It has to be acknowledged that Sam Spiegel allowed considerable expense for this lavish portrayal of the lives of Czar Nicholas II (Michael Jayston) and his wife Alexandra (Janet Suzman), and it appears quite beautiful, almost as impressive as “Doctor Zhivago” (1965). However, the visual appeal doesn't result in a particularly engaging viewing experience, because neither of the main performers seemed capable of bringing energy to their characters or to the dramatic events unfolding during this captivatingly unstable period in European history. The Romanovs face hardship from the beginning when their son Alexis is born with haemophilia; the Czarina falls under the sway of Rasputin (Tom Baker, predictably over-the-top), and the nation becomes involved—on the losing side—in a war against Japan in Korea, alongside a populace that’s no longer willing to simply accept the emperor's authority. What follows attempts to depict historical events through sweeping cinematography combined with meticulous costume and production design, but I felt it was ultimately more of a triumph for appearance over depth. Sir Larry Olivier manages adequately as the wise and increasingly exasperated premier Count Witte, and Irene Worth’s inherent dignity is well-suited to her role as the Dowager Empress; however, I had difficulty connecting with Harry Andrews, Timothy West, and particularly Jack Hawkins, who seemed to have coated himself in jelly before donning a moustache that looked like it belonged to a Marx brother. The film gains some life with about thirty minutes remaining when the unavoidable reality of death touches this Imperial family, but overall, I still found it to be an emotionless and rather cold presentation of the contradictions and double standards prevalent in a country where palaces and ghettos existed alongside one another, and where religious mysticism and ruthless political maneuvering were commonplace. It’s a missed chance, I think; it would have been better served by casting that prioritized character development over physical likeness and perhaps concentrated on a shorter, more focused period of time.

Source on TMDB