Ivan the Terrible (1945 film)

Ivan the Terrible (Russian: Иван Грозный, romanized: Ivan Grozny) is a two-part Soviet historical drama film, produced, written and directed by Sergei Eisenstein. The film chronicles the reign of 16th-century Russian tsar Ivan IV (Nikolay Cherkasov) and details his formation of the oprichnina and conflict with the boyars, particularly with his aunt (Serafima Birman) and cousin (Pavel Kadochnikov). Lyudmila Tselikovskaya plays Ivan's wife Anastasia, while members of the oprichnina are played by Mikhail Zharov, Amvrosy Buchma, and Mikhail Kuznetsov. The score was composed by Sergei Prokofiev.

Ivan the Terrible was commissioned on behalf of Soviet leader Joseph Stalin in January 1941. However, production was delayed by the German invasion and the subsequent Soviet entry into World War II in June. When principal photography eventually commenced in April 1943, the majority of the film was shot in the city of Alma-Ata, while the color scenes were filmed in Moscow. Eisenstein had planned to finish both parts of the film by 1944, but production delays meant only Part I and partial principal photography of Part II was completed by 1944. Part I was released in 1945 and received a Stalin Prize. Part II was completed in 1946, but was banned by Soviet authorities that year and not released until 1958. Eisenstein intended for Ivan the Terrible to be a three-part film, and had begun filming for Part III, but abandoned production of Part III after the ban of Part II. Eisenstein died in 1948, leaving the film incomplete.

Ivan the Terrible has had a polarized reception, being both harshly criticized and highly praised within the Soviet Union as well as internationally. Its visuals and scope have received praise, but the reception of other aspects such as the acting and plot has been more mixed. The film has sparked debate for its treatment of Stalinism, and has been the subject of academic study with regard to its portrayal of history, religion, gender, homoeroticism and power. Over the decades Ivan the Terrible has been re-evaluated as one of Eisenstein's most complex works, and has featured in lists of the greatest-ever films.