An adaptation of Alexander Pushkin's 1825 play of the same name, the film is an international co-production by the Soviet Union, Poland, Czechoslovakia, and West Germany.

After the death of the feeble-minded Tsar Fedor Ivanovich, son of Ivan the Terrible, Boris Godunov takes the throne, by the decision of the Zemsky Sobor, with the help of intrigues, alliances and the arrangement of his sister Irina's marriage to Tsarevich Feodor, gains great influence and power in the court.

But suddenly there is a new contender for the throne – a man posing as Dmitri, the younger son of Ivan the Terrible, who officially died in Uglich in 1591.

The pretender shows up in Poland and after he receives the support of Prince Vishnevetzky, Sandomierz voivode Mniszech and his daughter, the beautiful Marina, returns to Russia.

Despite the fact that the church and Vasily Shuiski, who investigated the circumstances of the death of Dmitry, deny the authenticity of the prince, he on his way to Moscow.