Discover
-
Travis Banton
Costume Design -
Josef von Sternberg
Director -
Hans Dreier
Art Direction -
Bert Glennon
Director of Photography -
Manuel Komroff
Writer -
Harry D. Mills
Sound -
Emanuel Cohen
Executive Producer -
Eleanor McGeary
Writer
-
CinemaSerf 6/13/2022 6:36:31 PM
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.
Akim Tamiroff
Bit Part (uncredited)Sam Jaffe
Grand Duke PeterC. Aubrey Smith
Prince AugustKent Taylor
Marlene Dietrich
Princess Sophia Frederica / Catherine IIRichard Alexander
Jane Darwell
Miss Cardell, Sophia's Nurse (uncredited)Gavin Gordon
Capt. Gregori Orloff