Anastasia

Anastasia (1956) starring Ingrid Bergman, Yul Brynner, Helen Hayes. Pure fantasy based on historical facts. Brynner plays a Russian who selects "Anna Anderson" (Bergman) to play the role of Anastasia, believed to be the last surviving heir to the Russian throne. His motive: A supposed inheritance waiting in British banks, said to be worth ten million pounds sterling. Bergman won an Oscar for her portrayal of the woman, but we never do find out if she's really Anastasia (she's not). The movie, though rooted in the true-to-life assassination of the royal Russian Romanovs by Bolshevik revolutionaries, is pure fiction based on wishful thinking. Nevertheless, it works on its own terms, at least as long as you're not too picky about facts. (Subtitles for the hearing-impaired are available on the disc.) Grade: B