Stalin (1992)

Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin (Robert Duvall) rises from his rejection as being physically unfit in the Czar's Army during World War I to undisputed head of the huge Soviet empire of the 1950s. After the success of the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917, he vies with archrival Leon Trotsky (Daniel Massey) for power under the acknowledged leader, Vladimir Lenin (Maximilian Schell). After Lenin's stroke, the merciless Georgian's ruthless methods soon eliminates all rivals and his cruel paranoia and overt sadism help him maintain power by eliminating every possible rival, including many former comrades.