 Irving Thalberg (qv) fired writer Mercedes de Acosta (qv) when  she refused to write a scene involving a meeting between Gregory  Rasputin and Princess Irene Yusupov, which she knew did not occur.  Prince Feliks Yusupov (qv), one of Rasputins assassins, was a  close friend of de Acosta. After her firing, the scene was added.  After the films release, Prince Yusupov sued Thalberg and MGM, as  de Acosta warned he would.