Bulwark Takes – Episode Summary
Episode: “The Death of Stalin” and Trump’s Throne-Sniffers
Air Date: September 1, 2025
Host: Charlie Sykes
Panel: Sarah Longwell, Sonny Bunch
Main Theme:
A roundtable rewatch and political analysis of Armando Iannucci’s The Death of Stalin (2017) through the lens of contemporary American politics—especially as a lens on Trump-era sycophancy, power struggles, and institutional decay.
Overview
The panel convenes for the (not-so-official) Bulwark Movie Club to revisit Armando Iannucci’s The Death of Stalin, focusing on its brutal humor, legacies of power, and pointed analogies to today’s American political scene. The film’s blend of “murderous menace and buffoonery” (04:07) makes it a unique mirror for recent U.S. politics—especially the culture of sycophancy and anxiety surrounding authoritarian leaders.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Why The Death of Stalin Resonates Now
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Contrast with Veep and American Satire:
The Death of Stalin lets viewers “bring it back to the current moment better,” without getting lost in partisan details. Veep’s satire became “too real” as U.S. politics veered into self-parody.
(03:06) Sarah Longwell:“There's no room for parodying Washington like Veep does when the politics of Washington looks just like Veep, because then it's not a parody, it's a documentary.”
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Murder and Buffoonery:
The film’s merger of slapstick with terror is more apt than lighter satires.
(04:07) Sarah Longwell:“It blends murderous menace with buffoonery, which I feel like tracks for the moment about as well as anything else.”
2. Coping with Insanity and Power
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Early Scenes Show Stakes & Anxiety:
The infamous concert and Stalin’s Dacha (06:00–08:20) illustrate how ordinary people and elites navigate a world of arbitrary terror: sycophancy, paranoia, and the ever-present threat of ‘lists.’ -
Walk-and-Talk Shtick in a Police State:
The panel underscores how The Death of Stalin juxtaposes comical bureaucratic infighting with background “Schindler's List”–level horror (07:58).
(08:51) Charlie Sykes:“Brazil is also about a kind of police state where people are getting captured, but then there's also just like bureaucratic knife fighting and people making fun of each other.”
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Absurd Survival Tactics:
The ‘write down everything Stalin laughs at’ notebook is both ridiculous and horrifying (09:53–10:39).
3. Sycophancy and Kayfabe (Political Theater)
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Performative Groveling—Then and Now:
Drawing on Andrew Egger’s observation (13:24), the team notes that “throne sniffing” is both a Stalinist and a Trumpist affectation:
(13:24) Charlie Sykes:“The best way to distinguish yourself in right wing politics today is by finding new and ever more theatrical ways to glaze the big guy...”
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Public vs. Private Doublethink:
Comparison to Trump-world texts (15:56): sycophantic public displays contrasted with private contempt (“Can’t wait to not think about him at all” — referencing Tucker Carlson about Trump, 16:41).
4. Power Struggles and Types
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True Believers vs. Realists:
Palin’s Molotov as a “true believer” vs. Khrushchev and Beria as realists (44:44).
(44:44) Sonny Bunch:“There are true believers. Like Molotov is a true believer... Khrushchev is not like that and neither is Baria. They're just realists, right? And they're there to try to get power.”
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Character Archetypes & Modern Parallels:
- Trump = Stalin (“Trump is Stalin” — 41:29)
- J.D. Vance = Malenkov (42:03)
- Stephen Miller = Beria (42:13)
- Don Jr. = Vasily (“fail son,” but perhaps more competent, 52:23)
- Ivanka = Svetlana (“Attractive… responsible ones,” 53:29)
- RFK Jr., Elon Musk as outsiders with their own bases (22:39, 47:30–47:47)
5. Mechanics of Power and Succession
- No Succession Plan, Fail Sons, and Dynasties
- The Death of Stalin lampoons Soviet lack of succession, mirrored in Trumpism’s lack of an heir (51:35–52:54).
- Don Jr.’s appeal questioned:
Sarah (53:18):
“I don’t think that the voters are clamoring for Don Jr. They don’t like dynasties.”
