THE SCARLET EMPRESS
US, 1934, 104 minutes, Black and white.
Marlene Dietrich, John Lodge, Sam Jaffe, Louise Dresser, C. Aubrey Smith.
Directed by Josef von Sternberg.
The Scarlet Empress is one of many films where Josef von Sternberg directed Marlene Dietrich, with the camera adoring the actress who does not need to act but simply be there. This is especially true of her role as Princess Sophia Frederica of Germany who is married off to the Grand Duke Peter of Russia (played by Sam Jaffe). His mother, the Empress Elizabeth, played by Louise Dresser, is determined that there be an heir.
The princess is not particularly fond of the grand duke, has affairs with soldiers, produces an heir which is enough for the Russian throne. She engineers a coup at the death of the grand duke and sets herself up as the Empress Catherine.
Marlene Dietrich had made an impact in von Sternberg’s The Blue Angel and they had come to Hollywood and for the first years of the 30s had made a considerable impact with such films as Blonde Venus, Shanghai Express.
The film is not historical – in the least. Rather, with their American accents, this is an American of Hollywood camp or kitsch. The following year Elisabeth Bergner was directed by her husband Paul Czinner in Catherine the Great with Douglas Fairbanks Jr. In 1945 Tallulah Bankhead was the Empress Catherine in Czarina. In the 1960s, Jeanne Moreau was Great Catherine.
1. The enjoyment of the film, as a Marlene Dietrich vehicle? Filmmaking in the thirties, impact then, now?
2. Audience interest in Catherine the Great an a person, Empress? Interest in 18th century Europe, Russia?
3. The importance of the black and white photography and its style, the cluttered decor, the impressive interiors? The photography's comment on the atmosphere of Russia and royalty and its enclosed insane atmosphere? The importance of the sets, the decor, the religious symbols, the secular? The baroque for example the skeletons, the statuary as part of the setting? Chapels? The importance of the editing and the fade-ins and outs and superimpositions? The importance of close-ups especially those of Marlene Dietrich, for example, at her wedding? The atmosphere of tracking shots, for example, over the wedding banquet and back again? Through the chapel during the ceremony? The use of religious music and choral effect for example during the wedding? The use of the classics and operatic scores anachronistically, Wagner and Tchaikowsky? The atmosphere that they created for the audience who know this music?
4. How important were the silent techniques, so many captions and chapter headings - the amount of information given, supplying for dramatic changes that were not seen on screen? Did this add to the film and its style, detract from it?
5. The importance of atmospheric detail - the banquet table with the skeleton, the locket falling through the trees and the branches, Peter boring the hole in the palace wall? The effect of so much focusing of the audience's attention on such detail? Symbolic?
8. The atmosphere of the 18th century and arranged marriages, the ideals of Catherine when she was Sophia, Prussian way of life, as a nice child and her doll, being taken away but yet her keeping it? Stories of slaughter and the collage of such violence as background for royal families in the age of enlightenment and despotism? And the transition from carnage and torture to the princess on the swing? The news of her marriage and its arrangement? The repercussions of arranged marriages and the lack of lovot the disappointment for the princesses?
7. The handsome appearance of Alexei, his stories on the trip, lies? His dubious character - liaison with Empress Elizabeth, his courting her, attitude towards him, a survivor at court? The melodramatics of his note at the table? Did he intend it to be seen by the Empress? An occasion for discussion about extra marital love affairs and their status In the courts of Europe?
8. The appearance of Archduke Peter and his madness, an imbecile, the Empress's domination of him and hold over him, controlling his whole way of life, changing him especially when his mother died? His unwillingness to marry Catherine? His keeping away from her? The effect on Catherine - her going through the wedding with dignity but ambiguity? Her disappointment with Peter? Courting others and becoming pregnant by the soldier? The atmosphere of the permissive court and its effect on her? The Empress and the example
that she set, ignorant and barbaric yet powerful?
9. The atmosphere of the marriage ceremony, the blessing of the bed, the effect of Peter's dislike and Catherine flirting with Alexi? The conceiving of the baby and the repercussions of its birth - the Empress's joy, Peter's hostility?
10. The importance of the tableaux of Russia - the importance of the visuals with the statues, the skeletons, the meals, the Empress and her Council?
11. Catherine and her change of attitude and her dalliance, her courting the Army? Her playing when the Empress died? Her transition to love of power and her loss of ideals - the way this was exemplified?
12. Peter and his place in the court, being bored with his wife, his it fascination with the Countess Elizabeth and using her - her exile, her return? The effect of his becoming Emperor, the slaughter, the growing proclamations and the way that this was illustrated - the idiocy of his growing tyranny? Catherine's reaction? Why did he act in this way?
13. Catherine and her growing political power, her luring on of Alexi, and then the ironic revenge in terms of his romantic attitudes? Boris and the humiliation of Alexe and sending him to be the messenger? His saying that he understood?
14. The build-up to the final banquet, Peter and his way of ruling, Elizabeth and her taunts? The visuals of the banquet? Catherine and her reaction - the humiliation and her decision to take over?
15. The melodrama of the takeover, her dress, the riding, the ringing of the bell, the religious authorities trying to ingratiate themselves?
16. The inevitablity of the death of Peter and its violence and ugliness? Catherine's reaction?
17. Catherine at the threshold of her rule? how had she changed? Her place in Russia, her title, the Mother of all the Russians?
18. Audience interest in history, Hollywood treatment of history and the particular slants that they have, choice of issues and style of treatment? Satisfactory historical entertainment?
