Personally, I did not think it was possible to make a rather objective film about Stalin. Certainly, it could not have been made in the 50s or 60s. And even in the 70s and 80s, there was a tremendous resistance to explore the Russian motivations of communism. But with the fall of the Soviet Union in 1989, screenwriters and producers once again began to explore the dark world of Russian communism. The direction of this film by Ivan Passer is practically perfect; a nearly impossible task for a three hour film. It was obviously a labor of love. And what can one say about the portrayal of Stalin by Duvall, a previous Academy Award winner. I had always thought The Apostle was his best role; but now I have changed my mind. This role is the complete antithesis of Gandhi, and just as difficult to pull off. It did not reap the awards that Gandhi gathered, but it certainly deserved them. An extremely underrated film of unspeakable horrors; even worse than the Holocaust; and that is saying a lot. Even Nikita Khrushchev comes off looking good when compared to others in Stalin's satanic circle. Whenever I learn something from a film (the fact that Trotsky's biggest mistake was turning down the first Secretariat position, and allowing Stalin to take it) I always appreciate that kind of a film more than the several hundreds that teach me nothing. A film not to be missed.
Review of Stalin
