AllMovie

I Was Stalin's Bodyguard is not a mere cheapjack Hollywoodized "expose" but the genuine article, filmed by Russians for Russians. Director Semeon Aranovitch brilliantly blends rarely seen newsreel and documentary footage of the three-decade Stalin regime. The centerpiece is a long, fascinating interview with the last surviving personal bodyguard of the Soviet dictator. Also included are home movies of Stalin, his family and his inner circle. I Was Stalin's Bodyguard is neither blatantly pro- nor anti-Stalin; it offers the facts, then allows the viewer to make up his or her own mind.