The Rise of Catherine the Great

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Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and Elisabeth Bergner in The Rise of Catherine the Great (1934)

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

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IMDb RATING

6.3/10

763

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 2 wins & 1 nomination

Photos25

Top cast21

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Douglas Fairbanks Jr.

Grand Duke Peter
(as Douglas Fairbanks Jnr.)

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

Lawrence Hanray

Goudovitch

Allan Jeayes

Colonel Karnilov

Charles Carson

English Ambassador
(uncredited)

Heron Carvic

Minor Role
(uncredited)

Stewart Granger

Regiment Soldier
(unconfirmed)
(uncredited)

William Heughan

Minor Role
(uncredited)

Judy Kelly

Guest at Hunting Lodge
(uncredited)

Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
At the time of its U.S. re-release in 1947, this movie was most frequently paired in second position on a double bill topped by the re-release of The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933).

Goofs
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.

Quotes
Catherine: Officer! Officer! Please show me the way out.
Grand Duke Peter: Out of where?
Catherine: Out of the palace! Out of the town! Out of the whole barbarian country!
Grand Duke Peter: What's happened?
Catherine: He insulted me!
Grand Duke Peter: Who?
Catherine: The Grand Duke Peter.
Grand Duke Peter: Oh, that fellow.
Catherine: You know him?
Grand Duke Peter: Oh, yes, I know him.
Catherine: Oh, then perhaps you know why he refuses to marry me... why he refuses even to see me.
Grand Duke Peter: Well... well, perhaps they suggested some other German princesses to him. Maybe... maybe he prefers one of them.
Catherine: Which one?
Grand Duke Peter: Well, there's the, uh, Mecklenburg princess.
Catherine: Oh, that's impossible!
Grand Duke Peter: Why?
Catherine: Because she has a cavalier moustache and rabbit's teeth.
Grand Duke Peter: Well, then there's the, uh, the Oldenburg princess.
Catherine: Which one? Which one? There are four. Oh, old maids! I know them all. I tell you I'm far the best, and far the prettiest too.

Crazy credits
Openng credits prologue: RUSSIA 1745

THE HUNTING LODGE OF GRAND DUKE PETER, HEIR TO THE THRONE.

Connections
Featured in How to Stage a Coup (2017)

User reviews22

Review

Featured review

7/10

The Rise of Catherine the Great review

The story of Catherine the Great's rise to power in 18th Century Russia. Von Sternberg covered much of the same ground as Paul Czinner's British biopic, but he had Marlene Dietrich whereas Czinner had only Elisabeth Bergner, who has little of Dietrich's magnetism but at least manages to keep Catherine sympathetic. Douglas Fairbanks Jr gives the film's stand-out performance as the psychologically frail heir apparent (a far different interpretation to Sam Jaffe's in Von Sternberg's picture), although a young Flora Robson is a hoot as his feisty Aunt. A satisfying movie with an unexpectedly downbeat ending which sews the seeds of Catherine's unseen downfall.