Chipping is astonished to be asked to "go abroad...it""s quite out of the question," and he resists.But he is cajoled o accompany his fellow teacher for his first summer vacation in Europe - at over 40 years of age.Sophia""s Mother: I""d be grateful if you were not to turn her head.She""s been brought up carefully, is unspoilt, and I""ve also taught her not to flirt.The Departure and Long Journey to Russia:On March the fifteenth, 1744, Princess Sophia Frederica, departed for Russia, full of innocent dreams for the future, and completely unaware of the fate which was to transform her into he most famous woman of her day.One of the film""s posters correctly proclaimed:"Television will never be the same."The film had a total of ten Academy Award nominations with four wins.To the film""s credit, five cast members were nominated for Oscars (and three won) - Best Actor (posthumously awarded to Peter Finch - Finch became the first andonlypost-humous winner of an acting Oscar in Academy history), Best Actress (Faye Dunaway), and Best Supporting Actress (Beatrice Straight)).[Barry""s inspiration for the lead female character was derived from real-life Philadelphian WASP heiress Hope Montgomery Scott (1905-1995).