Even a film as long as this can only scratch the surface of its subject, the end of Imperial Russia and the rise of the revolution. And this is perhaps its failing. It tries to cover too much historical ground, which means you get a little bit of everything but not enough to sink your teeth into. Having said that, the central tale, that of the last Tsar, Nicholas and his wife Alexandra holds everything together. We are watching the fall of a dynasty and the pressures inside a family which you know is doomed. In the broad sweep of history, the problems of one family, even a Royal one, don't add up to much, so you find yourself wanting the film to concentrate more on what is happening outside the palace walls. Despite its faults, the film holds your interest thanks largely to Michael Jayston and Janet Suzman in the title roles, supported by a cast that looks like a British theatre roll call. Special mention must go to Tom Baker, gloriously evil as Rasputin, and Michael Bryant, looking firm-jawed and determined as Lenin.

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