Discover
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Josef von Sternberg
Director -
Bert Glennon
Director of Photography -
Travis Banton
Costume Design -
Hans Dreier
Art Direction -
Harry D. Mills
Sound -
Eleanor McGeary
Writer -
Emanuel Cohen
Executive Producer -
Manuel Komroff
Writer
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CinemaSerf 6/13/2022 6:36:31PM
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.
Eric Alden
Marlene Dietrich
Princess Sophia Frederica / Catherine IISam Jaffe
Grand Duke PeterJulanne Johnston
Ruthelma Stevens
Countess Elizabeth 'Lizzie'Jane Darwell
Miss Cardell, Sophia's Nurse (uncredited)Akim Tamiroff
Bit Part (uncredited)Harry Woods