Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Guest Review: Ivan The Terrible, Part Two [1958]

((Another review from my friend, Vengefulnoob, the commie Stalinist era enthusiast. It may have taken him forever to do this part two to his other review but since I haven't updated this blog in ten months, I am in absolutely no position to judge.))


Soon. A word with multiple meanings. One of them being one and a half years. To be fair, however, it's a fraction of the amount of time spent between the release of the first and second parts of Eisenstein's Ivan Grozniy: The first part I reviewed last May was released at the tail end of the second world war (1944). This second part was released in 1958, despite having been finished in 1946, due to censorship issues. The context in which this film is being shown is so significantly different to that of the first that it needs to be touched upon.

Since 1944, the USSR defeated Germany in May of 1945 and fought Japan in August of the same year. Following the collapse of post-war discussions with the Western powers, the Warsaw Pact has been established, the nuclear bomb tested by the USSR, Sputnik and Laika have been put into space, and the iron curtain is put into place. China's civil war ends in a surprise (to the international community) victory for Mao's CCP, and the Korean War has taken place. Stalin dies in 1953, and after a vicious power struggle for 3 years, a new premier, Kruschev finally emerges in 1956, beginning a purge of Stalin's more sycophantic supporters such as Beria. Hungary's attempt to establish democracy is ruthlessly crushed and the West silently accepts it so as not endanger the growing thaw in the Cold War. The years of McCarthy are over, and so international relations are at the nominal best until the period of Detente in the 1970s.

TL;DR: This film was released so long after the first that not only had the cold war started, but also thawed since then.

It is telling that this film could not be released until 5 years after Stalin's death, since so much can be read into Ivan the Terrible as an analogue of him, a man who used unbridled state terror to crush his enemies within the country, whether imagined or not, and was almost certainly insane- the man did murder his own son 
(See this picture here. It's so haunting I could spend all day staring into those eyes. )



Eisenstein's portrayal of Ivan was in fact so unacceptable to Soviet Censors that not only was the second part not released, but the third part that was entering production which would have concluded the story of Ivan the Terrible's life was stopped and filmed scenes were confiscated and destroyed after Eisenstein's death in 1948. It's a sad note about such a fantastic series; because Eisenstein was not enough a Stalinist sycophant, a fantastic piece of art was stopped dead in it's tracks, a common theme with other great Soviet artists, composers and directors of the era.

Nonetheless, this second part is notable for it's incredible power, and even without being able to see the conclusion, it is possible to see the slide of Ivan from a just and forward thinking ruler into a bitter and cruel old man, and that makes Eisenstein's work shine all the brighter.


We re-enter the world of Ivan Grozniy with the same bombastic track by the great Prokofiev that opened the previous act, along with the same title card.


Wait, wait, wait...



So the Boyars killed Ivan's wife and tried to turn him mad in the previous part, and their conspiracy is only just beginning? What was the last attempt then, a mild prank?

What follows is a series of clips from the previous film with this menacing track overlaid.



You, sir, have a magnificent face. No wonder you were the chained flagellant in the last part, your stare is incredible!



Needless to say, we are also reintroduced to Ivan once more.



So, remember in the last film how there was this prince serving Ivan with wine at the very beginning who went to a monastery and we never saw him again?


Yep, that's him. Also, what the hell is it with Russia and it's creepy looking monks?!


Following the conclusion of this summary, the films opens in 1564...


...with a chess board. In actuality, the court of King Sigismund II of Poland, which is where Prince Kurbsky, who fled Russia in Ivan's hour of need, has come to pledge his allegiance.


After a gratuitously camp and innuendo filled scene involving the kissing of the above sword and pointed staring, these FABULOUS attendants enter to offer Sigismund the honour he intends to bestow upon Kurbsky whilst admiring ladies of the court look on.


And look, it's everyone's favourite fourth wall breaking ambassador of Livonia! I wonder what intriguing plot points and information he will give away?


...Thanks Ambassador!

Kurbsky goes on to make a speech about how the defeat of his troops in Nevel (part of the Livonian War) is a message for revolt in Russia, as the Tsar is clearly unable to rule, and ran from the Boyars, to Alexandrova Slobodova, while the Boyars rule in his stead in Moscow, and march on his 'Lair'. The boyars are ready to revolt, and now is the time for Sigismund to act.


