We both grew up with this movie and have strong feelings about it – so it was interesting to investigate it with a historian’s eye! Below, a few resources for further reading:
*This (as always) excellent three-part Lucy Worsley documentary gave us a good overview of the Romanov dynasty.
*This article from the Migration Policy Institute outlines the challenges that Anya, Dimitri, and Vlad would have faced leaving Soviet Russia (besides their brilliant plan to walk at least halfway to Paris).
*Learn more about Rasputin’s outsized influence on the Tsar and his family – and about his ultimate end – from Smithsonian.
*Ogle the movie’s famous tiaras (or at least a replica of one) here and here.
Season 2, Episode 5: "White Christmas" (1954) and "It's a Wonderful Life" (1946) – Costume Drama Rewind
We're having the hap, hap, happiest Christmas since Bing Crosby danced with Danny f*@#ing Kaye! In this episode, we look at how filmmakers handled extremely recent history, that of WW2, in 1946 and 1954 with "It's a Wonderful Life" and "White Christmas" respectively. Among the topics we discuss are 1950s nostalgia for the 40s, entertainers who served in WW2, how veterans were treated after the war, and how banks work (apparently everyone in Bedford Falls needs a refresher).
Costume Drama Rewind 