The Scarlet Empress

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.

Cast

Marlene Dietrich

Marlene Dietrich

as Princess Sophia Frederica / Catherine II

John Lodge

John Lodge

as Count Alexei

Sam Jaffe

Sam Jaffe

as Grand Duke Peter

Louise Dresser

Louise Dresser

as Empress Elizabeth Petrovna

C. Aubrey Smith

C. Aubrey Smith

as Prince August

Gavin Gordon

Gavin Gordon

as Capt. Gregori Orloff

Olive Tell

Olive Tell

as Princess Johanna Elizabeth

Ruthelma Stevens

Ruthelma Stevens

as Countess Elizabeth 'Lizzie'

Davison Clark

Davison Clark

as Archimandrite Simeon Todorsky / Arch-Episcope

Erville Alderson

Erville Alderson

as Chancelor Alexei Bestuchef

Reviews

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...

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