Rasputin and the Empress is a 1932 American pre-Code film directed by Richard Boleslawski and written by Charles MacArthur.

[2][3] The film's inaccurate portrayal of Prince Felix Yusupov and his wife Princess Irina (renamed "Prince Chegodieff" and "Princess Natasha") resulted in a historically significant lawsuit against MGM and gave rise to the "all persons fictitious disclaimer", which has since become standard in Hollywood works of fiction.

The highly fictionalized story takes place in the Russian Empire during the last years of the reign of Czar Nicholas II and the Czarina Alexandra.

When royal physician Dr. Remezov is powerless to stop the boy's bleeding, Princess Natasha, Alexandra's lady-in-waiting and Paul's fiancée, recommends Rasputin as a healer.

He is greatly aided when the head of the secret police, fearful of losing his job over his failure to prevent the assassination of a nobleman close to the Czar, turns to him for help.

When Germany issues an ultimatum demanding that Russia cease mobilizing its army over the crisis between Austria-Hungary and Serbia, Nicholas and his advisers are divided.

Finally, Rasputin begins to make subtle advances on Grand Duchess Maria, Alexandra's daughter.

At a big party where Rasputin is guest of honor, he recognizes the servant who has been bringing him his favorite traditional Tobolsk cakes all night; he used to work for Paul.

At the end, a light blazes behind a cross accompanied by the Russian National anthem, but the choir sings the English hymn that concludes “Give Us Peace in Our Time, Oh Lord.”[4] The impetus for making the film was Irving Thalberg's discovery that the studio already owned the rights to Alfred Klabund's 1927 novel Rasputin.

That is the only film which features all three Barrymore siblings - John, Ethel and Lionel - together; although all had starring roles, there are only a few short scenes where all three are on the screen at the same time.

"I gradually learned that this was an unusually disorganized company, and it was a miracle that the film ever got finished-- no script except for one day ahead; the three Barrymores, who were tough enough to take individually, together they spelled disaster," wrote Barbara Barondess in her memoir.

"[6] Mordaunt Hall's December 24, 1932 review for The New York Times, describes the picture as “an engrossing and exciting pictorial melodrama…further distinguished by the knowledgeful guidance of Richard Boleslavsky…(who) has worked out his episodes in an impressive fashion, particularly the fight between Prince Chegodieff,..,and the "Mad" Monk and the subsequent killing of Rasputin….When Lionel Barrymore, who acts Rasputin, lifted his bloody head and face, a shudder went through the audience.The characters are exceptionally well delineated, and besides the experienced and talented performances of the Barrymores, there is an unusually clever characterization of Czar Nicholas by Ralph Morgan….

[8] In April 1933, Bruce Bevlin of the New Republic called it a “historical perversion.”[9] In the February 1933 issue of Vanity Fair, Pare Lorentz panned it: “It is a clumsy, pretentious, aimless motion picture—self-conscious and stilted from beginning to end and an obvious circus stunt at the expense of a famous name.”[10] Rotten Tomatoes gives the film 50%, based to 6 reviews.