing it with the encroaching confusion of revolutions in Western Europe; adding deceptions of divided loyalties throughout governments and bids for power. These themes are kept entertaining with cutaways to what each side is doing concurrently and then returning.
In some episodes, watching WWI take form was like watching an impending train wreck and not being able to stop it. What makes this series so remarkable are believable characterizations utilizing letters and private/secret documents. The series was successful in avoiding simplistic blame, or championing underdogs, portraying instead real people following their principles to inevitable conclusions. Even catastrophic attempts at damage control made sense in the perspective by which it was made, regardless of class. Particularly intriguing was the sense that no one wanted war, but everyone from aristocrat to politician to peasant was sucked haplessly into it like some kind of circling drain. It really was world misery, plunging reform through the heart of tradition even while they both lay bleeding.
My only difficulty was keeping track of alliance marriages and names and titles associated with their countries. More than once, a repeat viewing of an introduction was in order. It would have been nice to have a family tree handy to sort everyone out. The series did do a fine job of seamlessly weaving close ups of changing empire boundary maps into the storyline. Very, very enjoyable history lesson.
In some episodes, watching WWI take form was like watching an impending train wreck and not being able to stop it. What makes this series so remarkable are believable characterizations utilizing letters and private/secret documents. The series was successful in avoiding simplistic blame, or championing underdogs, portraying instead real people following their principles to inevitable conclusions. Even catastrophic attempts at damage control made sense in the perspective by which it was made, regardless of class. Particularly intriguing was the sense that no one wanted war, but everyone from aristocrat to politician to peasant was sucked haplessly into it like some kind of circling drain. It really was world misery, plunging reform through the heart of tradition even while they both lay bleeding.
My only difficulty was keeping track of alliance marriages and names and titles associated with their countries. More than once, a repeat viewing of an introduction was in order. It would have been nice to have a family tree handy to sort everyone out. The series did do a fine job of seamlessly weaving close ups of changing empire boundary maps into the storyline. Very, very enjoyable history lesson.
The Wait Is Over For Americans!!
jdcofield25 February 2006
This superb series will be available on DVD in the US on May 2, 2006! Amazon and Barnes and Noble are already offering it for pre-sale. I've been waiting for this series for many years! When Fall of Eagles was first shown on PBS in the 1970s I fell in love with the fine directing and acting and above all the attention to the historical details. The last time I saw it was in severely edited form on TBS 15-20 years ago. Favorite scenes that have lingered in my memory over the years include a minute by minute documentary on the Crown Prince Rudolf-Maria Vetsera suicide at Mayerling, a great episode on Empress Elizabeth of Austria and her troubled relations with her mother-in-law Archduchess Sophie, a fine retelling of the story of Queen Victoria's oldest daughter Vicky and her problems as German Crown Princess and Empress, and above all several excellent episodes dealing with Nicholas, Alexandra, and the other Romanovs.
Magnificent program from the golden age of TV
emuir-115 October 2007
Looking back at the old programs from the 70's coming out on DVD, one realises that TV reached a peak at that time and has gone downhill ever since.
This miniseries harks back to the days when Britain only had two TV channels, the BBC and ITV. This meant that not only was there more money to spend on individual programmes, but half the viewing audience would watch them. Along with I Claudius, Fall of Eagles was the best of the best, and I doubt that it could be made today, with the myriad of channels spreading the available money thinly. I grew up with live drama on the BBC ever Sunday night - plays by Shakespeare, Shaw and more controversial writers. Contrast this with the inane reality offerings of today!
This series was the first time I had ever seen Patrick Stewart, who has remained Lenin for me ever since, just as Michael Caine will always be Alfie and Christopher Eccleston has remained the tragic slow witted Derek Bentley. The acting and production values are outstanding throughout, although the actors are noticeably stage actors, and some episodes, especially the final one are very "talky". The series holds up startlingly well compared with big budget films covering the same events, Nicholas and Alexandra and Reds, to name two.
My main complaint is that there is no captioning for the hearing impaired on the US release, which means that impaired people such as myself cannot follow allthe dialog despite the crisp theatrical delivery of the actors. This is a particular handicap in the more "talky" scenes - I was unable to follow any of the last episode where the Kaiser went into exile rather than being hanged as a war criminal. A detailed synopsis of each chapter would have helped, but captions are essential in an aging population. I really hope to see more of these great TV series of the past, but hope that they will add captions.