6. Contemporary Resonances
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Agencies as Power Bases:
NKVD vs. Army (34:08) as analogs to American ICE vs. DOJ/FBI struggles (34:36). -
Policy Shifts to Curry Favor:
(“We should quit murdering everybody”—in the film, after Stalin dies, elites abruptly shift policies to win approval [18:10, 43:27–43:44]; compared to post-Trump shifts in American politics).
7. Notable Performances and Gender Note
- Jason Isaacs’ Zhukov as “jock”/frat bro, peer to power (21:29–23:29).
- Andrea Riseborough’s Svetlana: a rare female presence, naive but central (26:39–28:28).
- Minor lament: mostly male cast, though “pitch perfect for the moment” (27:06).
8. Art and Reality Reflecting Each Other
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MeToo/Era Parallels:
Jeffrey Tambor’s (Malenkov) real-life cancellation echoes Soviet-style disappearings (59:12–60:12):
Sonny Bunch:“He gets just like literally taken out of the posters and like off the DVD cover... it was very funny. It was very funny.”
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Director’s Intent:
Death of Stalin purposely riffs on authoritarianism’s creep even in (nominal) democracies (61:11–63:00):
Armando Iannucci (quoted):“The strong personality becoming elected and then amassing power... becomes more and more difficult for them to be removed.”
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
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On the film’s energy:
Sarah Longwell (01:27):“What a treat. What a treat to do. I'm so glad we picked this one because it is so fun.”
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Satire vs. Documentary:
Sarah (03:06):“There's no room for parodying the politics of Washington like Veep does, when the politics of Washington looks just like Veep...”
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On “kayfabe” and sycophancy:
Charlie Sykes (16:56):“Kayfabe aspect of it all, it always comes back to kayfabe... I want to get a ranking of best versus worst kayfabe.”
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Performative loyalty:
Sarah (14:27):“...when they're together, they compete to see who can be the biggest sycophant... while also being self aware as you do it...”
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Paranoia as comedy & horror:
Sonny (12:10):“…even when Stalin is first discovered being down, the Politburo members… aren’t sure if he’s really dead or if he's acting.”
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Modern power struggle analogy:
Sonny Bunch (34:08):“...the institutional fight between who is going to be the muscle for the state… again, feels a little bit like our current moment. ICE versus the FBI…”
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On Don Jr.:
Sarah (54:39):“Don Jr. is the kind of person that J.D. Vance sidles up to... but I don't think that the voters are clamoring for Don Jr. They don't like dynasties.”
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On the ensemble:
Sonny (65:07):“Jessica Walter was the ace in that unbelievable group [Arrested Development].”
Timestamps (Key Segments)
- 00:00–04:39: Setting up the Movie Club, framing the Death of Stalin and Iannucci’s style
- 04:39–08:51: Stakes, opening scenes, interwoven menace, and humor
- 11:12–14:27: Paranoia, bugging, sycophancy (“throne sniffing”)
- 18:09–21:29: Molotov’s loyalty, trauma, and ideological “true believers”
- 21:29–24:12: Zhukov’s entrance, different models of power
- 34:08–35:36: Agencies as power factions; American analogues
- 41:02–43:24: Is Trump Stalin or Khrushchev? (Trump = Stalin)
- 44:44–47:47: Legacy, what is ‘Trumpism’ without Trump?
- 52:50–54:39: Don Jr., Ivanka, and the problem of succession/dynasty
- 59:01–61:04: Jeffrey Tambor’s cancellation versus the film’s theme of erasure
- 61:11–63:00: Armando Iannucci on authoritarianism and populist cycles
- 65:07–66:30: Off-topic, but loving tribute to Jessica Walter and casting
Conclusion
The Death of Stalin provides an absurdist but uncomfortably relevant lens on the perils of power, sycophancy, cults of personality, and the fate of institutions under authoritarian stress—all strikingly mirrored in contemporary American politics. The panel draws not just laughs but complex, often chilling parallels with Trump-era political maneuvering, “throne-sniffing,” and political kayfabe, making this a must-listen for anyone interested in how art can clarify the present.
Listener Homework:
“In the Trump administration, who are the Death of Stalin figures?” (67:23)
Share in the comments and suggest movies for future episodes!