He does this while very subtly implying that a new Tsar will be needed once Ivan is deposed, and who the logical choice for that might be.


A gratuitous picture of blushing ladies of the court hiding themselves with fans.



Sigismund then proclaims that Poland's duty is to become a Fortress against the Moscow barbarian


and who's role is to keep him away


Absolutely no hints about Russia's troubled future to come with Poland at all here folks, move along.

What follows is gossip around the court about Muscovite barbarism


See, I don't understand why they're saying this like it's a bad thing. Johnathan Swift would have said that the Russians were ahead of their time...


Sigismund continues, mentioning Russia's fertile lands, and that the Russian people will do as slaves.


What a novel reason for wanting to take over Russia!




Sigismund declares that the time has come for a new crusade to push the Russians into the Asiatic steppe, and Ivan's Russia to be done away with. In response, the ladies of the court respond by crying “Viva! Viva!”


Unfortunately for Sigismund's territorial ambitions, Hellboy runs in to tell everyone that Ivan is returning to Moscow


Sigismund retires to his chambers to have a manly cry with most of his attendants, while Kurbsky takes out his frustration by kicking the messenger.


Unfortunately, this is the last we ever see of Kurbsky or the rest of Sigismund's court, despite the fact that the Livonian war would continue for a long, long time after this point. So we say goodbye to Poland for the time being, and return to Moscow, where Ivan is now making his return. He arrives triumphant before the Boyars, or, at least, as triumphantly as an ominous figure as he can, backed by Malyuta and Basmanov's son.


He rounds on the Boyars with a vengeance, calling them traitors and telling them that they shall rule lands as they wanted... except that HE will be allotting what they rule. He will retain some cities, specifically, those on the borders of Russia, so that he will be responsible for the defence of the country.

Then, he makes this ominous statement.


He goes on to compare himself to God creating Adam and Eve, instead that the fulfillers of his will be the “Oprichine”. The prince turned monk, Fedor Kolychev, enters to declare that:


“Instead, it comes from the devil himself!”

Ivan greets Fedor like an old friend instead of rising to the insult, before leading him aside for a quiet chat. The boyars file out while the Oprichine remain to guard Ivan.

Ivan asks Fedor quietly why he criticises him so, when they are such good friends. Fedor replies that his name is no longer Fedor, but Godservant Filipp.

Ivan replies with a massive backstory dump of a flashback. We start with this terrified looking child, the Young!Ivan,


Whose mother collapses through the door screaming blue murder and poison before dying in the narmiest way possible.

Her final words are to beware the Boyars. Guess he kinda took them to heart, huh?

He mentions how the Boyars gave away his lands to foreigners when he was young, and we are treated to a scene where the Boyars argue over whether the Hansa or Livonians should be granted a treaty paying them for Russian ships crossing the baltic sea.


How did this glorious bastard sneak into the scene?!


Young!Ivan is 7000% done with your shit, and so is the icon behind him.

In fact, he's so done with the Boyars' shit that he calls them out on it when they leave court.


The Boyars return his point with scorn and laughter, then lie on his mother's death bed.

Young!Ivan returns the insult by having the head Boyar taken away and given to huntsmen.

The Boyars leave, terrified, while Ivan begins to plan being a Tsar on his own, without any Boyars, leading to his resolution in the first scene of the previous film.

We end the flashback and return to the current day, where Ivan proclaims that he is strong, but he has no friends.

He claims he doesn't fear for his life, but he does fear for his cause.

After a short argument about the great cause being to support the Boyars, Filipp turns to leave, but Ivan grabs his robe and goes all whiny schoolboy on his ass.


He offers Filipp the chance to become the Metropolitan of Moscow in return for being his friend. Filipp asks for the right to intercede on behalf of those Ivan persecutes, and while Ivan at first doesn't agree, he gives in eventually. They leave together in mutual understanding.

The next scene begins with Malyuta entering, questioning how Ivan can allow Filipp such control over him. Ivan replies it is none of his business and calls him a dog. Malyuta seizes on the metaphor, declaring that he might be a dog,


He goes on to say that Filipp is no better than Kurbsky, prompting this delightful outburst.


Malytua continues, and Ivan responds by kicking the dog, quite literally.