This miniseries harks back to the days when Britain only had two TV channels, the BBC and ITV. This meant that not only was there more money to spend on individual programmes, but half the viewing audience would watch them. Along with I Claudius, Fall of Eagles was the best of the best, and I doubt that it could be made today, with the myriad of channels spreading the available money thinly. I grew up with live drama on the BBC ever Sunday night - plays by Shakespeare, Shaw and more controversial writers. Contrast this with the inane reality offerings of today!
This series was the first time I had ever seen Patrick Stewart, who has remained Lenin for me ever since, just as Michael Caine will always be Alfie and Christopher Eccleston has remained the tragic slow witted Derek Bentley. The acting and production values are outstanding throughout, although the actors are noticeably stage actors, and some episodes, especially the final one are very "talky". The series holds up startlingly well compared with big budget films covering the same events, Nicholas and Alexandra and Reds, to name two.
My main complaint is that there is no captioning for the hearing impaired on the US release, which means that impaired people such as myself cannot follow allthe dialog despite the crisp theatrical delivery of the actors. This is a particular handicap in the more "talky" scenes - I was unable to follow any of the last episode where the Kaiser went into exile rather than being hanged as a war criminal. A detailed synopsis of each chapter would have helped, but captions are essential in an aging population. I really hope to see more of these great TV series of the past, but hope that they will add captions.
At Last, available on DVD in the US!!!
dfarhie-11 June 2006
Warning: Spoilers
When this series was re-broadcast on the old Bravo network, I managed to record several of the episodes on VHS tape, watching and re-watching the copies till the tape ran snowy and hard to hear. I longed for the day when I could watch the entire series from start to finish in crisp DVD clarity. My wait is ended, I am rewarded. This monumental series full of passion, intrigue, historical goodies, court gossip and protocol is just as fresh as the first time it was broadcast in 1974. Beginning in the mid 1800's and ending with the Kaiser's abdication and exile in 1918, this sweeping melodrama covers all the salient points of political and private machinations that led to the destruction and self-immolation of the three great houses of Europe, the Hapsburgs, Hohenzollerns and Romanovs.
Patrick Stewart (Vladimir Lenin, Sejanus in I, Claudius, Captain Jean Luc Picard on Star Trek, the Next Generation) heads a wonderful cast including Curt Jurgens(Otto Von Bismark),Laurence Naismith (Emperor Franz-Josef of Austria-Hungary), Charles Kay (Czar Nicholas Romanov of Russia, also Asinius Galus in I, Claudius), Freddie Jones(Witte), Rosalie Crutchley (Mihail, also Catherine Parr in Six Wives of Henry VIII), Barry Foster(Kaiser Wilhelm II of Prussia), and Gayle Hunnicutt(the Empress Alexandra Federovna of Russia). John Rhys-Davies (Zinoviev, also Macro in I, Claudius) and others easily recognized for various character roles in I, Claudius, Six Wives of Henry VIII and Elizabeth R show their flexibility and talent and act up a storm in this, the ultimate costume drama period-piece.
The DVD set is beautifully packaged in a fold open series of 4 discs with tasteful decoration The color is outstanding, the sound almost perfect save for a few variations in volume from one episode to the next, a mere trifle.
Every teacher of European History or World History should have this set in their collection, not only for historical content but also for the inexorable march of the familial conflicts toward the ultimate conflagration and destructive event of World War I. It is surprising that the 3 houses, bound by family and blood ties could pull each other to pieces as they did. Beginning with the overbearing and domineering Sophie, mother to the soon-to-be Emperor Franz-Josef,and his doomed son Crown Prince Rudolph (The Mayerling incident is played in delicious detail), then the increasingly enfeebled Kaiser Wilhelm I, and his son-and-heir the doomed Fredrich III, eventually succeeded by the megalomaniacal Kaiser Wilhelm II who led his country to doom in World War I, and the reluctant heir-apparent Nicholas, weak and milquetoast son of the brutish Alexander III who let his country slip through his fingers, dominated by the religiously crippled and pathetically distracted Alexandra, cursed with a hemophiliac son and heir Alexis, ending with the Bolshevik triumph in Russia, the disappearance of the Hapsburg dynasty after the assassination of Archduke Franz-Ferdinand in Sarajevo and the abdication of the Hohenzollern monarch Kaiser Wilhelm II.
