For many films, the story behind how it was made is more interesting than the movie itself. This is only partly the case with Ivan the Terrible, because both the film and its background are fascinating.

Sergei Eisenstein had achieved international acclaim as a director with The Battleship Potemkin (1925), his only unqualified success. But it was not an easy job being the Soviet Union's most acclaimed filmmaker. With October (1927), he made the mistake of making Leon Trotsky the central character just as he had fallen out of political favor. The film had to be reworked.

Hard times followed for Eisenstein. A stint in Hollywood was a washout, and he returned to Russia. It was not until Alexander Nevsky (1938) that he again achieved recognition.

Alexander Nevsky was not really the masterpiece that The Battleship Potemkin was, however. Stolid and static, its titular hero was the Great Russian Manly Man. Nikolai Cherkasov's machismo performance must have provided the inspiration for Charlton Heston's career.

But the film was internationally lauded. Of greater significance, Stalin approved of the film. Eisenstein was given the commission for what would be his most ambitious project, a three part biography of sixteenth century Czar Ivan IV. Eisenstein finished the first two parts, and was in the middle of making the third, when ill health and declining Stalinist favor brought the end to the production.

Ivan the Terrible, Part One was released to greatly mixed reviews. To this day, there is little consensus on the film, with no two opinions seemingly the same. Some see the film symbolically, even with Ivan as a stand-in for Stalin.

I can't agree with this interpretation. While The Great Dictator may be an obvious parody of Hitler, if you search too deeply for symbolism, you'll find it even where it doesn't exist.

Others feel that Ivan the Terrible is an unintentional camp comedy. The evidence for this interpretation is everywhere in the film: the camera angles are curious, the acting is very stagey, and extreme close-ups and prolonged dramatic pauses abound. There's never any doubt how the characters feel. For all the political intrigue surrounding Ivan's throne (and loyal wife), there is very little subtlety.

But it is a mistake to write the film off as being preposterous and ponderous. Eisenstein's approach to directing is unusual, even eccentric. But there's something there, and that something has to do with his fascination with the emotions of his characters.

Things happen in Ivan the Terrible, but mostly offscreen. Battles are won and lost, people die, defect, and connive. However, it is rare for any action to occur on camera, despite a handful of outdoor scenes with hundreds of extras. Eisenstein is instead interested in how people react emotionally, especially to receiving bad news.

What is certain is that Ivan the Terrible is of little value as history. You'll learn far more about Ivan IV by spending ten minutes with britannica.com, than you will by seeing Eisenstein's films.

The basic political theme does support the 'symbolic' interpretation of the movie. Ivan consolidates power by confiscating the wealth of the aristocratic Boyars, and by merging the faceless proletariat into an army of supporters. But the nationalistic politics are simplistic. Eisenstein instead favors court intrigue, which consumes the majority of the script.

Apparently, one commodity in short supply in Russia during medieval times was shampoo. Ivan's hair is matted and looks greasy. His long goatee may remind you of the Groucho Marx one-liner from A Night at the Opera: "Don't point that thing at me, it might go off!"

While Eisenstein was able to release the first film of his trilogy, its immediate sequel was suppressed by Stalin. It was not until 1958, years after both Stalin and Eisenstein had died, that the film was finally made available.

Whatever your opinion of Ivan the Terrible, Part One may be, it is not a film that you will soon forget. (76/100)

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Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Fit for Friday Evening
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children up Ages 8