Ivan the Terrible

1944 · Directed by Sergei Eisenstein · 82 min · drama film, biographical film, historical film

Ivan the Terrible is a two-part Soviet historical drama film produced, written and directed by Sergei Eisenstein. The film chronicles the reign of 16th-century Russian Tsar Ivan IV (Nikolay Cherkasov) and details his formation of the oprichnina and conflict with the boyars (nobility), particularly with his aunt (Serafima Birman) and cousin (Pavel Kadochnikov).