La Mort de Staline

Original title: The Death of Stalin

IMDb RATING

7.3/10

119K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

Play trailer2:22

Dark Comedy Period Drama Satire Comedy Drama History

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

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.3/10

119K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

401

293

See production info at IMDbPro

Nominated for 2 BAFTA Awards
- 18 wins & 40 nominations total

Videos4

Photos119

+ 111

‘Snow White’ Stars Test Their Wits

Rachel Zegler, Gal Gadot, and director Marc Webb take our Ultimate Disney Quiz.

Watch now

9:57

More like this

7.4

In the Loop

7.3

We Are Four Lions

7.9

Bons Baisers de Bruges

7.5

Thank You for Smoking

7.4

8.7

7.1

7.9

6.3

7.5

BlacKkKlansman : J'ai infiltré le Ku Klux Klan

7.3

L'Irlandais

7.2

Vice

Storyline

Edit

Did you know

Edit

Trivia
The movie was banned in Russia on January 23, 2018, two days before it was due to be released. The Cultural Ministry stated, "The distribution certificate for the film The Death of Stalin has been withdrawn." One member of the Culture Ministry's advisory board was quoted as saying, "The film desecrates our historical symbols - the Soviet hymn, orders and medals, and Marshal Zhukov is portrayed as an idiot", and added that this movie's release in advance of the 75th Anniversary of the end of the Battle of Stalingrad (February 2nd), would be "an affront to Russia's World War II veterans."

Goofs
Malenkov did not become General Secretary of the Communist Party when Stalin died. He did, however, become Premier of the Soviet Union. The Soviet leadership was clearly in flux, and Malenkov never had the status of obvious successor to Stalin that the movie implies. He did not chair the Politburo meeting after Stalin died; Khrushchev did.

Quotes
Nikita Khrushchev: I really need your help.
Georgy Zhukov: To do what? There's bodies fucking piling up in the street, it's a bit late, isn't it?
Nikita Khrushchev: What if we blame this on someone...
Georgy Zhukov: Wait...
Nikita Khrushchev: Who's out of control?
Georgy Zhukov: Nicky, be very careful what you say next. Who?
Nikita Khrushchev: Beria.
Georgy Zhukov: I'm going to have to report this conversation. Threatening to do harm or obstruct any member of the Presidium in the process of...
[grins]
Georgy Zhukov: Look at your fucking face!
[bursts out laughing]

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 The Last Leg: Episode #13.3 (2017)

Soundtracks
Piano Concerto No. 23 in A Major, K488
Written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Galaxy Symphonic Orchestra

User reviews445

Featured review

8/10

Utterly Fantastic!

A dark comedic depiction of the terror inflicted by Stalin and those around him. As utterly bizarre and bad taste as that sounds, this is utterly fantastic. The cast as incredible as you'll see in any film, Buscemi and Beale especially, but really, everyone is flawless. The dialogue is hysterically delivered without even the hint of a Russian accent and the whole thing has an air of farce, but one surrounded with firing squads, power struggles and gulags. Only Simon Russel Beale as Beria really terrifies, with back stabbing, double crossing and a plot as twisted as the deceptions on screen, but really it's Jason Issacs that steals the show, his entrance and performance is nothing short of majestic! Hello!!

8/10