Rasputin and the Empress

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Rasputin and the Empress

1932

2h 3m

History

Drama

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Popcornmeter

50%

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6 Reviews

47%

Popcornmeter

100+ Ratings

Desperate to cure her hemophiliac son, Czarina Alexandra (Ethel Barrymore) resorts to seeking out the services of mystic healer Grigori Rasputin (Lionel Barrymore). Despite his unconventional methods, Rasputin appears to be curing the sickly child. However, Rasputin has a sinister side, and he begins back-door maneuvering in a bid for power. Suspicious of Rasputin, Prince Paul Chegodieff (John Barrymore) attempts to thwart the scheming mystic before he destroys the Russian Empire.

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Bruce Blevin

The New Republic

02/18/2022

This sort of historical perversion, in the films and elsewhere, is not new; and the only point worth noting about the present instance is that the artistic result hardly seems worth the assassination of fact.

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Pare Lorentz

Vanity Fair

06/04/2019

It is a clumsy, pretentious, aimless motion picture.

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Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

07/14/2011

B

Boleslawksi's lavish production of this historical melodrama is best known today as the only film that all three Barrymores (John, Ethel and Lionel) made together.

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Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

02/21/2008

C+

Is memorable only because it's the one and only time that the Barrymore family appeared together on screen.

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Carol Cling

Las Vegas Review-Journal

12/05/2003

3/5

Ken Hanke

Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

11/05/2003

5/5

Splendidly stylish, often terrifying with great turns by all the Barrymores.

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j f

@LiberteBurrows Dec 12

I’m tired of loyalists lamenting the loss of their beloved monarchies while scapegoating Rasputin. Draining swamps inherently destroys old, and creates new, ecosystems.

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Steve D

@RT35616104 03/04/2024

Historical nonsense with nothing to recommend it.

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10/24/2016

If it were done with anyone else but the Barrymores, I doubt that it would have been watchable. Extremely dated film has the charm of the actors (once again: the Barrymores) to carry it.

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04/15/2015

Interesting drama with the three Barrymore's together but could have used tighter editing.

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04/12/2015

good costumer/bio-pic, kinda.

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ashley h

@ashleyhobgood87 07/29/2011

Rasputin and the Empress is a mediocre film. It is about the friendship between Rasputin and the Empress Alexandra of Russia. The acting of John, Ethel, Lionel Barrymore is pretty good. The script is okay but could have been better. Richard Boleslawski did a decent job directing this movie. I liked this motion picture but would not see it again.

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Richard Boleslawski

Director

John Barrymore

Prince Paul Chegodieff

Ethel Barrymore

Czarina Alexandra

Lionel Barrymore

Grigori Rasputin

Ralph Morgan

Czar Nicholas II

Diana Wynyard

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Synopsis

Desperate to cure her hemophiliac son, Czarina Alexandra (Ethel Barrymore) resorts to seeking out the services of mystic healer Grigori Rasputin (Lionel Barrymore). Despite his unconventional methods, Rasputin appears to be curing the sickly child. However, Rasputin has a sinister side, and he begins back-door maneuvering in a bid for power. Suspicious of Rasputin, Prince Paul Chegodieff (John Barrymore) attempts to thwart the scheming mystic before he destroys the Russian Empire.

Director: Richard Boleslawski
Producer: Bernard H. Hyman
Screenwriter: Charles MacArthur
Production Co: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Genre: History, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 23, 1932, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 22, 2009
Runtime: 2h 3m