Ivan the Terrible, Part I (1944)

During the early part of his reign, Ivan the Terrible faces betrayal from the aristocracy and even his closest friends as he seeks to unite the Russian people.

Director:

Sergei M. Eisenstein (as Sergei Eisenstein)

Writer:

Sergei M. Eisenstein (as Sergei Eisenstein)

Stars:

Nikolay Cherkasov, Lyudmila Tselikovskaya, Serafima Birman

2 wins.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Nikolay Cherkasov	...	Czar Ivan IV
Lyudmila Tselikovskaya	...	Czarina Anastasia Romanovna
Serafima Birman	...	Boyarina Efrosinia Staritskaya
Mikhail Nazvanov	...	Prince Andrei Kurbsky
Mikhail Zharov	...	Czar's Guard Malyuta Skuratov
Amvrosi Buchma	...	Czar's Guard Aleksei Basmanov
Mikhail Kuznetsov	...	Fyodor Basmanov
Pavel Kadochnikov	...	Vladimir Andreyevich Staritsky
Andrei Abrikosov	...	Boyar Fyodor Kolychev
Aleksandr Mgebrov	...	Novgorod's Archbishop Pimen
Maksim Mikhaylov	...	Archdeacon
Vladimir Balashov	...	Piotr Volynetz
Vsevolod Pudovkin	...	Nikola, Simpleton Beggar
Semyon Timoshenko	...	Kaspar von Oldenbock, Livonian ambassador
Aleksandr Rumnyov	...	The Stranger

Storyline

In 1547, Ivan IV (1530-1584), archduke of Moscow, crowns himself Tsar of Russia and sets about reclaiming lost Russian territory. In scenes of his coronation, his wedding to Anastasia, his campaign against the Tartars in Kazan, his illness when all think he will die, recovery, campaigns in the Baltic and Crimea, self-imposed exile in Alexandrov, and the petition of Muscovites that he return, his enemies among the boyars threaten his success. Chief among them are his aunt, who wants to advance the fortunes of her son, a simpleton, and Kurbsky, a warrior prince who wants both power and the hand of Anastasia. Ivan deftly plays to the people to consolidate his power.

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Plot Keywords:

ivan the terrible | boyar | tzar | brutality | tyranny | 

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | History

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

Soviet Union

Language:

Russian

Release Date:

8 March 1947 (USA)

Also Known As:

Ivan the Terrible, Part I

Filming Locations:

Alma-Aty, Kazhachstan

Company Credits

Production Co:

Mosfilm, Tsentralnuyu Obedinyonnuyu Kinostudiyu (TsOKS)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film is included on Roger Ebert's "Great Movies" list.

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Goofs

At the beginning of the color dancing sequence, the many dances jump and fall in front of the Tsar. At the end of this sequence, one of the falling dancers pushes the wig off the head of Vladimir, as he lays on the floor apparently in a drunken state.

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Quotes

Czar Ivan IV: The knife will slice through those who raise the hand over Moscow.

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Crazy Credits

The movie starts with the words: This movie is about a man who in the 16th century first united our country, about a Moscow prince, who in specific separations and self-interested prince-hoods created one powerful state, about a commander who raised the military honor of our fatherland in the east and in the west, about a leader who first took care of the solution of all these great things himself. Wreath of the czar of whole Russia.

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Connections

Referenced in Hitler, ein Film aus Deutschland (1977)

User Reviews

A Memorable Filming Of An Interesting Era

This first part of Eisenstein's filming of the life and times of "Ivan the Terrible" has lots of drama, very good characterizations, fascinating settings, and plenty of action. Nikolai Cherkasov is completely convincing in the lead role, and the rest of the cast complements him well (especially Serafima Birman as his crafty aunt). This period in history is quite interesting and significant in itself, and Eisenstein presents everything in a fashion that is thoughtful and also enjoyable to watch.

Ivan combined a remorseless personal ambition with a genuine desire to strengthen and protect Russia, while the boyars, who opposed him, acted from motives that were almost exclusively personal. Combined with the plans of Russia's neighbors, all of this makes for a complex and interesting series of events, and the movie does a good job of presenting both the events and the possibilities, both on the surface and behind the scenes. Not the least of the reasons why it works so well are the settings. They are always interesting, believable, and atmospheric - and the indoor settings are especially so.

Part One is praiseworthy both in its own right and as the foundation for the outstanding sequel. Eisenstein generally excelled at depicting important periods in his country's history, and his series on Ivan's critical reign demonstrates all of his many skills. His attention to detail (of which there are too many examples even to try to list) and his appreciation for the overall picture make this a memorable film of high quality.