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DramaHistoryRomance

The Scarlet Empress

- The Reigning Beauty of the Screen!

During the 18th century, German noblewoman Sophia Frederica, who would later become Catherine the Great, travels to Moscow to marry the dimwitted Grand Duke Peter, the heir to the Russian throne. Their arranged marriage proves to be loveless, and Catherine takes many lovers, including the handsome Count Alexei, and bears a son. When the unstable Peter eventually ascends to the throne, Catherine plots to oust him from power.

Release Date : 1934-05-09

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Paramount Pictures

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles : Catherine the Great

Cast

Marlene Dietrich

Character Name : Princess Sophia Frederica / Catherine II

Original Name : Marlene Dietrich

Gender : Female

John Lodge

Character Name : Count Alexei

Original Name : John Lodge

Gender : Male

Sam Jaffe

Character Name : Grand Duke Peter

Original Name : Sam Jaffe

Gender : Male

Louise Dresser

Character Name : Empress Elizabeth Petrovna

Original Name : Louise Dresser

Gender : Female

C. Aubrey Smith

Character Name : Prince August

Original Name : C. Aubrey Smith

Gender : Male

Gavin Gordon

Character Name : Capt. Gregori Orloff

Original Name : Gavin Gordon

Gender : Male

Olive Tell

Character Name : Princess Johanna Elizabeth

Original Name : Olive Tell

Gender : Female

Ruthelma Stevens

Character Name : Countess Elizabeth 'Lizzie'

Original Name : Ruthelma Stevens

Gender : Female

Davison Clark

Character Name : Archimandrite Simeon Todorsky / Arch-Episcope

Original Name : Davison Clark

Gender : Male

Erville Alderson

Character Name : Chancelor Alexei Bestuchef

Original Name : Erville Alderson

Gender : Male

Maria Riva

Character Name : Sophia as a Child

Original Name : Maria Riva

Gender : Female

Jane Darwell

Character Name : Miss Cardell, Sophia's Nurse (uncredited)

Original Name : Jane Darwell

Gender : Female

Edward Van Sloan

Character Name : Herr Wagner (uncredited)

Original Name : Edward Van Sloan

Gender : Male

Akim Tamiroff

Character Name : Bit Part (uncredited)

Original Name : Akim Tamiroff

Gender : Male

Marie Wells

Character Name :

Original Name : Marie Wells

Gender : Female

Eric Alden

Character Name :

Original Name : Eric Alden

Gender : Male

Elinor Fair

Character Name :

Original Name : Elinor Fair

Gender : Female

Julanne Johnston

Character Name :

Original Name : Julanne Johnston

Gender : Female

Agnes Steele

Character Name :

Original Name : Agnes Steele

Gender : Female

Philip Sleeman

Character Name :

Original Name : Philip Sleeman

Gender : Male

Hans Heinrich von Twardowski

Character Name :

Original Name : Hans Heinrich von Twardowski

Gender : Male

Gerald Fielding

Character Name :

Original Name : Gerald Fielding

Gender : Male

Richard Alexander

Character Name :

Original Name : Richard Alexander

Gender : Male

Nadine Beresford

Character Name :

Original Name : Nadine Beresford

Gender : Male

Hal Boyer

Character Name :

Original Name : Hal Boyer

Gender : Male

James Burke

Character Name :

Original Name : James Burke

Gender : Male

John Davidson

Character Name :

Original Name : John Davidson

Gender : Male

George Davis

Character Name :

Original Name : George Davis

Gender : Male

Anna Duncan

Character Name :

Original Name : Anna Duncan

Gender : Male

May Foster

Character Name :

Original Name : May Foster

Gender : Female

Ivan Linow

Character Name :

Original Name : Ivan Linow

Gender : Male

James A. Marcus

Character Name :

Original Name : James A. Marcus

Gender : Male

Eunice Murdock Moore

Character Name :

Original Name : Eunice Murdock Moore

Gender : Female

Patricia Patrick

Character Name :

Original Name : Patricia Patrick

Gender : Female

Warner Richmond

Character Name :

Original Name : Warner Richmond

Gender : Male

Blanche Rose

Character Name :

Original Name : Blanche Rose

Gender : Male

Katherine Sabichi

Character Name :

Original Name : Katherine Sabichi

Gender : Male

Sam Savitsky

Character Name :

Original Name : Sam Savitsky

Gender : Male

Dina Smirnova

Character Name :

Original Name : Dina Smirnova

Gender : Male

Minnie Steele

Character Name :

Original Name : Minnie Steele

Gender : Male

Belle Stoddard

Character Name :

Original Name : Belle Stoddard

Gender : Female

Kent Taylor

Character Name :

Original Name : Kent Taylor

Gender : Male

Jameson Thomas

Character Name :

Original Name : Jameson Thomas

Gender : Male

Bruce Warren

Character Name :

Original Name : Bruce Warren

Gender : Male

Leo White

Character Name :

Original Name : Leo White

Gender : Male

Harry Woods

Character Name :

Original Name : Harry Woods

Gender : Male

Reviews

C

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2022-06-13

If anyone was to have actually filmed aspects of the life of the Princess at the time, then they could hardly have come up with anything more authentic than this fabulous Von Sternberg dramatisation of the rise, and rise of Catherine the Great. Marlene Dietrich is superb as the schemed against who becomes the scheming Grand Duchess married off to the imbecilic nephew (played by a superb Sam Jaffe) of the Empress Elizabeth (an imperious Louise Dresser). Through her series of lovers and strategic alliances, she deposes her idiot husband and accedes to the throne. The (lingering) intimacy of the filming of the star - almost bordering on adulation by the camera (and the director!?); the use of light and shadow - particularly the use of candles; and the marvellous Tchaikovsky score all more than compensate for some of the "train set" model scenery and make this a scintillating story of power. Great stuff.