Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Olga Kurylenko | ... | Maria Veniaminovna Yudina | |
Tom Brooke | ... | Sergei | |
Paddy Considine | ... | Andreyev | |
Justin Edwards | ... | Spartak Sokolov - Conductor 1 | |
Adrian McLoughlin | ... | Josef Stalin | |
Simon Russell Beale | ... | Lavrenti Beria | |
Jeffrey Tambor | ... | Georgy Malenkov | |
Steve Buscemi | ... | Nikita Khrushchev | |
Michael Palin | ... | Vyacheslav Molotov | |
Paul Ready | ... | NKVD Officer Delov | |
![]() |
Yulya Muhrygina | ... | Woman in Layers of Clothes |
![]() |
Andrei Korzhenevsky | ... | Man in Layers of Clothes (as Andrey Korzhenevskiy) |
Roger Ashton-Griffiths | ... | Musician 1 (as Roger Ashton Griffiths) | |
![]() |
Jeremy Limb | ... | Musician 2 |
Andy Gathergood | ... | Citizen Bundled into Car |
In early-1953 Moscow, under the Great Terror's heavy cloak of state paranoia, the ever-watchful Soviet leader, Joseph Stalin, collapses, unexpectedly, of a brain haemorrhage. As a result, when someone discovers his body the following morning, a frenetic surge of raw panic starts spreading like a virus amongst the senior members of the Council of Ministers, as they scramble to maintain order, weed out the competition, and, ultimately, take power. But, in the middle of a gut-wrenching roller-coaster of incessant plotting, tireless machinations, and frail allegiances, absolutely no one is safe; not even the feared chief of the secret police, Lavrenti Beria. In the end, who will prevail after the death of Stalin? Written by Nick Riganas
There's no avoiding truths rapidly passed over in this depiction of chaos following the death of an evil dictator. Stalin had charm...to those who were not his subjects and were never a threat to his authority. He fooled many so-called intellectuals in the West but everyone around him knew the truth, and, most managed to tip-toe over eggshells in order to stay alive. To thrive in such an environment requires a certain kind of callous ruthlessness...perfectly depicted with suitable crass humour here. The cast is perfectly chosen...each very accomplished actor adding their particular star dust. There's more than a single sittings' content in this film which deserves another viewing. Impressive and engaging story-telling based on real life events. Bravo all.