The Scarlet Empress (1934)

 

The Scarlet Empress - 1934

Welcome back to our Royal Week.  Today's entry is 1934's "The Scarlet Empress", a fictionalized version of events that sees a young woman arrive in Russia and her rise to power as Catherine the Great.

The film's cast includes Marlene Dietrich, John Lodge, Sam Jaffe, Louise Dresser, C. Aubrey Smith, Gavin Gordon, Olive Tell, Ruthelma Stevens, Davison Clark, Jane Darwell, and Maria Riva.

In Germany, Princess Sophia Frederica of Anhalt is destined to become the bride of the future Tsar of Russia.  She's informed by her family and is told to await the arrival of the representative of Empress Elizabeth.

He arrives and tells the princess wonderful things about her future husband.  She cannot wait to meet him in person.

However, on the way to Russia, the princess finds herself becoming attracted to the empress's representative, Count Alexei.  She fights her urges, saying it would be disloyal to her future husband.

Arriving in Russia, Sophia Frederica meets with the Empress, who changes her name to Catherine.  Catherine thanks the Empress for all of her kindnesses.  "What I have done is nothing in comparison with what I shall do," replies the Empress.

The Empress asks if there is any request she can grant.  Catherine replies that she wishes to see her future husband, Peter.

When he arrives, Catherine is quickly disillusioned, having pictured Peter completely differently.  The man before her is only interested in toy soldiers, executions, and his mistress.

On her wedding day, Catherine is assisted by the Empress, who reminds her that it is her duty to provide Russia with a male heir.

Catherine numbly goes through the marriage ceremony.  Peter looks around the room with a huge grin on his face.

They are watched most jealously by Peter's mistress, Countess Lizzie Varonsoff.

Catherine's mother, Princess Johanna Elizabeth, and the Empress also cast their eyes over the proceedings.

At the reception, everyone has a good time, except for Catherine.  She sits very solemnly.

Time goes by, and Catherine doesn't produce the longed-for heir.  Empress Elizabeth begins to lose her patience and starts to become very short-tempered with Catherine.

While assisting the Empress one night in her bedroom, Catherine sees something coming through the wall.  It is Peter, who is making a hole in the wall so that he can see what his wife is up to.

The Empress is furious.  When she asks him why he was poking holes in her bedroom wall, Peter replies that he wanted to watch his wife.  "Watching your wife won’t give you an heir to the throne.  The next time I catch you providing my rooms with needless ventilation, I’ll have you flogged!" the Empress shouts in a rage.

To assist in the providing of an heir, the Empress has Peter's mistress banished from court.  Naturally, this doesn't endear Catherine to her husband.

Catherine eventually looks for comfort elsewhere.  The result of a liaison with an army officer is the birth of a son.  He is proclaimed the future tsar.

Because of the birth of a son, Catherine's esteem at court is enhanced.  She also begins to do what she pleases with whom she pleases.

Peter, however, delights in tormenting his wife, ordering a regiment of soldiers to point their guns at her.  He also secretly brings his mistress back to court.

Eventually, Empress Elizabeth dies, and Peter and Catherine succeed to the throne.  As a ruler, Peter decides to terrorize the citizens of Russia.  Catherine decides to cultivate friendships among the military, which could be of great advantage later on.

At a dinner one night, Peter publicly insults Catherine by offering a toast to his mistress.  He also decides to lock Catherine up with the intention of killing her.  However, Catherine has other plans.

Because the military is on her side, they refuse pointblank to kill her.  Instead, they turn Peter's plans on himself, and he is killed.

Catherine is proclaimed Empress in her own right, and begins her reign with the armies of Russia paying homage to her at the palace.

