After the death of his wife and the betrayal of his faithful comrade Koerbski, the bitter Ivan has only one goal left, to make a strong Russia without influences from foreign countries. In the meantime the rich Russian families (Boyarsky) are creating a complot to murder Ivan. Efrosinia wants her son (Ivan’s mentally retarted nephew) to become the czar of Russia.

Ivan Groznyy II is perhaps symbolic and visual a bit less than the first part, but even more interesting when it comes to the story and the portrait of Ivan. This film is more focused on the person Ivan and not so much on the battles or events outside. Serafima Birman (Efrosinia) is one of the most expressive actresses I know, scenes in which she’s in are unforgettable.

The first part of Ivan Groznyy was made with the approval of Stalin, this part however was forbidden. In Ivan Groznyy II, Eisenstein shows us the depths of Ivan’s personality, the questions he asks himself (‘Who am I to judge and execute people’). Josef Stalin perhaps recognized himself in this portrait and therefore this film was forbidden until 1958. Sergei M. Eisenstein died in 1948 and this film came out 10 years after his death and 5 years after the death of Stalin.