This is a Russian, black-and-white production of the great Shakespearean classic, starring Juri Jarvet. Long-considered one of the greatest and most wrenching tragedies in world literature, King Lear shows that great force of character is not necessarily wise, rude speech is not necessarily unkind, and madness is in some cases a perfectly reasonable response to intolerable conditions. This film's low-key, dark imagery is a fitting match for the dark content of the play itself.
~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide