The Scarlet Empress ***** (1934, Marlene Dietrich, John Lodge, Sam Jaffe, Louise Dresser, C Aubrey Smith, Edward Van Sloan, Gavin Gordon) – Classic Movie Review 2936

Marlene Dietrich is truly magnificent in The Scarlet Empress, producer-director Josef von Sternberg’s spectacular and thrilling 1934 visual explosion of a historical romantic biopic. Forget screen-writer Manuel Komroff’s average sort of tale, which is allegedly based on the private diary of Catherine the Great and doesn’t in itself light too many sparks. He is credited as ‘diary arranged by Manuel Komroff’. With astounding images throughout, the movie is a triumph of visual art over literature.

So actually what really matters here are Hans Dreier’s breathtaking art direction, Bert Glennon’s startling cinematography bathed in shadows and the glow of soft focus, and master showman Von Sternberg’s deliciously extravagant directorial touches. It is kitsch and camp, hugely so, but it transcends both to the level of film art.

In the centre of a great vintage movie is Dietrich, and this is now a highly esteemed homage and testimony to her screen persona and star allure. She was advertised as ‘The Reigning Beauty of the Screen’, but it’s the photography, lighting, makeup and clothes that make Dietrich a Reigning Beauty, along with her ability to perform beauty and accrue glamour to herself. And Dietrich is a proper skilled actress as well as alluring great star, and she makes sure she gives a right royal commanding performance.

And she is helped out on the acting front by Sam Jaffe as the Grand Duke Peter, Louise Dresser as the powerful Empress Elizabeth and John Lodge as Count Alexei who loves her too, as well as by C Aubrey Smith (Prince August),  Gavin Gordon (Captain Gregori Orloff), John Lodge (Count Alexei), Olive Tell (Princess Johanna Elizabeth), Jameson Thomas and Edward Van Sloan.

Dietrich’s role is as the young Princess Sophia Frederica of Germany, who is taken to Russia to marry the half-wit Grand Duke (Jaffe), son of the domineering Empress (Dresser), who is plotting to improve the royal blood line.

It was filmed simultaneously with Alexander Korda’s movie The Rise of Catherine the Great, which managed to get into cinemas first and alas unfairly harmed this one’s box-office.

The astounding furs and gowns deserve a name check: they are designed by Travis Banton.

John Lodge retired to take up politics and became Governor of Connecticut. In November 1946, he became only the second movie actor elected to high office, winning a seat in the US House of Representatives as a Republican. He won a second term in 1948, but resigned in 1950 to run for governor. He was elected as Connecticut’s 50th governor in January 1951. President Eisenhower appointed Lodge US Ambassador to Spain from 1955 to 1961. President Ronald Reagan appointed him US Ambassador to Switzerland 1983-85.

The Paramount studio support players are assembled like an army ready for battle: Ruthelma Stevens, Davison Clark, Erville Alderson, Philip Sleeman, Marie Wells, Hans Heinrich von Twardowski, Gerald Fielding, Maria Riva, Eric Alden, Richard Alexander, Nadine Beresford. Thomas C Blythe, Hal Boyer, James Burke, Jane Darwell, Clyde David, John Davidson, George Davis, Anna Duncan, Elinor Fair, May Foster, Julanne Johnston, James A Marcus, Petra McAllister, Eunice Murdock Moore, Patricia Patrick, Blanche Rose, Barbara Sabichi, Katherine Sabichi, Dina Siminova, Agnes Steele, Minnie Steele, Elaine St Maur, Belle Stoddard, Akim Tamiroff, Kent Taylor, Bruce Warren, Leo White and Harry Woods.

Other great Catherines: Elisabeth Bergner in The Rise of Catherine the Great 1934), Tallulah Bankhead in A Royal Scandal [Czarina] (1945), Bette Davis in John Paul Jones (1959) and Jeanne Moreau in Great Catherine (1968).

© Derek Winnert 2015 Classic Movie Review 2936

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