One death is a tragedy ...

Earlier this week I went to see The Death of Stalin at Reading Film Theatre. I'd seen posters on the Tube a couple of months ago, which had seemed to build quite a high level of expectation. Could Armando Iannucci's comic film on the death of a mass murderer possibly live up to its hype?

( Spoilers )

In his book on the Second World War, Antony Beevor discusses Stalin's "retreat" to his dacha in 1941 after the German invasion, and suggests that he expected to be arrested when the Politburo members came to visit him (although he also speculates that this was a feint to uncover any disloyalty). That's an interesting counterfactual opportunity. I suspect Stalin's reputation within Russia (as opposed to internationally) today rests largely on his role as wartime leader, with other aspects of his ruthless leadership conveniently sidelined; had he not been given that opportunity, but instead been removed in 1941, how would he be viewed today?

The cast works well: I particularly enjoyed the performances of Simon Russell Beale (Beria), Michael Palin (Molotov), Steve Buscemi (Khrushchev) and Jason Isaacs (Zhukov). It's both funny and thought-provoking, which is how it should be.