影片以伊凡四世对抗国内的敌人,成功勾勒出“伊凡雷帝”形象。爱森斯坦的作品有很强的表现主义烙印,有极其丰富的美工设计。影片体现了一种强烈的咄咄逼人的气氛。本片于1946年拍摄完成,因为某些政治上的原因,本片曾被苏联共产党中央禁映,直到1958年才允许上映。His wife dead from poisoning and his chief warrior, Kurbsky, defected to the Poles, Ivan is lonely as he pursues a unified Russia with no foreign occupiers. Needing friendship, he brings to court Kolychev, now Philip the monk, and makes him metropolitan bishop of Moscow. Philip, however, takes his cues from the boyars and tries to bend Ivan to the will of the church. Ivan faces down Philip and lets loose his private force, the Oprichniks, on the boyars. Led by the Tsar's aunt, Euphrosyne, the boyers plot to assassinate Ivan and enthrone her son, Vladimir. At a banquet, Ivan mockingly crowns Vladimir and sends him in royal robes into the cathedral where the assassin awaits.