The Death of Stalin: The Bitter End of One Dictator and the Beginning of Another
The Death of Stalin is a sharp black comedy that, despite its dark subject matter, can make you laugh out loud, especially if you enjoy history and cinema. To summarize the story in the simplest way, one of the film’s posters does it best: “Everybody wants a piece.”
In recent years Hollywood comedies have often relied on crude and sexual humor. While not all fall into this category, it is rare to find a film like The Death of Stalin, which manages to entertain without leaning heavily on such jokes. Instead, it blends humor with history, offering a kind of history lesson that is anything but boring.
The story begins with Stalin suffering a stroke and dying. From that moment, the struggle for power begins. The plot itself is not overly complex and does not rely on dramatic twists, but the screenplay is filled with biting, ironic lines that carry heavy meaning. For example, when Stalin collapses and his ministers lift his body onto a bed, one of them says:
“He is heavier than I thought.”
Another snaps back harshly:
“You think Stalin is heavy?”
To which he quickly replies:
“No, no. It was a compliment. Gold is heavy too.”
The film is full of such exchanges. Even when Stalin is unconscious, his circle of ministers is too terrified to speak freely, fearing he might wake up at any moment. If someone accidentally says the wrong thing, they scramble to cover it up, perfectly illustrating the atmosphere of fear that surrounded Stalin. Another powerful moment comes when Khrushchev, played brilliantly by Steve Buscemi, insists they need to call a doctor, only to be told:
“The good doctors are either dead or in prison.”
From a storytelling standpoint the film works well, but its strongest achievement lies in its set and costume design. A British and French co-production, the film was shot in England, yet the sets recreate the Soviet Union of 1953 with striking authenticity. The film is visually colorful, polished, and highly engaging.
The opening ten minutes are a masterpiece on their own. In this short span the audience is immersed in the sheer terror and oppressive control of Stalin’s regime. It is intense, gripping, and darkly funny. However, after this brilliant start the film begins to slow down. At times it drags, especially for viewers who lack historical knowledge, making it harder to stay engaged. The insistence on exploring small, sly details may be part of the problem. While clever, these nuances demand a sharp eye and familiarity with the history, which not every viewer has.
The direction is solid, and the cast delivers well, though not at the level of greatness. The clear exception is Steve Buscemi, who once again showcases his talent with a magnetic performance. Director Armando Iannucci, a British satirist, brings his trademark political humor to the project. He makes no effort to mask the accents of the actors, which results in Stalin himself speaking with a thick British accent, adding yet another layer of comedy.
The Death of Stalin captures a moment in Russian history, but its message extends beyond Russia. Stalin, once a fearsome dictator, dies in his own urine, and immediately the race to seize his throne begins. Those who fight for his chair fail to realize that they are destined for the same fate. The beginning and the end of the film take place in the same location, symbolizing the endless cycle of one dictatorship ending only to give rise to another.
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