Directed by:
Uli EdelScreenplay:
Peter PruceCinematography:
Elemér RagályiComposer:
Brad FiedelCast:
Alan Rickman, Greta Scacchi, Ian McKellen, David Warner, John Wood, James Frain, Diana Quick, William Smith, Gábor Koncz, Robert Lang, Miklós Székely B. (more)Plots(1)
A crude peasant from Siberia, Rasputin (Alan Rickman) was a self-styled charismatic holy man who traveled widely, openly engaging in drunkenness, sexual indulgences, and general debauchery. In the early part of the 20th century Rasputin made his way to the troubled Russian capital of St. Petersburg, a hotbed of political discontent due to widespread poverty under a repressive government. There Rasputin met Czarina Alexandra (Greta Scacchi), and the film focuses on how he exercised power over her and her loving husband, Czar Nicholas II (Ian McKellen), by virtue of his mystical ability to stop the bleeding of their hemophiliac son. But in a nation beset by internal and external problems, Rasputin's uncouth presence at the opulent imperial court, coupled with his scandalous antics around the capital, came to symbolize the weak leadership of the czar. (official distributor synopsis)
(more)Reviews (1)
The film is a mess... The life story of the adventurer, charmer, mystifier, and manipulator Grigori Rasputin is so fascinating that it is unbelievable how such an incredibly average film could be made based on such material. It takes real directorial talent for that... One can only wonder what someone like Miloš Forman could have done with this subject matter... The only reason to watch Rasputin is the excellent performance by Alan Rickman in the lead role. Greta Scacchi is so unremarkable that I felt sorry for Rasputin having to interact with the Tsarina. Even the actors in supporting roles were not interesting when it came to their acting performance, so the film will quickly fade from the memories of most viewers. The only positive may be the effort to stick to historical facts and avoid fictionalizing. However, the downfall of the Tsarist Empire is merely a backdrop for personal drama, so the film does not hold up even as a teaching aid for history lessons. Overall rating, with (significant) regard for Rickman's performance: 45%.
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