Raspoutine (Russian: Распутин, romanized: Rasputin) is a 2011 French-Russian historical drama television film directed by Josée Dayan and starring Gérard Depardieu, Fanny Ardant, Vladimir Mashkov and Anna Mikhalkova. It centers on the last year in the life of the Russian historical figure Grigori Rasputin.
Contents
Plot
Following the First World War and experiencing social and political instability, the Russian Empire slowly moves toward its collapse. A number of aristocrats and members of royal family conclude that the only way to save the country is to expel the famous seer and healer Grigori Rasputin from St. Petersburg. Though he has no formal titles, Rasputin is close with the Emperor and his wife, possessing considerable influence on them.
Princess Zinaida Yusupova tries to explain to Empress Alexandra Feodorovna the harmfulness of her friendship with Rasputin, trying to prove that Rasputin terribly discredits not only the entire royal power, but also the Empress personally. Rasputin, however, regularly cures the only son of the Empress from attacks of haemophilia, and therefore Alexandra never drives out "the holy elder". Seeing that her entreaties are useless, Princess Yusupova decides to act alone. She persuades her son Felix to organize a plot to murder Rasputin.
Cast
Gérard Depardieu – Grigori Rasputin (Russian voice by Sergei Garmash)
Fanny Ardant – Russian Empress Alexandra Feodorovna (Russian voice by Marina Neyolova)
Vladimir Mashkov – Russian Emperor Nicholas II of Russia
Anna Mikhalkova – Anna Vyrubova
Irina Alfyorova – Zinaida Yusupova
Filipp Yankovsky – Felix Yusupov
Natalya Shvets – Irina Yusupova
Leonid Mozgovoy – Makary the priest
Danila Kozlovsky – Grand Duke Dmitri Pavlovich of Russia
Konstantin Khabensky – Aron Simanovich, Rasputin's personal secretary
Kseniya Rappoport – Maria ("Munya") Golovina, Rasputin's votaress and secretary
Yuliya Snigir – Dora
Yuri Kolokolnikov – Oswald Rayner
Igor Sergeyev – Vladimir Purishkevich
Sergey Zamorev – Boris Stürmer
Ernst Romanov – George Buchanan
Petr Gavrilyuk – Eugene Botkin
Tamara Kolesnikova – Dowager Russian Empress Maria Feodorovna
Victor Kostetskiy – archimandrite
Alexander Ryazantsev – Russian Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich
Production
The main shooting for the film took place in Russia, particularly in Saint Petersburg (Smolny Convent and Moika Palace), Pushkin (Catherine Palace and the Alexander Palace. Some scenes of the film were shot in Marseille.
According to Gérard Depardieu, some changes to the film's script were made personally by Vladimir Putin.