JustWatch

Ivan the Terrible, Part I

1944

Иван Грозный

Set during the early part of his reign, Ivan faces betrayal from the aristocracy and even his closest friends as he seeks to unite the Russian people. Sergei Eisenstein's final film, this is the first part of a three-part biopic of Tsar Ivan IV of Russia, which was never completed due to the producer's dissatisfaction with Eisenstein's attempts to use forbidden experimental filming techniques and excessive cost overruns. The second part was completed but not released for a decade after Eisenstein's death and a change of heart in the USSR government toward his work; the third part was only in its earliest stage of filming when shooting was stopped altogether.

Nikolai Cherkasov Lyudmila Tselikovskaya Serafima Birman Mikhail Nazvanov Mikhail Zharov Amvrosi Buchma Mikhail Kuznetsov Pavel Kadochnikov Andrei Abrikosov Alexander Mgebrov Maxim Mikhaylov Vladimir Balashov Vsevolod Pudovkin Semyon Timoshenko Aleksandr Rumnyov Pavel Massalsky Valentina Kuznetsova Sergei Stolyarov

Alternative Titles

Ivan the Terrible, Iwan, der Schreckliche I, Ivan the Terrible, Part One, Iván el terrible, Ivan Groznyy, Iván, el terrible, Иван Грозни, Ivan, O Terrível, Ivan den Grusomme, Iivana Julma I, Iivana Julma, osa 1/2, Ivan den Grymme I, Ivan le terrible, Ivan, o tromeros, Rettegett Iván 1., Ivan il terribile, Iván el terrible, parte 1, Iwan Groźny, Ivan, o Terrível - Parte I, Ивaн Гpoзни, Иван Грозный, Ivan den förskräcklige, Korkunç Ivan, Ivan the Terrible, Part I, 폭군 이반 1부, Ivan de Verschrikkelijke, Deel 1, Iwan, der Schreckliche Teil I, Ivan il Terribile, Ivan le Terrible, Rettegett Iván, Iván el Terrible, Иван Грозни, част І, 폭군 이반 1, Ivan Groznyy I, 伊凡雷帝, Ivan Hrozný, Korkunç İvan, Ιβάν ο Τρομερός, Μέρος 1, Iván el Terrible. Parte I

Genres

Drama History

Themes

Humanity and the world around us Epic history and literature Political drama, patriotism, and war Lavish dramas and sumptuous royalty Historical battles and epic heroism Captivating vision and Shakespearean drama Riveting political and presidential drama Show All…

Premiere

30 Dec 1944

USSR

Theatrical limited

19 Jan 2023

Greece

Theatrical

11 Nov 1944

USSR

20 Jan 1945

USSR

23 Apr 1945

Sweden16

15 Jun 1945

Czechoslovakia

30 Sep 1945

FinlandS

05 Mar 1946

France

04 Jul 1946

Denmark

28 Jan 1947

Argentina13

08 Mar 1947

07 Mar 1958

FinlandS

24 Oct 1970

Spain

14 Sep 1971

Spain

07 Oct 1971

PortugalM/16

11 Jul 2006

Japan

21 Oct 2007

18 Mar 2015

France

01 May 2016

PortugalM/6

Physical

29 Jun 2006

Netherlands12

Argentina

28 Jan 1947

Theatrical13

Czechoslovakia

15 Jun 1945

Theatrical

Denmark

04 Jul 1946

Theatrical

Finland

30 Sep 1945

TheatricalS

07 Mar 1958

TheatricalS (re-release)

France

05 Mar 1946

Theatrical

18 Mar 2015

Theatrical (re-release)

Greece

19 Jan 2023

Theatrical limited (re-issue)

Japan

11 Jul 2006

Theatrical (Russian and Soviet Film Festival)

Netherlands

29 Jun 2006

Physical12 DVD

Portugal

07 Oct 1971

TheatricalM/16

01 May 2016

TheatricalM/6 (digitally restored version)

Spain

24 Oct 1970

Theatrical (Madrid)

14 Sep 1971

Theatrical (Barcelona)

Sweden

23 Apr 1945

Theatrical16

UK

21 Oct 2007

Theatrical (London)

