Warning: This article contains spoilers for A Gentleman in Moscow episode 1.
Summary
- A Gentleman in Moscow melds fiction with real history, centering around the Russian Revolution of 1917 for authenticity.
- Ewan McGregor stars as Count Rostov, who voluntarily returns to Russia amid the violent Bolshevik Revolution.
- The series delves into the aftermath of the Revolution, showcasing the rise of the Soviet Union after the Russian Civil War.
A Gentleman in Moscow's Metropol Hotel is also a real building in the Russian capital. However, the hotel itself is mainly used as the story's setting due to its significance during the Bolshevik Revolution in the early 20th century.
Ewan McGregor leads the A Gentleman in Moscow episode 1 reveals the macabre fates of Alexander's peers, and they take place in a setting heavily based on reality.
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The Bolshevik Revolution Was Part Of The Russian Revolution Between 1917 & 1923
Alexander Rostov returns to Moscow a year before the end of the Revolution in A Gentleman in Moscow
The Russian Revolution is something of an umbrella term that also encomes the Bolshevik Revolution. The Bolshevik Party was formed in 1903, two years before the beginning of the First Russian Revolution in 1905. The Bolsheviks called for the end of capitalism, wanting the Tsar and the ruling classes to become a thing of the past. The movement began a period of political unrest within Russia and the Russian Empire at large. The 1905 Revolution, sometimes referred to as, "The Great Dress Rehearsal," had Russia's working classes going on strike, and there were mutinies within the Russian military.
Soviet Russia became the Soviet Union under the istration of Vladimir Lenin, but he died two years later, in 1924, at the age of 53 years old.
While the 1905 Revolution achieved some reform for the Russian people, the Bolsheviks seized control of the country in 1917, beginning another era of domestic revolution for six years. The Bolshevik Revolution is also referred to as the October Revolution due to the month of its origin in 1917. During this period, the Russian royal family was executed. In addition, many other of the ruling classes were similarly killed for their status. The Revolution aimed to rid the nation of capitalism via these violent methods. Moscow's unrest resulted in it being restored as the Russian capital in 1918.
The Bolshevik Party's Connection To Vladimir Lenin Explained
Lenin was the first leader of the USSR
When the Bolsheviks came to power in 1917, the political group renamed itself and became the "Communist Party of the Soviet Union." Although the Soviet Union didn't exist until 1922, the period between 1917 and 1922 is referred to as Soviet Russia. When the Soviet Russian era began, Vladimir Lenin founded a new government and also became the head of the newly named Communist Party. The Bolsheviks based their manifesto on Marxist ideals, as did Vladimir Lenin. However, Lenin further developed Marxism, and these adaptations led to the term "Leninism." In short, his goals were to favor Russia's working class.
Soviet Russia became the Soviet Union under the istration of Vladimir Lenin, but he died two years later, in 1924, at the age of 53 years old. Marxism-Leninism continued to be the ideology of the Soviet Union for another 67 years after Vladimir Lenin's death, with the Union falling in December 1991. Lenin's goals were to (via Investopedia), "Impose collective control over the means of production, redistribute wealth, abolish the aristocracy, and create a more equitable society for the masses." However, his attempts to achieve his aims were incredibly violent and resulted in many deaths.
Vladimir Lenin's direct involvement in Russian politics was surprisingly short-lived, especially given how synonymous his name has become with the era of the Revolution. Lenin's death was unrelated to his political beliefs. That is to say, he wasn't killed by those who opposed him. While he died due to medical reasons, the cause of Lenin's death remains a topic of debate. One theory, put forward by the National Library of Medicine, suggests Lenin died due to a series of strokes.
How The Revolution Led To The Russian Civil War
Not everyone in Russia agreed with the Bolsheviks
The October Revolution also encomed the Russian Civil War that ran from 1918 to 1921. According to Boston University, the three-year conflict began when groups who opposed Bolshevik policies started to arise. These groups included, "Monarchists, militarists, and, for a short time, foreign nations." The Russian Civil War began the year before the Bolsheviks killed Tsar Nicholas II - the last emperor of Russia. Nicholas II had already abdicated in 1917.
In A Gentleman in Moscow, Alexander Rostov returns to the city a year after the Russian Civil War has ended.
The resistance to Communist rule ultimately failed, with the Civil War ending in victory for Lenin's Red Army. The next year, the era of Soviet Russia began, which meant Marxism-Lenin spread throughout the country more than ever before. If the October Revolution had never taken place, then it's possible that the Civil War also wouldn't have transpired. However, there's no guarantee that the Bolshevik Party wouldn't have simply attempted another political coup further down the line. As it stands, there's no way to know for sure.
What Happened To Russia After The Revolution Period
The USSR stood until 1991
Russia's violent overhaul during the Russian Revolution eventually came to an end. In the aftermath of the Russian Civil War, the Soviet Union became an incredibly powerful transcontinental country, with only the US able to match their firepower after the British Empire started to dissolve. In addition, the Russian flag changed when the country became the USSR. While the flag of white, blue, and red horizontal lines was used from 1705 to 1922, the birth of the Soviet Union resulted in a red flag with a hammer and sickle to represent the country's working class.
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Russia restored its pre-Soviet flag in 1922. From then onward, there were almost no of the upper classes remaining in Russia. While many of the aristocracy fled during the Revolution, some attempted to remain, with many of them being killed by the Bolsheviks. In addition, although Nicholas II and his immediate family were killed, other of the Romanov lineage managed to escape the country, never to return. The Red Army's brutal attitude to the presence of former royals can be seen in A Gentleman in Moscow episode 1, when Prince Nikolai is shot in the street.
A Gentleman In Moscow Release Schedule |
||
Episode Number |
Title |
Release Date (2024) |
1 |
A Master of Circumstance |
March 29 |
2 |
An Invitation |
April 5 |
3 |
The Last Rostov |
April 12 |
4 |
Good Times |
April 19 |
5 |
An Arrival |
April 26 |
6 |
TBA |
May 3 |
7 |
TBA |
May 10 |
8 |
TBA |
May 17 |
A Gentleman in Moscow is released weekly on Showtime each Friday.
Sources: Investopedia, National Library of Medicine, Boston University
A Gentleman in Moscow
- Release Date
- 2024 - 2024-00-00
Based on the novel by Amor Towles, A Gentleman in Moscow is a historical dramatic-thriller created by Ben Vanstone for Paramount+ and Showtime. Following the advent of the Russian Revolution, Count Alexander Ilyich Rostov is forced to spend several decades locked away in a hotel room and watch as the country around him transforms.
- Network
- Showtime
- Cast
- Ewan McGregor, Beau Gadsdon, Johnny Harris, Leah Harvey, Paul Ready, Anastasia Hille, Björn Hlynur Haraldsson
- Seasons
- 1
