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The second part of a historical film dilogy based on the story “Emshan” by Maurice Simashko. XIII century. Equal to God, Sultan Beybars — the ruler of Egypt, who has the largest fleet in the Mediterranean, crushed the Crusader troops and countless hordes of Genghis Khan's descendant – recalls the life path he passed before ascending to the throne of the ruler.
Status
Released
Original Language
RU

This is the second part of a projected three-part epic biopic of Russian Czar Ivan Grozny, undertaken by Soviet film-maker Sergei Eisenstein at the behest of Josef Stalin. Production of the epic was stopped before the third part could be filmed, due to producer dissatisfaction with Eisenstein's introducing forbidden experimental filming techniques into the material, more evident in this part than the first part. As it was, this second part was banned from showings until after the deaths of both Eisenstein and Stalin, and a change of attitude by the subsequent heads of the Soviet government. In this part, as Ivan the Terrible attempts to consolidate his power by establishing a personal army, his political rivals, the Russian boyars, plot to assassinate him.


When the communist government raises food prices in 1962, the rebellious workers from the small industrial town of Novocherkassk go on strike. The massacre which then ensues is seen through the eyes of a devout party activist.