Rasputin and the Empress (1932)
Director: Richard Boleslawski
Starring: John Barrymore, Ethel Barrymore, Lionel Barrymore
Synopsis:
The desperate Tsarina turns to the mad monk Rasputin to save her hemophiliac son, but his influence over her threatens to bring down Russia.
Impressions:
First and foremost, Lionel Barrymore is amazing as Rasputin. Really, his performance alone makes this movie a treat to watch. It's interesting that they eschew any mystical interpretation for his activities. He's just an accomplished huckster with grand ambitions. Changing the name of Prince Felix Yusupov and his wife Irina didn't save this movie from getting into hot water with them and if you've ever wondered why they have the disclaimer about any resemblance to persons living or dead being purely coincidental, this is it. Speaking of the Yusupov expy Chiegidoff, John Barrymore plays him ably. The grand finale with Rasputin's assassination is something to see. (I always did have a soft spot for Yusupov's overblown account of what went down, even if historians have since debunked his story.) This film is notable for the one and only time all three Barrymores acted together onscreen. It's definitely a movie worth seeing and I highly recommend you do so.
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