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Agony: The Life and Death of Rasputin
Movie

Agony: The Life and Death of Rasputin

1981 • Unknown

Woke Score
2
out of 10

Plot

Russian monk Grigori Rasputin rises to power, which corrupts him along the way. His sexual perversions and madness ultimatly leads to his gruesome assasination.

Overall Series Review

The film centers on the moral and political 'agony' of the final years of the Romanov dynasty, driven by the hypnotic influence of the Siberian monk Grigori Rasputin. The narrative is a grand, operatic depiction of Tsarist Russia’s collapse, focusing heavily on political corruption, social debauchery, and religious fanaticism. It is a product of Soviet-era cinema, which inherently critiques the Imperial system and aristocracy. However, its historical focus prevents the inclusion of contemporary identity politics, intersectionality, or gender ideology. The film’s conflict is between an aristocracy and a charismatic, corrupt peasant, not between modern social groups. It portrays the Russian nation in a state of chaos and moral ruin, which leans toward a critique of the old regime and its institutions. The use of a false 'holy man' who perverts the faith is a central mechanism of the plot.

Categorical Breakdown

Identity Politics1/10

The film focuses on a class conflict between the peasant Rasputin and the aristocracy, not modern immutable characteristics or race. Casting is historically authentic to 1910s Russia, and there is no evidence of race-swapping or a critique of 'whiteness.' Characters are defined by their status, moral corruption, and historical roles.

Oikophobia4/10

The narrative frames the Russian Empire on the brink of collapse, depicting the Tsarist court as morally and politically corrupt and inept. This critical view of the pre-Revolutionary state, an historical analysis common in Soviet cinema, serves to deconstruct the Imperial Russian heritage. The monarchy itself is viewed as tragically inadequate.

Feminism1/10

Women are portrayed in historically authentic roles as Empress, noblewomen, and confidantes. There is no evidence of the 'Mary Sue' or 'Girl Boss' trope; rather, female characters like the Tsarina are shown as deeply devout but easily manipulated by Rasputin due to her son's illness. Rasputin's widespread debauchery with noble ladies is a central part of the corruption shown.

LGBTQ+1/10

The primary sexual themes revolve around Rasputin’s numerous heterosexual liaisons and debauchery. The film does not center alternative sexualities, nor does it engage in the deconstruction of the nuclear family. The focus remains on the historical figure's notoriety for sexual excess.

Anti-Theism3/10

The film's focus on the 'mad monk' Rasputin is a strong critique of the corruption and fanaticism that can infest religious practice, showing a perversion of faith at the highest levels of power. However, the Russian Orthodox Church elders are also shown to be scandalized by Rasputin, attempting to censure and beat him, which complicates a blanket anti-theist message against all of Christianity.