Director: Paul Czinner
Year:  1934
Rating: 6.0

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Catherine the Great was a remarkable woman whose best year might have been 1934 when two big budget films were made about her. This one and the better known The Scarlet Empress. The Scarlet Empress was produced at Paramount with Marlene Dietrich playing Catherine and this one was produced in England by the Korda’s and starred Elisabeth Bergner who was basically never heard of again. Strangely, Bergner reminds one of Dietrich but sort of a kewpie doll version of her. Dietrich came from Germany and Bergner came from what was then Austria-Hungary – both fitting to play Catherine. Back in the 1930’s the Korda brothers (also born in Austria-Hungary) were producing all those wonderful stately and splendid historical films such as Rembrandt, Henry the VIII and The Private Life of Don Juan. Though nearly the entire film takes place within the confines of the palace it is sumptuous and lovely to look at.


Catherine ruled Russia from 1762 to 1796 and is considered one of Russia’s greatest rulers. Even more incredible is how this came about. After Peter the Great passed away in 1725 Russia was basically ruled by women for the rest of the century – after Peter there was the daughter of his brother Empress Anna who ruled from 1730 – 1740 and then Peter’s daughter Empress Elizabeth who gained power in a coup and ruled from 1741 – 1762. Elizabeth played by the always wonderful Flora Robson has a big role in Catherine’s life.


Though Elizabeth never got The Great placed in front of her name, her life and rule is worthy of its own film. She never married but had a trove of lower class lovers. She also never executed anyone during her rule which back in those days was quite the rarity. Without her own children she named her nephew Peter to be her heir and immediately went to Royal Headhunters to find him a suitable wife among the aristocracy of Europe. Royal children were basically put on a spinning wheel at rapid speed and they fell out all over Europe inter-marrying – to the point that when WWI came along all the heads of Germany, England and Russia were all related to one another. Not a loving family.


They decided on Sophie – latter to be named Catherine – from a high noble family in Prussia. So at 16 years old she marries Peter in 1745 but Peter was close to an idiot – all that inter-marrying – and not particularly liked by the military or other royals. Not that it mattered because Elizabeth puttered along for another 17 years – and in that time Catherine learned to speak perfect Russian and to gain popularity with the military and the nobility. When Elizabeth finally died Peter was named the Emperor Peter III – but six months later Catherine led a coup and threw him out of power and he was soon executed though Catherine denied giving the order.


This film covers these years up to her ascension to the throne – and though historical accuracy is given a few bruises along the way and Catherine is made out to be an innocent in love with her husband till the end – not true at all – the basics are here. Peter is played by Douglas Fairbanks Jr not yet a star so willing to play Peter as a swine though not a very clever one. Bergner is way too bright-eyed and bushy-tailed to be the woman who becomes Catherine the Great. Still I found the story -which for 1934 was surprisingly sexual in the dialogue - a compelling drama and it made me want to know more about Catherine who is said to have been a beauty – though the paintings of her might disagree.