The production, set during the final months of Stalin's life, received generally positive reviews in the American press, but the Soviet Union protested the depiction of Krushchev's alleged role in Stalin's death and retaliated by closing CBS's Moscow news bureau and ordering its Moscow correspondent to leave the country.

The play opens in Stalin's office on October 4, 1952, on the eve of the 19th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.

After a visit from his principal deputies, Stalin reveals to his personal aide, Alexander Poskrebyshev, his belief that there is a plot against him.

[1] In July 1958, CBS announced that it would open the new season of Playhouse 90 with a play about the final five months of Stalin's life.

In his review of the play, Jack Gould of The New York Times praised the performances of Homolka and Douglas as Krushchev and Stalin, but criticized the absence of character development.

Gould also questioned the wisdom of depicting Krushchev as "virtually a murderer" and accused the program of "pursuing sensationalism.

"[7] UPI television critic William Ewald credited makeup man Bud Sweeney for his "superb job" and praised the overall production as "a gripper", "90 minutes packed with urgency.

"[8] Associated Press critic Charles Mercer called it fascinating and opined: "Seldom has TV drama presented such a gallery of vivid characterization by an outstanding cast.

[12] Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev reportedly "hit the ceiling" when he learned of his depiction in the American television play.

Menshikov called the production "filthy slander" and stated that the Soviet Union expected the American government "to prevent such anti-Soviet acts.

"[14] When the State Department responded that CBS was a private corporation which was not controlled by the government, the Soviet Union retaliated directly against CBS, ordering the network to close its Moscow news bureau, withdrawing its accreditation of the network's Moscow correspondent, Paul Niven, and telling Niven to leave the country and close the bureau within two weeks.