Movielogr
The Scarlet Empress (1934)
Directed by Josef von Sternberg
Twitter Facebook Google+Overview
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.
Rated NR | Length 104 minutes
Actors
Marlene Dietrich | John Lodge | Sam Jaffe | Louise Dresser | C. Aubrey Smith | Gavin Gordon | Olive Tell | Ruthelma Stevens | Davison Clark | Erville Alderson | Maria Riva | Jane Darwell | Edward Van Sloan | Akim Tamiroff | Marie Wells | Eric Alden | Elinor Fair | Julanne Johnston | Agnes Steele | Philip Sleeman | Hans Heinrich von Twardowski | Gerald Fielding | Richard Alexander | Nadine Beresford | Hal Boyer | James Burke | John Davidson | George Davis | Anna Duncan | May Foster | Ivan Linow | James A. Marcus | Eunice Murdock Moore | Patricia Patrick | Warner Richmond | Blanche Rose | Katherine Sabichi | Sam Savitsky | Dina Smirnova | Minnie Steele | Belle Stoddard | Kent Taylor | Jameson Thomas | Bruce Warren | Leo White | Harry Woods
Viewing History (seen 1 time)
| Date Viewed | Device | Format | Source | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 06/27/2010 | TV | Broadcast | TV | 8 stars |
| (Average) 8 stars |
Viewing Notes
Finished a much, much better film in Josef von Sternberg’s The Scarlet Empress(1934). Sternberg’s rather lavish & opulent film about the rise of Catherine the Great in mid-18th Century war torn Russia is quite the spectacle. The crown jewel of course is Marlene Dietrich, who seems to float through her scenes as if she’s auditioning for Glinda the Good Witch.
Besides Dietrich, this is one to watch for Josef Sternberg’s stylized eye in creating sets and scenes that lend more towards a fantasy pic rather than bio-pic. In B&W, the shadows often work in his favor but I think this would’ve also been an amazing color production.
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