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.

Marlene Dietrich
as Princess Sophia Frederica / Catherine II

John Lodge
as Count Alexei

Sam Jaffe
as Grand Duke Peter

Louise Dresser
as Empress Elizabeth Petrovna

C. Aubrey Smith
as Prince August

Gavin Gordon
as Capt. Gregori Orloff

Olive Tell
as Princess Johanna Elizabeth

Ruthelma Stevens
as Countess Elizabeth 'Lizzie'

Davison Clark
as Archimandrite Simeon Todorsky / Arch-Episcope

Erville Alderson
as Chancelor Alexei Bestuchef
CinemaSerf
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 b...