The Death of Stalin

Dir: Armando Iannucci

2017

****

In September 2017, just one month before the release of the film, high-ranking officials in the Russian Ministry of Culture released a statement saying that the authorities were considering a ban on the film The Death of Stalin that they alleged could be part of a ‘western plot to destabilise Russia by causing rifts in society.” Bravo Mr Iannucci. However, this means a number of things. Firstly, the Russian authorities clearly aren’t comic lovers, as Iannucci’s film is based on the brilliant graphic novel by Frenchmen Fabien Nury and Thierry Robin. Secondly, they clearly have no sense of humour, and thirdly, they know their history is as ridiculous and barbaric as it is depicted. The world laughed at Hitler in The Great Dictator in 1940 and have done ever since. Stalin, a similar monster, has got of relatively lightly really when it comes to satire. Many historical British and American leaders have still avoided ridicule but they’ll have to wait their turn, although contemporary politicians have been addressed. I digress. The graphic novel on which the film was based was very clever and a great slice of satire. Looking back at it now, Armando Iannucci is probably the only person in the world who could have adapted it. While the best description I can give the film is ‘In the Thick of it set in post-war Russia’ there is so much more to it than that. In the Loop was essentially a contemporary adaption of In the Thick of it set in the United States, take away the fictional plot and set it in 1953 Russia and it is essentially the same animal. However, given the nature of its history, there is a far darker edge to this satire. The story is pretty much as it happened but given an absurdist edge, so while each character is given their honest traits, they are also given funny accents and odd characteristics. For example, the infamous Chief of General Staff, Deputy Commander-in-Chief, Minister of Defence and Politburo member Georgy Zhukov is performed by Jason Isaacs with a thick Yorkshire accent, which is hilarious, ridiculous but strangely works as it makes him sound authoritative and no-nonsense. Similarly, Satin’s eventual successor Nikita Khrushchev, whom historian Robert Service once summarised as ‘at once a Stalinist and an anti-Stalinist, a communist believer and a cynic, a self-publicizing poltroon and a crusty philanthropist, a trouble-maker and a peacemaker, a stimulating colleague and a domineering boor, a statesman and a politicker who was out of his intellectual depth’, is played by Steve Buscemi, who keeps his Brooklyn accent, wears 50s clothes more suited to Miami than Russia, with the creeping and conniving persona he’s famous for portraying. Georgy Malenkov is played by Jeffrey Tambor, who gives him the perfectly nervous and empty-headedness that again, Tambor is known for and Michael Palin is perfect as Vyacheslav Molotov, a man who honestly could have been a character written by Monty Python. I particularly liked Paul Whitehouse’s portrayal of Anastas Mikoyan as an east-end thug that mirrors Adrian McLoughlin’s east London mob boss persona but the film’s one serious performance is the one that really lets the satire flourish. Simon Russell Beale’s experience in the theatre really gives his performance as Lavrentiy Beria some gravitas and the character is wisely not played for laughs. This character is the constant reminder that these were dark days and murky people, the scene where we see his comeuppance is frighteningly realistic and gives this satirical comedy a terrifyingly sharp and deeply cutting edge. I can’t think of the last time something has been so authentic and so ridiculous at the same time, it probably was In The Loop. The epic sets and attention to detail only support the story, performance and brilliant script. The cinema I watched it in remained mostly silent throughout, there were audible laughs for the few universally funny scenes but for the rest of the time it was clear that the more senior audience didn’t know when or even if they should laugh. I loved that about it. History, farce, cutting edge satire, poking the eye of politics and a fantasy cast I’d never in a million years think I’d ever see together. Brilliant.