I highly recommend this DVD set to any collector of historical drama. It is the finest in BBC entertainment of the early 70's, and well worth the wait.
Patrick Stewart (Vladimir Lenin, Sejanus in I, Claudius, Captain Jean Luc Picard on Star Trek, the Next Generation) heads a wonderful cast including Curt Jurgens(Otto Von Bismark),Laurence Naismith (Emperor Franz-Josef of Austria-Hungary), Charles Kay (Czar Nicholas Romanov of Russia, also Asinius Galus in I, Claudius), Freddie Jones(Witte), Rosalie Crutchley (Mihail, also Catherine Parr in Six Wives of Henry VIII), Barry Foster(Kaiser Wilhelm II of Prussia), and Gayle Hunnicutt(the Empress Alexandra Federovna of Russia). John Rhys-Davies (Zinoviev, also Macro in I, Claudius) and others easily recognized for various character roles in I, Claudius, Six Wives of Henry VIII and Elizabeth R show their flexibility and talent and act up a storm in this, the ultimate costume drama period-piece.
The DVD set is beautifully packaged in a fold open series of 4 discs with tasteful decoration The color is outstanding, the sound almost perfect save for a few variations in volume from one episode to the next, a mere trifle.
Every teacher of European History or World History should have this set in their collection, not only for historical content but also for the inexorable march of the familial conflicts toward the ultimate conflagration and destructive event of World War I. It is surprising that the 3 houses, bound by family and blood ties could pull each other to pieces as they did. Beginning with the overbearing and domineering Sophie, mother to the soon-to-be Emperor Franz-Josef,and his doomed son Crown Prince Rudolph (The Mayerling incident is played in delicious detail), then the increasingly enfeebled Kaiser Wilhelm I, and his son-and-heir the doomed Fredrich III, eventually succeeded by the megalomaniacal Kaiser Wilhelm II who led his country to doom in World War I, and the reluctant heir-apparent Nicholas, weak and milquetoast son of the brutish Alexander III who let his country slip through his fingers, dominated by the religiously crippled and pathetically distracted Alexandra, cursed with a hemophiliac son and heir Alexis, ending with the Bolshevik triumph in Russia, the disappearance of the Hapsburg dynasty after the assassination of Archduke Franz-Ferdinand in Sarajevo and the abdication of the Hohenzollern monarch Kaiser Wilhelm II.
I highly recommend this DVD set to any collector of historical drama. It is the finest in BBC entertainment of the early 70's, and well worth the wait.
If you want a historical drama, watch "I Claudius" instead
yakaji7 September 2014
I've got a substantial interest in history and this... Well, this just bored the pants off of me. I could only make it through about three full episodes before I had to abandon this series as a lost cause.
I'm not a fan of one-star reviews, but it's very hard for me to find something positive to say about this series. I suppose some of the actors deliver interesting performances. I did enjoy Patrick Stewart's turn as Lenin, although it takes five or six episodes for him to turn up. There's only so much actors can do with poor material, however, and the writing on this series is some of the worst I've seen. "Fall of Eagles" skips over interesting bits of history to focus on nobles whining about their lives, and it does this with depressing regularity.
Events of serious dramatic interest are often elided with 30 seconds of voice-over narration, to allow the story to get back to bickering royals. One assumes this is done for budgetary reasons and to emphasize character development, except that most of the characters never rise to the level of being interesting, and there's no reason most of the development on offer couldn't have been executed by putting the characters in situations of some historical import rather than Drawing Rooms 3 through 5.
All in all, I strongly recommend that this series be avoided. If you're interested in historical dramas, you'd be better off looking at "I Claudius", which manages to correct most of the faults of "Fall of Eagles" and turn out a genuinely interesting tale. Or if you're looking for something more contemporary, Michael Kitchen's turn as the World War II era DCS Christopher Foyle is at least as good as his turn as Leon Trotsky here.
I'm not a fan of one-star reviews, but it's very hard for me to find something positive to say about this series. I suppose some of the actors deliver interesting performances. I did enjoy Patrick Stewart's turn as Lenin, although it takes five or six episodes for him to turn up. There's only so much actors can do with poor material, however, and the writing on this series is some of the worst I've seen. "Fall of Eagles" skips over interesting bits of history to focus on nobles whining about their lives, and it does this with depressing regularity.