USA

08 Mar 1947

Theatrical

USSR

11 Nov 1944

Theatrical

30 Dec 1944

Premiere

20 Jan 1945

Theatrical

100 mins More at IMDb TMDb Report this page

Popular reviews

Review by hema ★★★★½ 1

A Tsar Is Born
Review by Neil Bahadur ★★★★★ 2

I haven't too much to add since I last visited the film, but what strikes me now is the films total and tonal rhythmic harmony, something heightened by the films high visual stylism which Eisenstein hadn't attempted before. This is no secret, but it goes well beyond merely mis-en-scene and composition (and the beautifully fluid manner of cutting) but into performance, so much so that the film can seem animated. This "animation" of performance allows for a mode that, which jarring at first, consumes the viewer into the film, while eliding both emotional affect and even emotional depth in favour of psychological truth. Such a position can understandably be not cathartic enough for some, but given that it focuses almost…
Review by Neil Bahadur ★★★★★ 1

First time seeing the restored version - far more subversive (or rather, two faced?) than I had initially realized, perhaps because the previously available version had been in such low quality OR because I had become so entrenched with the 2nd part, which pushes far deeper into the dark side. Much less Stalinist propaganda in comparison to Nevsky and its more obviously a part of a grander whole, with far more foreshadowing and ambivalence than I had realized. But more importantly, rather than the Wagnerian simplicity of Nevsky we really get to see Eisenstein rethinking montage through sound cinema in this one, overloading on symbolism and baroque austerity, where lines being read seem to play as juxtapository towards the composition,…
Review by Viren ★★★★

A world of its own!
'Ivan the Terrible, Part 1' is a historical epic directed by the legendary Russian filmmaker, Sergei Eisenstein. Set during the tumultuous reign of Ivan IV, also known as Ivan the Terrible, the film portrays the rise of the infamous Tsar and his early struggles to consolidate power in 16th-century Russia.
Joseph Stalin wanted Eisenstein to make a movie praising Russian history and Soviet pride, and showcasing Ivan as a hero. But Eisenstein wanted more. He showed Ivan as a complicated and sometimes harsh leader. Despite Stalin's pressure and censorship, Eisenstein stuck to his plan, he wanted to explore Ivan's complexity, making the movie more about power and ambition than just propaganda.
Eisenstein's perseverance shines through…
Review by Paul Elliott ★★★★½ 1

Through some elaborate set designs, this first part of a two-part movie comprises both plot and pageantry as the cunning and ruthless Ivan secures his throne. The architecture of the sets ensures humans are always subordinate, like the various low entrances which oblige the actors to stoop to get through, and the crisscrossing stairwells. This first part is concerned with Ivan’s relationship with Anastasia, his accomplishment over Kazan and the sickness which almost killed him as he comes to be irrationally paranoid over those that attempt to assassinate him.
Written and directed by Sergei Eisenstein and commissioned by Joseph Stalin, a great deal of the direction establishes some mesmerising long-shots and close-ups to construct something grand in scale, but also…
Review by Edgar Cochran ✝️ ★★★★★ 2

The passion and poetry of Shakespeare are subjected to Stalinist politics, and a shockingly seductive cinematography and breathtaking technical aspects enhance the delicious flavor of such despicable tragedy. Lunacy begins and the ambition increases, all of this controlled by Eisenstein in a masterful way. Each new decade, this Soviet giant would establish a landmark style, and the exceptional 40s were no exception, the formula including the submission of the masses to authoritative figures of power. Magnificent masterpiece that demands patience intentionally, only to reward it with astonishing symbols of religion and blasphemy.
98/100
Review by Josiah Morgan 2

Eisenstein again proves his incomparable abilities, this time in sound. It's easy enough to see why Peter Greenaway is in love with this filmography, almost every shot is composited and defined by shadow and that shadow's relation to other shots (resembling Greenaway's idol Rembrandt). Not as strong as some of his other work solely because in the first half-hour or so the new audiovisual relationship still feels like something he's scoping out, not entirely comfortable with the advent of capturing dialogue yet. All of a sudden it hits a stride about thirty minutes in, the films' rhythm is found... even then, the first half-hour isn't a worry when your images are this strong.
Review by Diogo Serafim ★★★★½ 1

at first, it seems as if eisenstein objectively left aside his dialectical montage ambitions due to social realism’s demands, favoring composition, expressiveness and theatricality instead. it feels like a very nationalistic and proselytizing effort, but as the film progresses, it starts to feel simultaneously autocritical and paradoxical. overburdening shadows, psychological dissociations, ambiguity and punctual comedic tones slowly shift the film’s matter to a somewhat enigmatic tone. one of cinema’s finest oxymorons.
ps: this is a brief comment on the first and second entries, considering part I and part II to be one sole film.
Review by Two Cineasts ★★★★

