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The Scarlet Empress (Catherine the Great) (1934)

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Movie Info

Of the two 1934 film versions of the life of Russia's Catherine the Great, Josef von Sternberg's The Scarlet Empress was the most opulent and exotic. Marlene Dietrich plays the German-born Catherine, who is required to marry Russia's mad Grand Duke Peter (Sam Jaffe, decked out in a Harpo Marx wig). As if her joke of a marriage isn't torment enough, Catherine must endure the excesses of her new mother-in-law, Empress Elizabeth (Louise Dresser). Eventually, Catherine finds solace -- and romance --

May 8, 2001

Cast

All Critics (16) | Top Critics (3) | Fresh (12) | Rotten (0) | DVD (8)

Von Sternberg's most realized film that combines a brilliant spectacle of royal pomp and mise-en-scene with Harpo Marx-like silent comedy.

February 14, 2006 Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews | Comment
Ozus' World Movie Reviews

It's a complex, poetic, fantastical, and truly great movie.

June 13, 2005 Full Review Source: Combustible Celluloid | Comment
Combustible Celluloid

Unhinged and marvelous; it walks a thin line between melodrama and farce.

July 9, 2004 Comment

A thrilling historical pageant, featuring one of the most mind-blowing mises-en-scenes ever created for a film, plus iconic performances by Dietrich, Jaffe, and Dresser.

August 17, 2003 Comment
Nick's Flick Picks

Sternberg belongs in the very top ranks of any list of the greatest filmmakers of all time -- and nowhere is this more apparent than here.

February 2, 2003 Full Review Source: Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC) | Comment
Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

The filmmaking is invigorating, with some of the images standing out as originals to this day.

March 5, 2002 Full Review Source: MovieMartyr.com | Comment
MovieMartyr.com

a dense, visually astounding portrait of a woman evolving from an innocent, inexperienced, and idealistic girl to a shrewd, calculating empress

June 13, 2001 Comment
Q Network Film Desk
More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for The Scarlet Empress (Catherine the Great)

what a spectacle this is. the sets are just outrageous. could've used a better script perhaps but definitely worth watching for the fantastic art direction alone. and then there's dietrich...

December 10, 2007
rubystevens
Stella Dallas

Super Reviewer

This was a good historical drama, I didn't know much about Catherine before, but this movie didn't tell me everything I wanted to know. It only covers her youth and the time she marries into the Russian royalty, but we don't get to see how she handles the country as the new empress. It was slightly better than I

September 22, 2010
ajv2688

Super Reviewer

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Foreign Titles

  • The Scarlett Empress - Die Scharlachrote Kaiserin (DE)
  • The Scarlet Empress (1934) (UK)
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