La tragédie impériale

Adapted from the novel 'La Tragedie Imperiale' by Alfred Neumann and directed by Marcel L'Herbier this atmospheric film deals with the phenomenal influence exerted by Grigori Rasputin over the Romanov court before his assassination in 1916. In the title role Harry Baur, an actor indisputably touched by genius, is superlative. His performance has immense charisma and projects wonderfully the angelic/diabolic nature of the character. Liberties have been taken of course. MGM discovered in 1932 how litigious was Prince Alexei Youssoupoff so here he has become Count Igor Kouroff. He is played by Pierre-Richard Willm whose film performances were variable. He is at his best here in the final scenes when he seems to have doubts about the killing of Rasputin and is faced with a task he does not relish. Doubts have been cast over Youssoupoff's account of the murder in any case and as with the 'suicide' at Mayerling we will probably never know the truth. Was he poisoned before being shot and was he dumped in the river? The senior autopsy surgeon found neither traces of poison in the stomach nor water in the lungs. The assassination scene is brilliantly staged although the shot to the forehead is omitted. Many fine actors have played Rasputin not least Veidt, Brasseur and Depardieu but Bauer's portrayal is monumental.

So count Igor Hourloff killed Raspoutin;that's what we are told in Lherbier's movie but all that concerns the assassin is false .Maybe the script writers were afraid the true killer might sue them -he had done it before ,reportedly,in Hollywood-.

Prince Felix Iusupov was part of the imperial family but was much smarter than Igor in the movie;never he showed contempt or hatred :he made friends with the monk,won his trust.The scene of the murder is depicted like in the other versions ;we even see the murders throw the body in the frozen river -it was reportedly said that Rasputin did not die from his wounds but got drowned -.Pierre Richard Wilm overacts and gives an unconvincing performance as "Igor";Harry Baur is ideally cast as Rasputin but he would be upstaged by Pierre Brasseur in Georges Combret's "Rasputin" (in a version inferior to Lherbier's though).

We are spared Rasputin's orgies-replaced by the monk's sermons in which he urges the crowds to take advantage of life ,"Carpe Diem" so to speak- but the scenes with the hemophiliac tsarevich are excellent:using bedtime stories why not?The Russian people 's hatred for the empress ("the alien") is not passed over in silence and can be compared to that of Marie-Antoinette in France .

Except from the part of the assassin,this is one of Lherbier's best talkies in an era "Russian" stories abounded in France .Very well directed (the last scenes look like a thriller),it stands the test of time quite well....

Like this ? try these.....

"J'ai Tué Raspoutine" (Robert Hossein,1967):the more historically accurate version since based on the assassin's recollections;the movie begins with an interview with Iusupov and his wife) "Raspoutine" (George Combret)Pierre Brasseur's portrayal of Rasputin is worth the price of admission,even if the movie is rather undistinguished .

"Rasputin the mad monk " (Don Sharp,1965,after he made "the face of Fu-Manchu"!!): unreliable,but entertaining.