Events of serious dramatic interest are often elided with 30 seconds of voice-over narration, to allow the story to get back to bickering royals. One assumes this is done for budgetary reasons and to emphasize character development, except that most of the characters never rise to the level of being interesting, and there's no reason most of the development on offer couldn't have been executed by putting the characters in situations of some historical import rather than Drawing Rooms 3 through 5.
All in all, I strongly recommend that this series be avoided. If you're interested in historical dramas, you'd be better off looking at "I Claudius", which manages to correct most of the faults of "Fall of Eagles" and turn out a genuinely interesting tale. Or if you're looking for something more contemporary, Michael Kitchen's turn as the World War II era DCS Christopher Foyle is at least as good as his turn as Leon Trotsky here.
Great Miniseries - They Should Re-release It!
brandygoboom23 March 2004
When this series ran on WTBS in 1979, I was hooked, & was able to catch every episode, save the LAST ONE! The BBC did a good job with it, but I, too, have been fruitlessly hunting for it for many years. I thought it was very well done. Even though they apparently didn't have a grand budget for much exterior shooting, the writing, as I recall, was fairly accurate and represented just what a "family affair" the royal houses of pre-WW1 were. I was particularly interested in this broadcast, especially the last episode, because I had just finished reading "The Secret File on the Tzar", an examination through all the NKVD and KGB files relating to Nicholas II's arrest and final family reunion in the basement. I consider it a minor classic, and, like several others, would like to find a personal copy.
True Feast for History Buffs
marcin_kukuczka26 February 2017
While checking certain BBC serials from TV productions' heyday, I came across this series recently. Having not heard about it before (it has never aired on Polish TV), I watched on YouTube the first episode "Death Waltz" with no expectations. Soon, however, the series involved me with its incredibly intense combination of history and screen drama. I decided to buy a DVD box available with some bonus material of interviews with Gayle Hunnicut (Alix), Charles Kay (tsar Nicholas) and one of the directors David Cunliffe. I have seen the whole series twice wince then and awed by it, I plan to see it for the third time. No wonder the daily Telegraph hailed it as "impressive."
Made in the mode of the British TV productions of the 1970s (just to mention I CLAUDIUS and EDWARD VII among some), FALL OF THE EAGLES has not dated at all. It can be well considered one of the best productions ever made for several reasons. One reason is surely the absorbing dramatization of thirteen episodes each dealing with particular story incorporated into the historical period. Indeed, the story lines are stuffed with facts and, yet, do not bore us with too documented material. Let me address this point in more details.
One big "family" of ruling dynasties at the twilight of their reigns, the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries: the Habsburgs, the Hohenzolerns and the Romanovs. From "Death Waltz" and the famous story of young Franz Josef in love with sweet Elisabeth of Bavaria (nicknamed Sissi) through "The English Princess" - Vicky and Fritz's love, "The Honest Broker" and Bismarck's rising influence shadowing the Kaiser William to the growing tragedy of czarism in Russia and "Absolute Beginners" who appear to hold the power and win the people. The dynamic changes that Europe experienced at the time are accurately and memorably depicted with fine balance between sheer facts and some additional acceptable liberties taken with history. To me, one of the most memorable episodes is episode 9 "Dress Rehearsal" where we can see clearly how politicians with their incompetence may truly make history... However, from today's perspective and with modern viewers' requirements, it is not historical accuracy that appeals to the general public in the series. More captivating appear the cast.
FALL OF THE EAGLES has wonderful performers. Some of the very best acting from mainstay characters like tsar Nicholas portrayed unforgettably by Charles Kay, his wife Alexandra played by Gayle Hunnicut, Barry Foster as emperor William II, Laurence Naismith as emperor Franz Josef of Austria and Patrick Stewart as Lenin to the supporting character and even episodic ones that appear on the screen in single episodes but contribute to the quality of the production considerably. Just a few to mention lie Nora Swinburne as Katharina Schratt, Curd Juergens as Bismarck, Peter Vaugham as Izvolsky, Rosalie Crutchley as Maria Pavlovna, Carleton Hobbs as Father Gruenboeck approving of a very specific funeral for Crown Prince Rudolph's mistress, Irene Hamilton as Mrs Vetsera and many others. Acting is sheer brilliance here, a great mutual achievement.