But even that doesn't stop Malyuta, and he tells Ivan that he will do what he cannot, in his name.


Ivan is rather taken with this notion, and agrees with Malyuta.


Malyuta then draws up his list to kill, specifically, Filipp's own kinsmen.

He leaves, allowing Ivan to torture himself about the moral quandry he has placed himself in.


Ivan runs from the throne room to his late wife's room, to drink from a cup. Basmanov's son tells him not to, for some cups are full of poison. Ivan realises the Tsarina was poisoned by his very own hands, and the poison was given by Efrosina. Unbelieving one of his family could do such a thing, he orders Basmanov's son to remain silent about his suspicions, while outside, Filipp's relatives are led into a square and decapitated by Malyuta.

The Tsar looks on in horror and has a guilt BSOD moment...


...before the scene ends with him whispering to himself: “Not enough!”

The next scene opens with the boyars weeping before the wrapped bodies of Filipp's relatives, with archbishop Pimen and Efrosina beseaching Filipp to excommunicate the Tsar.

Filipp declares (Yes, I use that word a lot, but that's because there IS a lot of declaration!) that he will stand up to the Tsar, for he is still a Boyar, and he will do so for all the Boyars, as a duke of the church.


He says he will bring the Tsar before the church and smash him.

The next scene opens with a suitably lavish church, where the Boyars talk among themselves about the ongoing play, involving an Angel saving three boys from Nebuchadnezzar's Chaldeans, a very pointed comparisson to Ivan.

The Tsar arrives, reminding Malyuta and the Basmanovs of their place, and demanding they do not touch his aunt. He then enters the church, being granted the usual deference by the court.

As the court watches on in fascination, Ivan bows before Filipp for recognition and listens to the play continue. Filipp refuses to recognise the Tsar and Ivan rapidly grows angry, warning him as follows:


In particular, notice the contrast between Ivan and Filipp in this scene, something similar to the scene involving Efrosina and the Tsarina in the last film.

As the argument continues, one of Efrosina's relatives cries out from the audience “Is that the pagan Tsar?”. After some pointed looks at Efrosina's idiot son, the penny drops for Ivan and he knows that she did, indeed, poison his Tsarina. He cries out in front of the entire ensemble that very well, he shall be what they call him:


The results of that decision are seen immediately, as Efrosina returns home to tell everyone that Filipp has been seized by the Tsar and will be executed. Efrosina resolves that there is only one solution for the Boyars to be saved.


The Boyars discuss who should wield the knife, and resolve on someone pure of heart, the young Peter Volynets, a young man who has recently joined with the Boyars. Peter is declared dead and blessed by Pimen.


As Peter prays for the deed to come, Pimen and Efrosina discuss freeing Filipp. Pimen says he will be the chief judge, for which Efrosina is initially happy since it surely means Filipp being saved, but Pimen declares that he will be doomed to die, because the Boyars need a martyr.


Pimen leaves, while Efrosina passes judgement on him. Rather harshly for a woman who poisoned her nephew's wife.


Efrosina's son, Vladimir asks why she urges him to take power, (To which he has a claim, being Ivan's cousin) and clearly looks terrified, so his mother sings him a lullaby. Yes, he is a giant man-child.


The lullaby quickly turns into a nightmare with his mother telling him rather unsubtly about a beaver being skinned because Tsar Ivan wants a coat of fur. Her son cries. As she tells him the harsh truth of what he must do (including having Peter executed once he becomes Tsar), Vladimir, not unreasonably, freaks the hell out.

Suddenly, Malyuta enters to offer Efrosina a cup of green wine, and to inform them that Ivan...


...to a feast in his chambers.

Efrosina tells Vladimir to go with Peter to the feast then kisses him goodbye. As Vladimir leaves, she takes the cover off the cup of wine to find that it's empty, and also the cup that she gave poison to the Tsarina with.


Holy crap! Colour! Yes, indeed, this scene was in fact filmed in colour to indicate it's importance and also the transition that Ivan is currently undergoing. The end result is far more sinister than one would expect.

A large troupe of Oprichine are dancing and stamping around the dining tables for the Tsar, performing a complicated routine.


Here we see Stali... I mean Ivan's fall into debauchery.


BUNDLE!!!


