Plot: What’s it about?
A young and beautiful woman, Princess Sophia (Marlene Dietrich) is soon to be married, though not by her own choice, to be sure. Her groom is to be Grand Duke Peter (Sam Jaffe), who is the son of the Empress, but even his royal blood doesn’t make Sophia want to be with him in the least. Peter is somewhat of a dimwit and by bringing in Sophia, the Empress Elizabeth (Louise Dresser) hopes to improve the bloodline through her presence. Although Sophia dislikes her new husband, she does love her homeland in Russia, including many of the soldiers and other men she encounters. She soon gives birth to a son who will serve as heir to the throne, even though no one is sure just who the father is, though it is unlikely that is belongs to Peter. As time passes, Sophia bides her time and makes new friends all the time, waiting for the chance to make her move to power. This happens when the former Empress dies and within an eye’s blink, Sophia has taken control of the throne with the military’s aid, kicks Peter out of the picture and becomes Catherine the Great.
This is a massive costume epic, but don’t expect the a dull, slow moving picture with The Scarlet Empress by any means. Yes, this film has the usual epic elements such as huge set pieces, lavish costumes, and gorgeous visuals, but this is a darker, more offbeat epic, one that I am always surprised hasn’t found a larger audience. The visuals feature all sorts of dark imagery, from small touches to more obvious visions, most of which seems to be transfixed on death or the like. Those visuals are memorable and very well done however, I could watch this one time and again just to soak them in, if that was desired. I like highly detailed, wide scope films like this one, so the darker edge is sort of like the icing on the cake for me, to be sure. And the music…wow. I mean, I’ve heard some real cool scores before, but this one is perfect for the flick and is always right in terms of placement, very impressive indeed. Add in the constant beauty and sexuality of Marlene Dietrich and Josef von Sternberg’s ample direction, and we’re talking about one memorable and terrific motion picture. This one comes highly recommended and whether you rent or purchase, I think your hard earned cash is well spent.
The title role in The Scarlet Empress is played by Marlene Dietrich, who is radiant here, but never too much so. Yes, I know it sounds crazy and all, but too much of a good thing can be bad, but Dietrich balances herself very well here, which enhances the flick a lot. A true screen legend of her time, Dietrich could have been dominant in this picture, but instead holds back a little and that makes a lot of difference in the end. It’s hard to put into an exact explanation, but I think those who’ve seen the film will understand what I mean. She is called upon to slide from one end of the spectrum to the other, which she does with great skill and never falters much in the process. You can also see Dietrich in such films as The Garden of Allah, Blonde Venus, Seven Sinners, Art of Love, Shanghai Express, The Blue Angel, and I Loved A Soldier. The cast also includes John Lodge (The Tenth Man, In Like Flint), Louise Dresser (State Fair, Cheap Kisses), C. Aubrey Smith (Rebecca, Little Lord Fauntleroy), and Sam Jaffe (Battle Beyond The Stars, Bedknobs and Broomsticks).
Video: How does it look?
The Scarlet Empress is presented in a full frame transfer, which preserves the film’s intended aspect ratio. The image has been restored and remastered, but this is still a movie made in 1934, so don’t expect miracles here. The source print looks clean in terms of debris and scratches, but does show some grain, which is a let down. But I wasn’t distracted by the grain at all, as the contrast here allows the black & white photography to really shine through. I found the black levels to be very solid, even with the grain present and I doubt anyone will dislike this edition. Of course, I’d love a pristine condition transfer, but this is much better than previous releases, which is enough to warrant a solid score in the end.
Audio: How does it sound?
The same applies to the audio section, which sounds good, but still shows some signs of age at times. I was pleased with the clarity here, as I expected a more dated experience, but this one is pretty solid overall. I did hear some slight harshness, distortion, and hiss at times, but not to an extreme degree and no more than you’d expect from a 1934 picture. The dialogue is crisper than I expected, but has some small flaws, though much less than you might think, given the film’s advanced age and all. I wasn’t too impressed here, but in the end, this track is more than solid when you consider the age and condition of the materials. This disc also includes English subtitles, in case you’ll need those.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes a twenty minute featurette on von Sternberg, in which he is interviewed and also demonstrates some of his style choices. You can also browse a selection of production stills and lobby cards, which are welcome inclusions.