Among many other strong points that you will notice while watching the series, one has this unusual feeling that this history which we find in unemotional pages of various books can captivate us to such extent. A very human face of those people and a very psychological approach to their psyches. Perhaps, one of the best achievements in that respect is to Barry Foster's interpretation of Kaiser William II whose development, rise and oblivion we feel to the very end game. He has the final say, indeed, both tragic and hilarious...
FALL OF THE EAGLES is a must see for all history buffs and those viewers who like old BBC productions. it's an unforgettable experience. Having seen it, you will find this history period far more vivid and inspiring.
Made in the mode of the British TV productions of the 1970s (just to mention I CLAUDIUS and EDWARD VII among some), FALL OF THE EAGLES has not dated at all. It can be well considered one of the best productions ever made for several reasons. One reason is surely the absorbing dramatization of thirteen episodes each dealing with particular story incorporated into the historical period. Indeed, the story lines are stuffed with facts and, yet, do not bore us with too documented material. Let me address this point in more details.
One big "family" of ruling dynasties at the twilight of their reigns, the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries: the Habsburgs, the Hohenzolerns and the Romanovs. From "Death Waltz" and the famous story of young Franz Josef in love with sweet Elisabeth of Bavaria (nicknamed Sissi) through "The English Princess" - Vicky and Fritz's love, "The Honest Broker" and Bismarck's rising influence shadowing the Kaiser William to the growing tragedy of czarism in Russia and "Absolute Beginners" who appear to hold the power and win the people. The dynamic changes that Europe experienced at the time are accurately and memorably depicted with fine balance between sheer facts and some additional acceptable liberties taken with history. To me, one of the most memorable episodes is episode 9 "Dress Rehearsal" where we can see clearly how politicians with their incompetence may truly make history... However, from today's perspective and with modern viewers' requirements, it is not historical accuracy that appeals to the general public in the series. More captivating appear the cast.
FALL OF THE EAGLES has wonderful performers. Some of the very best acting from mainstay characters like tsar Nicholas portrayed unforgettably by Charles Kay, his wife Alexandra played by Gayle Hunnicut, Barry Foster as emperor William II, Laurence Naismith as emperor Franz Josef of Austria and Patrick Stewart as Lenin to the supporting character and even episodic ones that appear on the screen in single episodes but contribute to the quality of the production considerably. Just a few to mention lie Nora Swinburne as Katharina Schratt, Curd Juergens as Bismarck, Peter Vaugham as Izvolsky, Rosalie Crutchley as Maria Pavlovna, Carleton Hobbs as Father Gruenboeck approving of a very specific funeral for Crown Prince Rudolph's mistress, Irene Hamilton as Mrs Vetsera and many others. Acting is sheer brilliance here, a great mutual achievement.
Among many other strong points that you will notice while watching the series, one has this unusual feeling that this history which we find in unemotional pages of various books can captivate us to such extent. A very human face of those people and a very psychological approach to their psyches. Perhaps, one of the best achievements in that respect is to Barry Foster's interpretation of Kaiser William II whose development, rise and oblivion we feel to the very end game. He has the final say, indeed, both tragic and hilarious...
FALL OF THE EAGLES is a must see for all history buffs and those viewers who like old BBC productions. it's an unforgettable experience. Having seen it, you will find this history period far more vivid and inspiring.
Dynasties brought to Life
ken200020 June 2001
Fall of Eagles is one of the best mini series i have seen. I would like to see it again but unfortunately it seems to have vanished off the face of the earth. It was originally on the bbc around 1974 and it ran on the US Brave network about 1990 or thereabout. Since then it is gone. If anyone out there knows where I can find a video copy of this one of a kind utterly extraordinary series, please let me know. Thanks
Awful, a rare dud by the BBC costume drama department
maf178 April 2011
Warning: Spoilers
When I first came across this series, I wondered why I had never heard of it. When I got to see it, I quickly found out why. Its simply awful. Wooden acting, laughable dialogue, sets that look like someone raided a jumble sale. Very instructive to compare it with I Claudius, a show that suffered from similar budget restrictions, but overcame them with wonderful writing & superlative performances. This effort just looks & feels cheap. Disappointing, because the subject material offered tremendous potential. If you can get hold of it free of charge, watch it by all means, but don't consider spending money to purchase it, its not worth it at any price.
