Royal Cousins at War

Part of the BBC's commemoration of the World War I centennial, this two-part documentary explores events (especially leading up to the outbreak of the conflict in August 1914) through a biographical (and psychological) study of the rulers of Germany, Russia, and England—Kaiser Wilhelm II, Tsar Nicholas II, and King George V—all of whom were related by birth or marriage to the English Queen Victoria. And while the emphasis here is on those three men, Royal Cousins at War also touches upon their fathers and mothers (the latter all princesses from England or Denmark). Director Richard Sanders expertly combines archival material (both stills and early footage) with narration soberly delivered by Tamsin Greig, coupled with comments from academicians and writers. George's shyness and Nicholas's indecisiveness are examined, although more is made of Wilhelm's troubled psyche. Dismissed by his grandfather due to a birth defect and unable to bond with his parents, Wilhelm—the argument goes—tried to compensate for feelings of inferiority by acting in bellicose and overbearing ways that placed his empire in an increasingly isolated diplomatic position and virtually ensured that he would respond erratically when Franz Ferdinand (heir-apparent to the throne of Wilhem's ally Austria-Hungary) was assassinated. Royal Cousins at War is somewhat reductionist—emphasizing personal quirks over broader historical currents as determining factors—but it is nonetheless an absorbing study of the death throes of European monarchy in the late-19th and early 20th centuries. Recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (F. Swietek)