The Scarlet Empress main backdrop
The Scarlet Empress main poster

The Scarlet Empress

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6.9/10 • 127

1934-05-091h 44m

DramaHistoryRomance

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.

Directors
Josef von Sternberg
Writters
Manuel Komroff, Eleanor McGeary
Editors
Sam Winston

Top Billed Cast

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  1. Marlene Dietrich

    Marlene Dietrich

    Princess Sophia Frederica / Catherine II

  2. John Lodge

    John Lodge

    Count Alexei

  3. Sam Jaffe

    Sam Jaffe

    Grand Duke Peter

  4. Louise Dresser

    Louise Dresser

    Empress Elizabeth Petrovna

  5. C. Aubrey Smith

    C. Aubrey Smith

    Prince August

  6. Gavin Gordon

    Gavin Gordon

    Capt. Gregori Orloff

  7. Olive Tell

    Olive Tell

    Princess Johanna Elizabeth

  8. Ruthelma Stevens

    Ruthelma Stevens

    Countess Elizabeth 'Lizzie'

  9. Davison Clark

    Davison Clark

    Archimandrite Simeon Todorsky / Arch-Episcope

Reviews1

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CinemaSerf Avatar

CinemaSerf

Jun 13, 2022

8/10

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.

Media

  • The Scarlet Empress poster
  • The Scarlet Empress poster
  • The Scarlet Empress poster
  • The Scarlet Empress poster
  • The Scarlet Empress poster
  • The Scarlet Empress poster
  • The Scarlet Empress poster
  • The Scarlet Empress poster
  • The Scarlet Empress poster

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Status
Released
Original Language
English
Budget
$900,000.00
Revenue
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Keywords
based on novel or bookroyal familybiographyempressroyaltypre-code18th centurycatherine the great