Now on DVD
scep27 October 2004
For years my Dad has been searching for this series and now the wait is over. You can purchase the newly released DVD set at Amazon.UK. I could not find it on Amazon.com but it is available on the UK version. I have searched and searched the internet, libraries, and video stores and no luck. My Dad is friends with owners of video stores and they tried through their contacts but came up empty handed. For fun I decided to look again and found it has been released since Oct. 18th. I am not sure what the exchange rate is but it came to 34.99 in British pounds and that was with shipping. I can only guess somewhere in the area of $60. I did not think that was so bad considering the size of the series.
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
drystyx10 February 2010
A low budget is no excuse for a complete snooze fest.
This series is a drama about European monarchies leading up to World War I. This is not action, but drama. Does that excuse poor directing? No.
Three directors (four, if you include Burge), and three writers made this. That may partly account for the ineptness, since creativity cannot be made by committee. By definition, a committee cannot possibly generate any suspense or interest, because a committee will always be safe and predictable.
I have worked under dozens of stage directors who could bring life to dull pieces with no action. I have directed dramas that needed life brought to them. There are tricks and methods to enliven scenes. The onus is not on the writers Eliot, Holford, and Pulman (although their dialog was super boring, and they could have done much better), but ultimately the blame for this failure must lay on the shoulders of directors Cunliffe, Hays, Cartier, and Burge. They try to enhance one scene with a man shooting birds, but even that drags in pity.
And to top that off, the writing is so horribly done, that we cannot follow what is going on. There is only confusion. We have no idea what is going on, or what a single character is speaking about.
There is no way to stay awake for this series. And I am not speaking about the video game arcade audience. I am speaking about intelligent and educated people who love History and read nonfiction. I don't want mindless action, but you can't convey character and story just by delivering lines, either. I can't envision any person being able to sit through this horribly produced thud. I saw some comments that I couldn't believe. This series gives new meaning to the word "drag".
This series is a drama about European monarchies leading up to World War I. This is not action, but drama. Does that excuse poor directing? No.
Three directors (four, if you include Burge), and three writers made this. That may partly account for the ineptness, since creativity cannot be made by committee. By definition, a committee cannot possibly generate any suspense or interest, because a committee will always be safe and predictable.
I have worked under dozens of stage directors who could bring life to dull pieces with no action. I have directed dramas that needed life brought to them. There are tricks and methods to enliven scenes. The onus is not on the writers Eliot, Holford, and Pulman (although their dialog was super boring, and they could have done much better), but ultimately the blame for this failure must lay on the shoulders of directors Cunliffe, Hays, Cartier, and Burge. They try to enhance one scene with a man shooting birds, but even that drags in pity.
And to top that off, the writing is so horribly done, that we cannot follow what is going on. There is only confusion. We have no idea what is going on, or what a single character is speaking about.
There is no way to stay awake for this series. And I am not speaking about the video game arcade audience. I am speaking about intelligent and educated people who love History and read nonfiction. I don't want mindless action, but you can't convey character and story just by delivering lines, either. I can't envision any person being able to sit through this horribly produced thud. I saw some comments that I couldn't believe. This series gives new meaning to the word "drag".
A Momentous Turn in World History
guidon711 February 2008
I was very impressed with Fall of Eagles. And what a distinguished cast of British actors!! (Including the German Curt Jurgens in a masterful performance as Prince Otto von Bismarck.) A contributor above remarks on the influence of General Ludendorff, not so much on World War One it would seem, but rather by his association with Adolf Hitler in the days after the Great War. While Ludendorff's impact during WWI was very great, the old man's influence afterwards was really only as a figurehead, a minor player, as an early adherent of Hitler.
One must keep in mind the condition of the German people at this period. The British sea blockade of Germany was not lifted until many months after the war had ended. The German people were starving and freezing. The Versailles Treaty demanded huge reparations from a prostrate Germany and limited the nation to a mere 10,000 man army, this with belligerent neighbors surrounding it, all eager for a piece of the helpless German state. Communism tried to gain power but failed in postwar Germany -- this not from any lack of effort on the part of the Communists themselves, but rather, I believe, that Marxist ideology itself does not have appeal to the German people per se. The successive Social Democratic governments were helpless to relieve the agony of the people. Is it any wonder that after the failure on the part of totalitarian Communism and the failure of democratic, liberal governments that, in their distress, the German people flocked to Hitler's banner, he who denounced and rejected the Versailles Diktat and who started the economy rolling again, meaning bread and jobs, where all these other political ideologies had failed so miserably?
