History and Hollywood are overflowing with tales of
tyrants who dominated through brutality, repression, and manipulation. What is
less widely discussed is what happens when a tyrant’s reign of terror is
finally brought to an end. The 2018 dark satire The Death of Stalin
explores the outrageous ways that the most elite members of the Soviet
government sought to obtain and maintain control in the wake of dictator Joseph
Stalin’s sudden death in 1953. At once a slapstick spoof of the corrupting
influence of politics and an indictment of the all too real horrors that ran
rampant in the Soviet Union, The Death of
Stalin is a film that is certain to slay you.
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| Is anyone going to acknowledge the red elephant in the room?! |
The story begins with a darkly ironic glimpse into the
daily absurdities of life in the Soviet Union as a Moscow orchestra scrambles
to recreate a concert performance in order to appease Stalin’s whim for a
recording. Through this opening depiction of the hysterical levels of fear that
the mere mention of Stalin inspires in the musicians the film perfectly
captures the Orwellian nightmare that was everyday life under Stalin’s rule.
The film then shifts its focus from the populace that the dictator brutalized
into submission to the political cronies and henchmen who enabled his reign to
endure. Following a brief introduction to the sycophancy and underhandedness
that dominated Stalin’s inner circle, the film portrays the dictator’s sudden
death from a stroke. The film then quickly spirals into a madcap race against time
as the most elite figures in the Soviet Union face off in a power struggle that
will define Russian politics for decades to come.
Made in the tradition of such biting political
comedies as Ninotchka and The Great Dictator, The Death of Stalin provides a wry look at politics at their most
poisonous. From the moment that Stalin is found unconscious in a puddle of his
own urine the film morphs into something akin to ‘Survivor: Soviet Moscow’ as
the dictator’s closest allies make and break alliances in accordance with the
shifting political climate. All the while the wit remains razor sharp and the
insults fly faster than a firing squad’s bullets as the USSR’s most elite
bumble, bicker, and double-cross their way to the top. The shenanigans that
ensue are comic in their absurdity, even as they highlight the brutality,
paranoia, and hysteria that dominate life under repressive regimes. The film
wisely maintains its darkly comic focus upon the hapless schemers jockeying to
take Stalin’s place, rather than the ordinary citizens caught in the crossfire.
As a result, the film functions as a scathing indictment of the lunacy that was
Stalinism rather than a tasteless dismissal of its millions of victims. Although
the central players are historical figures, the power plays that they
ruthlessly engage in remain as startlingly relevant today as they were during
the height of the Cold War.
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| Stay tuned to see who will be voted off the island next |
The expert performances of the film’s international
cast deftly keep the film balanced between slapstick spoof and historical
drama. Steve Buscemi nearly steals the film in his slick turn as Nikita Krushchev,
which plays like a Cold War twist on his popular role of Boardwalk Empire’s politician turned gangster Nucky Thompson. Jeffrey
Tambor is hilariously inept as the ever one step behind Georgy Malenkov. Jason
Isaacs lends roguish charm and plenty of swagger to his role as World War II
hero and Red Army chief of staff General Zhukov. Simon Russell Beale manages to
be both comic and chilling in his portrayal of notorious head of the secret
police Lavrenti Beria. Rupert Friend is wonderfully outrageous in his
performance as Stalin’s drunken buffoon son, Vasily. Andrea Riseborough aptly
portrays Stalin’s sheltered daughter, Svetlana with an appropriate combination
of snobbishness and naïveté.
A historical tale that could easily be ripped from
today’s headlines, The Death of Stalin
is simultaneously one of the most comic and tragic films of the year. Through
its wickedly witty script the film sheds light onto the comically absurd events
that transpired after Stalin’s death, while also reminding audiences of the
millions who suffered under the rule of Stalin and his cohorts. The ensemble
cast turn in expert performances that will have even the most casual students
of history laughing out loud. For a film that will have you dying with laughter
don’t miss The Death of Stalin.
| It's funny because it's mostly true! |
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