Release Date: 1934-05-09
Overview: 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.
Rating: 6.8 / 10
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
Josef von Sternberg - Director
Josef von Sternberg - Art Direction
Josef von Sternberg - Producer
Bert Glennon - Director of Photography
Travis Banton - Costume Design
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 o...