Catherine the Great (1934 film)

Infobox Film
name = Catherine the Great


image_size =
caption =
director = Paul Czinner
producer = Alexander Korda Ludovico Toeplitz (uncredited)
writer = Marjorie Deans Arthur Wimperis
narrator =
starring = Elisabeth Bergner Douglas Fairbanks Jr.
Dorothy Hale
music = Ernst Toch (uncredited)
cinematography = Georges Périnal
editing = Stephen Harrison Harold Young
distributor = London Films/United Artists
released = 1934
runtime = 95 min.
country = UK
language = English
budget =
gross =
preceded_by =
followed_by =
website =
amg_id =
imdb_id = 0024962

"Catherine the Great" is a 1934 film based on the play "The Czarina" by Lajos Biró and Melchior Lengyel, about the rise to power of Catherine the Great. It was directed by Paul Czinner, and stars Elisabeth Bergner as Catherine, Douglas Fairbanks Jr. as Grand Duke Peter, Dorothy Hale as Countess Olga, and Flora Robson as Empress Elizabeth.

Plot

This historical drama recounts the events that led up to the rule of Russia's 18th-century Catherine the Great. Arriving from Germany as a young woman who is to wed Grand Duke Peter, she soon becomes caught up in the court intrigue and marries the lit-fuse duke. As the Grand Duke's mother lays dying, she relates her fears about her son's mental states, leaving Catherine to contend with his irrational and cruel behavior. When he goes too far with his antics, he is overthrown and put to death, though not by her wishes. Soon, however, Catherine is made the new Czaritza and restores order to her country.

External links

*