In our country, we have a clear and stable succession plan if a president dies—or is impeached. The film, The Death of Stalin is particularly relevant to the time we live in now. Go see it.
In Washington, there is talk among some people about impeaching President Trump. Or voting him out of office as soon as possible. Many of us are upset by what’s going on there. The media constantly says “the system is broken.” It can get to be down right depressing if you think about it too much.
So, here’s why you’ll enjoy The Death of Stalin.
- It’s a comedy—sort of. The term “dark comedy” describes the film. It’s funny, in parts, but in a creepy way. For instance, when Stalin dies in his dacha and is discovered a day later, all the top ruling people in the Soviet Union gather over his body. Before they call a doctor or ambulance, they struggle to decide if he’s really dead. They don’t know what to do. It reminded me of the Three Stooges trying to make a decision.
- The Death of Stalin reveals how phony the Soviet system really was. Fascinating history for those of us who lived through the cold war and were scared the Russians were so pulled together—they weren’t.
- It reveals the power struggle that took place after Stalin was pronounced dead. (The rulers had difficulty finding a doctor to determine this since they’d killed or banished all good doctors to Siberia!) Some people controlled the army, others controlled the secret police. They scheme and plot against each other, all the while expressing their allegiance to the peaceful transfer of power after the death of Stalin.
- Finally, the process becomes brutal and violent until someone wins—Nikita Khrushchev. The film is called a “comedy of terrors”—which it is. When you get worried about how bad things seem in our country—if the president somehow leaves office—this film will make you feel a little better. At least, it’s not as bad as Russia!