I maintain that the rise of Hitler and all that followed in his wake was the direct result of the crushing demands by the victorious Allies forced upon a helpless nation in defeat. The victors of the First World War then, bear ultimate responsibility for Adolf Hitler's accession to power.
None of the above, however, detracts from this fine mini-series, the praises of which are not only from me, but also the other contributors here. Personally, my only criticism would be that rather than the archaic film clips shown from time to time throughout the production it would have been wiser instead to utilize Michael Hordern's commentary where deemed necessary for story continuity.
One must keep in mind the condition of the German people at this period. The British sea blockade of Germany was not lifted until many months after the war had ended. The German people were starving and freezing. The Versailles Treaty demanded huge reparations from a prostrate Germany and limited the nation to a mere 10,000 man army, this with belligerent neighbors surrounding it, all eager for a piece of the helpless German state. Communism tried to gain power but failed in postwar Germany -- this not from any lack of effort on the part of the Communists themselves, but rather, I believe, that Marxist ideology itself does not have appeal to the German people per se. The successive Social Democratic governments were helpless to relieve the agony of the people. Is it any wonder that after the failure on the part of totalitarian Communism and the failure of democratic, liberal governments that, in their distress, the German people flocked to Hitler's banner, he who denounced and rejected the Versailles Diktat and who started the economy rolling again, meaning bread and jobs, where all these other political ideologies had failed so miserably?
I maintain that the rise of Hitler and all that followed in his wake was the direct result of the crushing demands by the victorious Allies forced upon a helpless nation in defeat. The victors of the First World War then, bear ultimate responsibility for Adolf Hitler's accession to power.
None of the above, however, detracts from this fine mini-series, the praises of which are not only from me, but also the other contributors here. Personally, my only criticism would be that rather than the archaic film clips shown from time to time throughout the production it would have been wiser instead to utilize Michael Hordern's commentary where deemed necessary for story continuity.
Historical epic which gives time to the great Royal houses
didi-521 July 2011
The 'Fall of Eagles' refers to the end of three great Royal houses - the Habsburgs of Austria, the Hohenzollerns of Germany, and the Romanovs of Russia. Over a seventy year period, we follow the course of history from the marriage of the young Franz Josef through to the abdication of Kaiser Wilhelm II.
Each of these great Empires became republics by the end of World War I, a war which, this series implies, could so easily have been avoided. Also there were family links with England which fell apart after the war.
With a cast that includes such familiar faces as Barry Foster as Kaiser Wilhelm, Patrick Stewart as Lenin, Charles Kay as Tsar Nicholas, Gayle Hunnicutt as Tsarina Alexandra, plus Maurice Denham, Miles Anderson, Jan Francis, Diane Keen, Rachel Gurney, Charles Gray, Michael Kitchen, and many others, plus a strong narration from Michael Hordern putting each story in context, this series moves along at a good pace and is never less than engrossing, even with a minimum of outdoor filming and with major events (such as the massacre at Winter Gardens) represented by inserted footage of the time.
'Fall of Eagles' is one of the great classic series which is worth your time if you have any interest in European history.
Each of these great Empires became republics by the end of World War I, a war which, this series implies, could so easily have been avoided. Also there were family links with England which fell apart after the war.
With a cast that includes such familiar faces as Barry Foster as Kaiser Wilhelm, Patrick Stewart as Lenin, Charles Kay as Tsar Nicholas, Gayle Hunnicutt as Tsarina Alexandra, plus Maurice Denham, Miles Anderson, Jan Francis, Diane Keen, Rachel Gurney, Charles Gray, Michael Kitchen, and many others, plus a strong narration from Michael Hordern putting each story in context, this series moves along at a good pace and is never less than engrossing, even with a minimum of outdoor filming and with major events (such as the massacre at Winter Gardens) represented by inserted footage of the time.
'Fall of Eagles' is one of the great classic series which is worth your time if you have any interest in European history.
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