The Death of Stalin (2017)

Moscow, 1953. After being in power for nearly 30 years, Soviet dictator Josef Stalin takes ill and quickly dies. Now the members of the Council of Ministers scramble for power.

Director:

Armando Iannucci

Writers:

Armando Iannucci, David Schneider

Stars:

Steve Buscemi, Simon Russell Beale, Jeffrey Tambor

Nominated for 2 BAFTA Film Awards. Another 18 wins & 35 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Olga Kurylenko	...	Maria Veniaminovna Yudina
Tom Brooke	...	Sergei
Paddy Considine	...	Andreyev
Justin Edwards	...	Spartak Sokolov - Conductor 1
Adrian McLoughlin	...	Josef Stalin
Simon Russell Beale	...	Lavrenti Beria
Jeffrey Tambor	...	Georgy Malenkov
Steve Buscemi	...	Nikita Khrushchev
Michael Palin	...	Vyacheslav Molotov
Paul Ready	...	NKVD Officer Delov
Yulya Muhrygina	...	Woman in Layers of Clothes
Andrey Korzhenevskiy	...	Man in Layers of Clothes
Roger Ashton-Griffiths	...	Musician 1 (as Roger Ashton Griffiths)
Jeremy Limb	...	Musician 2
Andy Gathergood	...	Citizen Bundled into Car

Storyline

In early-1953 Moscow, under the Great Terror's heavy cloak of state paranoia, the ever-watchful Soviet leader, Joseph Stalin, collapses unexpectedly of a brain hemorrhage. Inevitably, when his body is discovered the following morning, a frenetic surge of raw panic spreads like a virus among the senior members of the Council of Ministers as they scramble to maintain order, weed out the competition, and, ultimately, take power. But in the middle of a gut-wrenching roller-coaster of incessant plotting, tireless machinations, and frail allegiances, absolutely no one is safe; not even the feared chief of the secret police, Lavrenti Beria. In the end, who will prevail after the death of Stalin?

---

Plot Keywords:

satire | black comedy | soviet union | nikita khrushchev character | based on comic book | 

---

Taglines:

The deputy, the politician, the son, the spymaster, the general.

---

Genres:

Comedy | Drama | History

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

rated R for language throughout, violence and some sexual references

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Germany] Official website (au)

Country:

UK France Belgium Canada USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 March 2018 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Death of Stalin

Filming Locations:

Blythe House, 23 Blythe Road, West Kensington, London, England, UK

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$184,805, 11 March 2018

Gross USA:

$8,047,856

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$24,646,055

Company Credits

Production Co:

Quad Productions, Main Journey, Gaumont

Technical Specs

Runtime:

107 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film alludes to 1950 plane crash in Sverdlovsk that killed all 19 on board, including 11 players from the Soviet Air Force ice hockey team, the team doctor, and a masseur. Vasili Stalin, the team's patron, so feared his father's reaction that he tried to downplay the seriousness of the crash, and rushed to recruit replacement players in hopes that his father wouldn't find out.

---

Goofs

At 4:40 the cars roll to Moscow down a freeway with modern corrugated steel crash barriers. Such barriers were only invented in 1970s and were not in use in Russia until 1980s. Photos from that period show Moscow area highways without any pedestrian protection.

---

Quotes

Vasily Stalin: I want to make a speech at my father's funeral
Lavrentiy Beria: Comrade Malenkov, you're view...
Georgy Malenkov: Well I think, um... it can be... no problem.
Nikita Khrushchev: Technically yes, but practically...
Lavrentiy Beria: There are programmatic complications...
Georgy Malenkov: I think I misspoke when I said "No problem" what I meant was, "No." "Problem."
[Everyone in the room look confused]
Georgy Malenkov: Ignore me.

---

Crazy Credits

Black-and-white photographs of the main characters appear over the end credits, but various figures are airbrushed out, have their faces defaced, or have other people superimposed over them, as per Soviet photos of Trotsky and purge victims.

---

Connections

Featured in Sky News: Sunrise: Episode dated 19 October 2017 (2017)

---

Soundtracks

Prelude Op. 28, No. 4
Written by Frédéric Chopin

User Reviews

Funny, scary, dark, take from it what you will!

The Death of Stalin is one of those films you will either love or just not get at all. Being someone with a big interest in Politics, and an interest in the events of the Soviet Union this was always going to be must watch.

The material itself is almost frightening, some pretty horrific real life events happening, but performed in a way that you can't help but laugh at, albeit sometimes with a little dread.

Superbly written as you'd expect by Armando Iannucci, if anyone knows political satire it's him! Steve Buscemi and Simon Russell Beale shine particularly.

It's one of those films I want to see again. 9/10