Film reviews in 22 sentences (or less)
Today: Ivan the Terrible, Part I
„The beginning of a journey that has never been finished. Beautiful images, demanding acting but epic in scope.“
(The Two Cineasts)
Hi everybody, the first part of Sergey Eisenstein's (sadly) incomplete trilogy about the titled character, pictures the story of the first Czar of Russia by primarily depicting the conflicts of the institutional powers of the system and personal feuds against the throne and his master. The film glorifies Ivan the Terrible and his fight for an united empire against feudal lords, former friends and treacherous family members and that's the first thing that catches your eye: the undisguised propaganda for the 16th century dictator.
All themes…
Review by Graham ★★★★ 2

Top 100 Directors Challenge: 25. Sergei Eisenstein
Ooh, Ivan. You are terrible.
Soviet film director Sergei Eisenstein [1898-1948] was a film pioneer and film theorist. A man described as "Father of Montage" operated in the 1910s-40s and produced some harshly realistic perspectives of his homeland. If you're interested, there's more on Soviet Montage theory here.
From the second that the opening credits kick in, we know exactly where we are. Bold, large Cyrillic script fills the screen. A choir or deep-voiced Russian men sing loud tales of dissent, Tsar's being overthrown and the strength of the motherland. It's clear this will be a personification of 40s USSR. Mmm, tasty.
The restored version playing on Criterion Channel really is something else.…
Review by Aster ★★★★★

supreme masterpiece. the way Eisenstein creates swirling camera movement from a montage of still frames is remarkable. when Ivan is mourning at the foot of Anastasia's casket, the movement of the cutting creates an effect as if a crane shot were swirling around Ivan's grief. it has the same dynamic motion as the Teutonic march from Alexander Nevsky. furthermore, the complexity of Ivan as a figure, as both sympathetic and terrifying, never being pinned down, makes me want to revisit Revenge of the Sith in order to finally write long form about it. Lucas was on the Eisenstein shit.
Review by Sally Jane Black

There are scenes in this that I wish I could just burn into the sky, so everyone could see them all the time and realize just what can be done with a movie. Moments like Ivan taking the cup from his aunt, with her lurking under the lip of the shelf, emphasizing everything insidious about that moment (she's beneath him, but outside the shadow of his influence; she is a hidden danger; she is morally beneath him; probably more), just need to be seen. There are impressive scenes of armies on the march and battles being fought, but they pale next to that dinner at the end with the tumblers and the Busby Berkeley-esque ballet going on around Ivan and…

Where to watch

Ivan the Terrible, Part I

Иван Грозный

Synopsis

Cast

Director Director

Producer Producer

Writer Writer

Editor Editor

Cinematography Cinematography

Production Design Production Design

Art Direction Art Direction

Composer Composer

Sound Sound

Costume Design Costume Design

Makeup Makeup

Studios

Country

Language

Alternative Titles

Genres

Themes

Premiere

30 Dec 1944

Theatrical limited

19 Jan 2023

Theatrical

11 Nov 1944

20 Jan 1945

23 Apr 1945

15 Jun 1945

30 Sep 1945

05 Mar 1946

04 Jul 1946

28 Jan 1947

08 Mar 1947

07 Mar 1958

24 Oct 1970

14 Sep 1971

07 Oct 1971

11 Jul 2006

21 Oct 2007

18 Mar 2015

01 May 2016

Physical

29 Jun 2006

Argentina

28 Jan 1947

Czechoslovakia

15 Jun 1945

Denmark

04 Jul 1946

Finland

30 Sep 1945

07 Mar 1958

France

05 Mar 1946

18 Mar 2015

Greece

19 Jan 2023

Japan

11 Jul 2006

Netherlands

29 Jun 2006

Portugal

07 Oct 1971

01 May 2016

Spain

24 Oct 1970

14 Sep 1971

Sweden

23 Apr 1945

UK

21 Oct 2007

USA

08 Mar 1947

USSR

11 Nov 1944

30 Dec 1944

20 Jan 1945

Director

Producer

Writer

Editor

Cinematography

Production Design

Art Direction

Composer

Sound

Costume Design

Makeup