Ivan the Terrible, Part II: The Boyars' Plot

1958 1h 22m RU

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7.4

SOLID

★7.4TMDB · 180

HistoryDrama

Synopsis

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This is the second part of a projected three-part epic biopic of Russian Czar Ivan Grozny, undertaken by Soviet film-maker Sergei Eisenstein at the behest of Josef Stalin. Production of the epic was stopped before the third part could be filmed, due to producer dissatisfaction with Eisenstein's introducing forbidden experimental filming techniques into the material, more evident in this part than the first part. As it was, this second part was banned from showings until after the deaths of both Eisenstein and Stalin, and a change of attitude by the subsequent heads of the Soviet government. In this part, as Ivan the Terrible attempts to consolidate his power by establishing a personal army, his political rivals, the Russian boyars, plot to assassinate him.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Nikolai Cherkasov
Czar Ivan IV
Serafima Birman
Boyarina Efrosinia Staritskaya
Pavel Kadochnikov
Vladimir Andreyevich Staritsky
Mikhail Zharov
Czar's Guard Malyuta Skuratov
Amvrosii Buchma
Czar's Guard Aleksei Basmanov
Vsevolod Pudovkin
Nikolay the Fanatic
Mikhail Kuznetsov
Fyodor Basmanov
Alexander Mgebrov
Novgorod's Archbishop Pimen

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Sergei Eisenstein
Writers: Sergei Eisenstein
Languages: Russian
Countries: Soviet Union

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

82 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

68 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

CINEMA

Did you know

Part of the "Ivan The Terrible Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Sergei Eisenstein, shot by Andrey Moskvin. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Sergei Prokofiev. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Esfir Tobak shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Nikolai Cherkasov and Serafima Birman and Pavel Kadochnikov carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0051790 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Sergei Eisenstein directs. Andrey Moskvin behind the camera. Sergei Prokofiev scores. Esfir Tobak cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Soviet Union. Dialogue in Russian.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

182 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
268 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
3Part of the "Ivan The Terrible Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
4Directed by Sergei Eisenstein, shot by Andrey Moskvin. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Sergei Prokofiev. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Esfir Tobak shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Nikolai Cherkasov and Serafima Birman and Pavel Kadochnikov carry the top of the cast.
8IMDB entry: tt0051790 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Released under 20 different titles around the world.

The technical file

Cinematography: Andrey Moskvin
Original score: Sergei Prokofiev
Editing: Esfir Tobak
Production design: Sergei Eisenstein
Costume design: Leonid Naumov
Makeup / hair: Vasili Goryunov
Runtime: 82 min · 1h 22m
Status: Released
Original language: RU
Certification (US): NR
IMDB: Ivan the Terrible, Part II: The Boyars' Plot (1958)

Part of

Ivan The Terrible Collection

A two-part historical epic film about Ivan IV of Russia made by Russian director Sergei Eisenstein. Part 1 was released in 1944 but Part 2 was not released until 1958 due to political censorship. The films were originally planned as part of a trilogy, but Eisenstein died before filming of the third part could be finished.

Also by

Sergei Eisenstein

Trailers & featurettes

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Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2022-06-07
★ 8/10
Nikolay Cherkasov picks up well from where we left the first part of Sergei Eisenstein's depiction of the life and times of this infamous Russian Tsar. Having now established a bit of stability for his country, he now tries to hold onto it. He now tries to establish an army to cement his reign whilst his aunt Efrosinia (Serafima Birman) still promotes the interests of her son Vladimir (Pavel Kadochnikov). With the help of the boyars who are also unhappy with his rule, they set about deposing him. Whereas part one was very much more about the rise of Ivan IV, this second episode also focuses a little more on the others, and Kadochnikov performs well as the would-be pretender as does Birman as his scheming mother and his friend "Philip" the monk (Andrei Abrikosov) whom he installs as the powerful Metropolitan Archbishop of Moscow. There are plenty of other rich character actors too amongst his soldiers, and some of the darkness and melancholy is replaced - partly by the use of colour intermittently throughout - with a sort of cinematic optimism. Again, the message of Russian (Soviet) unity is writ large, but here we start to see a little more of a benign-ness in the emperor. Sure, he still has his ruthless streak, but he is clearly looking forward more in this; not necessarily to a successor but to a strong and firm bedrock for the future of his country and it's people under his own, divinely inspired, control. The photography is intimate and striking; the facial expressions and wonderful score continue to imbue the characters with personas that no amount of deftly written dialogue could provide. That said, the dialogue is still sparing and effective and the pace moves along in a lively and interesting manner. It looks like an authentic glimpse into 16th century Russian court life, full of intrigues and plotting and I loved it just as much as the first part.

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