It goes without saying that Hammer's look at the infamous Rasputin is historically inaccurate and should NOT be watched by anyone looking for a history lesson. But who cares when a movie is this damn entertaining? Hammer vet Christopher Lee has an absolute ball playing the wine-guzzling, womanizing Russian mystic and con-man. This role really lets Lee cut loose from his Dracula persona and he takes full advantage of it, leering, laughing, boozing, even dancing! Christopher Lee fans will absolutely lap this movie up! I wouldn't say it was his best performance, but it's certainly one of his most enjoyable. The cast also includes some familiar faces, and Barbara Shelley ('Village Of The Damned', 'Quatermass and the Pit') is particularly fine, as is Richard Pasco as Zargo, the disgraced alcoholic doctor who Rasputin manipulates for his own ends. I can honestly say I've only seen one of two duds made by Hammer, and this is certainly not one of them. It's a bit of a potboiler I suppose, but a very good one, with strong production values, and overall it's a lot of fun and Lee is magnificent! Recommended to Hammer, and most especially, Christopher Lee fans.