Vladimir totally didn't just wake up.

Ivan gives Vladimir more to drink while Basmanov berates him for having anything to do with Efrosina and the Staritskys. Ivan responds rather cruelly towards his loyal commander.


What follows is a complicated tree analogy which essentially sorts out the social heirachy of Russia:

Royal Family: “heavenly Tamarind tree”
Boyars: “Earthly Oaks”
Basmanov and the other upstarts: “wretched Aspen woods”

Basically, Ivan kicks the dog really hard:

Basmanov asks if the Oprichine are not Ivan's kinship. Ivan's response?


*having thrown Basmanov off the table*


This isn't foreboding at all.

And in this power-play, Basmanov becomes the Kirov to Ivan's Stalin.


As Basmanov's son dances, the gathered Oprichine begin to sing that the Boyars should listen to the song of their axes.

Another complicated dance number ensues.


But Basmanov's son realises something is up. He sees Peter in the distance and asks his fellow Oprichine why he's there.


He looks to Ivan and Malyuta, who exchange glances before Malyuta follows Peter, who exits.

Ivan keeps the completely hammered Vladimir in conversation, gleaning that the Boyars want to replace him with Vladimir.


More symbolism as the Oprichine bring in swans coloured black rather than white such as were seen during the wedding.


Ivan listens to his cousin drone on about not wanting to be king, agreeing that there is nothing good in being a Tsar, only hard work. Vladimir then tells him that his mother wanted him to wear the crown and chain of the Tsar, when Ivan gets a terrible idea. (Ba-Dum-Tis!) He agrees, why not, and orders the royal clothing to be brought forth.



The Oprichine garb Vladimir, and Ivan even crowns him himself.


Vladimir is supremely pleased by all of this.


Ivan sees Vladimir enjoying himself and realises that he DOES have ambitions on the crown. Hearing church bells, he orders everyone to stop their sinful dancing, and instead


The Oprichine grab candles and Ivan asks Vladimir to show them the way to the church.


He does so, rather drunkenly, before stumbling before the doorway, a little bit of common sense taking over. But, with a little bit of persuasion from the Tsar...


We lapse into black and white once again as Vladimir leads the way to the church with the procession following him, with this marvellously sinister picture resulting.


“Seriously guys, this is the church. No need to keep walking towards me, haha...”

He leads the procession onwards through the church, and walks past a shadow that resolves itself into Malyuta, overlooking the procession.


As Vladimir passes a fresco of Christ, he opens his arms as if to mimic the image.


As he does so, Peter rushes out from behind a pillar, and buries a knife into Vladimir's back.



Malyuta and Basmanov's son rush forwards and grab Peter, holding him down and taking his knife.

Efrosina rushes in, shouting.


She proudly declares that now the beast is dead, Russia will be ruled by the Boyar's Tsar, Vladimir!


oh.


Oh.



OH.

Insert piercing shriek here.

While Efrosina cries, Ivan asks Malyuta and Basmanov's son why they're holding Peter.


After all, he didn't kill a Tsar,


So they let him go, and the Tsar bows before Peter for killing an enemy of the Tsar.

Efrosina in the meantime goes full BSOD, singing to her son's corpse.


The procession leave her behind, and swear allegiance to the Tsar in front of the altar. Peter tries to come to terms with what he's done. Ivan, too, reconciles what he's done with what he thinks he must.


The scene changes to colour once again as we see Ivan proclaiming that enemies of the Russian integrity have fallen in Moscow that night. His speech creates an awe-inspiring and terrifying sight.


He swears that his sword shall be used against all those . . .

And he utters his final statement as Prokofiev's epic score concludes.


It's a moving conclusion to an epic duo of films, and the slide from good to evil by Ivan is a terrible thing to witness. It's unfortunate that Eisenstein never saw the second film released, nor finished the third, but as the two films stand currently, they are both testaments to his skill as a film-maker, and fantastic works of art. If you have a hankering for some history, or want to watch two beautiful pieces of cinematography, as I said at the end of the last review, I cannot recommend Ivan Grozniy enough, there really is something for everyone.

Many thanks to Kay for putting up this guest review. If you want, you can watch both films for yourself on youtube on the Mosfilm channel (with English subtitles):

Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEfDe4fvfFA