Anastasia: The Mystery of Anna

A 1986 American-Austrian-Italian biographical miniseries directed by Marvin J. Chomsky. The plot is based on the story of Anna Anderson, a woman who claimed to be Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna, the daughter of the last Russian Tsar, Nicholas II. The series begins in December 1916, depicting the Romanov family's attendance at a lavish ball preceding the revolution. It then covers the February Revolution of 1917, Nicholas II's abdication in March, and the family's exile to Siberia that summer. Following the October Revolution of 1917 and the communists' rise to power, the Romanovs are executed in July 1918. Years later, in the 1920s, a woman named Anna Anderson (Amy Irving) appears in Berlin. After a suicide attempt, she is placed in a psychiatric hospital, where she claims to be the surviving Grand Duchess Anastasia. Her story is so convincing that many Russian expatriates begin to believe her. However, members of the Romanov family are skeptical of her claims and refuse to acknowledge her. Anna travels to New York in 1928, hoping to gain support from American relatives but faces a cold reception and public denunciation. After the death of Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna in Denmark, Anna returns to Germany in 1931. In 1938, she files a lawsuit against the surviving Romanov family members, demanding recognition of her identity, but the question of her authenticity remains unresolved. The series also features Olivia de Havilland as Empress Maria Feodorovna, Rex Harrison as Grand Duke Cyril Romanov, Jan Niklas as Prince Erich, Omar Sharif as Tsar Nicholas II, and Claire Bloom as Empress Alexandra. A young Christian Bale portrays Tsarevich Alexei, the son of Nicholas II. The series received critical acclaim, with Olivia de Havilland winning a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Miniseries, or Television Film.