The Rise of Catherine the Great (1934)

Director:

Paul Czinner
(more)

Writers:

Lajos Biró (play)
Marjorie Deans
(more)

Release Date:

9 February 1934 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama

Plot:

Straightforward biography of the Russian empress, up to her assumption of the throne.

Plot Keywords:

Princess | Russia | Wedding | Marriage | 18th Century

Cast

Douglas Fairbanks Jr.	...	Grand Duke Peter
Elisabeth Bergner	...	Catherine
Flora Robson	...	Empress Elisabeth
Gerald du Maurier	...	Lecocq
Irene Vanbrugh	...	Princess Anhalt-Zerbst
Joan Gardner	...	Katushienka
Dorothy Hale	...	Countess Olga
Diana Napier	...	Countess Vorontzova
Griffith Jones	...	Grigory Orlov
Gibb McLaughlin	...	Bestujhev (as Gibb MacLaughlin)
Clifford Heatherley	...	Ogarev
Laurence Hanray	...	Goudovitch
Allan Jeayes	...	Col. Karnilov
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Heron Carvic	...	Minor role (uncredited)
William Heughan	...	Minor role (uncredited)
Arnold Lucy	...	Minor role (uncredited)

Directed by
Paul Czinner
Alexander Korda		(uncredited)

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Lajos Biró		play "The Czarina"
Marjorie Deans
Melchior Lengyel		play "The Czarina"
Arthur Wimperis

Produced by
Alexander Korda	....	producer
Ludovico Toeplitz	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Ernst Toch		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Georges Périnal

Film Editing by
Stephen Harrison
Harold Young

Art Direction by
A. Hallam
Vincent Korda

Costume Design by
John Armstrong
B.J. Simmons

Production Management
David B. Cunynghame	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Geoffrey Boothby	....	assistant director

Sound Department
A.W. Watkins	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Robert Krasker	....	camera operator
Robert LaPresle	....	camera operator

Editorial Department
Stephen Bearman	....	colorist

Music Department
Muir Mathieson	....	musical director

Other crew
Lajos Biró	....	continuity
Melchior Lengyel	....	continuity
Arthur Wimperis	....	continuity

Production Companies

• London Film Productions

Distributors

• United Artists Corporation (1934) (UK) (theatrical)
• Siegel-Monopolfilm (1934) (Germany) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1934) (USA) (theatrical)
• British Lion Film Corporation (1946) (UK) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Film Classics (1947) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Deutsche London-Film Verleih (1949) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Alpha Video Distributors (????) (USA) (DVD)
• Criterion Collection, The (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Eclipse from the Criterion Collection (2009) (USA) (DVD)
• Elephant Films (2013) (France) (video)
• MediaOutlet.com (????) (USA) (DVD)
• Reel Media International (2004) (USA) (VHS)
• Reel Media International (2007) (USA) (all media)
• Vídeo Network (????) (Brazil) (VHS)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

95 min | Germany:100 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:M | Canada:PG (Ontario) | West Germany:16 | Australia:G (TV rating) | Germany:(Banned) (after premiere)

Filming Locations:

Denham Studios, Denham, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company:

London Film Productions

Goofs:

Factual errors: When Peter marries Catherine in a Russian Orthodox service, they respond to the the lines "Do you take this man/woman to be your lawful wedded husband/wife... until death do you part?" These lines are not part of a traditional Orthodox service. The bride and groom usually do not say anything during the service.

Movie Connections:

Version of Young Catherine (1991) (TV)

CATHERINE THE GREAT (Paul Czinner, 1934) ***

This is the first of 6 films I intend to watch about the famous Russian sovereign (albeit of German origins) as part of the Josef von Sternberg retrospective, whose masterpiece THE SCARLET EMPRESS – from the same year – also deals with her. It was obviously intended as the British response (through renowned producer Alexander Korda) of the afore-mentioned Paramount release; ironically, the latter had been made – as a vehicle for Marlene Dietrich – in the wake of the classic Greta Garbo title QUEEN Christina (1933)!

Even so, the result here is quite a good film taken on its own merits – though lacking the ornate visual sense and other idiosyncrasies that Sternberg deployed in his version (and which made it so fascinating to watch in the first place). In any case, this has all the virtues and faults of a typical Korda effort: low-key approach undermined by stiff production and buoyed by reliable casting. The latter sees Elizabeth Bergner – the director is her husband – in the title role (though she does well by the character on a human plane, there is little to suggest her 'great' qualities as monarch!), top-billed Douglas Fairbanks Jr. (an ambivalent characterization as he goes all-too-swiftly from being submissive to his Empress aunt through a pre-arranged marriage to tyranny: his is a valiant try, but the star's dashing looks makes this incongruity that more conspicuous!) and Flora Robson (as the ailing Empress who conspires with Catherine to depose her own unstable nephew: the distinguished actress would virtually make a career out of playing monarchs!).

Plot-wise, court intrigue (easily the more interesting aspect to the narrative) is too often swamped by romantic complications and that worst trapping of costumers i.e. archaic dancing…but, having grown up watching the Korda films on Italian TV (even if not among its very best examples, this one is solid enough), I kind of have a soft spot for them and, in fact, over the years I managed to collect virtually all of the more notable titles in that popular cycle (including the same year's THE PRIVATE LIFE OF DON JUAN which, coincidentally, starred Fairbanks pere!). By the way, while this one was originally released in the U.S. as THE RISE OF CATHERINE THE GREAT, it was recently issued on R1 DVD through Criterion's sister label Eclipse as part of a Korda Box Set (along with DON JUAN itself and two superb Charles Laughton vehicles – namely the Oscar-winning THE PRIVATE LIFE OF HENRY VIII {1933} and, arguably his masterpiece, REMBRANDT {1936}).