Cast rundown:

   Marlene Dietrich....................................Empress Catherine

   John Lodge...........................................Count Alexei

   Sam Jaffe.............................................Grand Duke Peter

   Louise Dresser.......................................Empress Elizabeth

   C. Aubrey Smith....................................Prince August

   Gavin Gordon........................................Capt. Gregori Orloff

   Olive Tell..............................................Princess Johanna Elizabeth

   Ruthelma Stevens..................................Countess Lizzie Varonsoff

   Davison Clark........................................Archimandrite Simeon

   Jane Darwell.........................................Miss Cardell

   Maria Riva............................................Young Catherine

And that's it for The Scarlet Empress.  The film is notable for its Expressionist art design.  Pete Babusch created many different types of gargoyle-like sculptures which adorn the royal thrones, hallways, and serving dishes.  I'm definitely not a fan of that type of art, but the costumes, designed by Travis Banton, were very lavishly done and very beautiful.

Be on the lookout for Marlene Dietrich's daughter, Maria Riva, who plays the younger version of her mother's character in the beginning of the film.

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Maid Of Salem (1937)

 

Maid Of Salem - 1937

Coming up next we have 1937's "Maid Of Salem", a story about a young woman who is wrongly accused of witchcraft during the Salem Witch Trials.  Her sympathies for those accused and her own origins conspire against her, and only the testimony of a "phantom" can save her.

The film's cast includes Claudette Colbert, Fred MacMurray, Harvey Stephens, Gale Sondergaard, Louise Dresser, Benny Bartlett, Edward Ellis, Beulah Bondi, Bonita Granville, Virginia Weidler, Donald Meek, E.E. Clive, Madame Sul-Te-Wan, Sterling Holloway, Zeffie Tilbury, J. Farrell MacDonald, and Lionel Belmore.

Our story takes place in the quiet, Puritan town of Salem in the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

A lovely young woman named Barbara Clarke resides there with her aunt.  The two women support themselves by making candles.

On one of her deliveries, Barbara makes the acquaintance of political refugee Roger Coverman of Virginia, who is hiding out with his uncle because of a bounty on his head.  Barbara is quite charmed by Roger, and the two of them begin spending time together secretly.

They have to be careful to not be seen.  Because of the bounty on Roger's head, it is imperative that he stay in the shadows.  The two of them spend as much time as possible together.  However, observers see Barbara on occasion speaking in dark corners with a cloaked figure who does not show his face.  She is also observed dancing with no one occasionally.  Roger eventually has to return to Virginia so that he can clear his name.

Barbara is already a figure well-acquainted with scrutiny.  She loves pretty things, and earns the ire of the elders at church when she appears in something other than Puritan garb.

At one Sabbath meeting, the sin of witchcraft is said to be spreading throughout the surrounding countryside.  Everyone is advised to be on the lookout and guard themselves against the evil that seems to be encroaching on the surrounding area.

The wife of one of Barbara's oldest friends becomes jealous of her and begins to harbor resentment towards Barbara.  This is especially dangerous because the woman is one of a small handful of people who know a secret about her.

Soon, witchcraft seems to reach the town of Salem, with various "outbreaks" being reported.  Mass hysteria breaks out and many people (mostly women) are arrested for having brought the community into contact with the dark arts.

Barbara is warned by her aunt and a friend not to speak out in support of any of the accused.  Her own mother was burnt as a witch in England when someone who hated her fabricated the information with which she was arrested.  Any suspicion cast in her direction would be enough to spell her doom.

However, at a trial Barbara can not sit idly by while her friends are accused and found guilty of witchcraft even though they are completely innocent.  Because she speaks up for them, she is arrested.

At her trial, her acquaintance with a cloaked, faceless figure is brought up.  Because of his situation, Barbara cannot name him, and by doing so seemingly seals her fate.  The information about her mother is also made public by the jealous wife of her friend.  Barbara is sentenced to be hanged.

Roger Coverman's appearance at the eleventh hour puts to rest all of the charges against Barbara.

The two fall into each other's arms as the Governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony puts an end to the witch trials and orders that the tree on which the accused were hung be destroyed.

Cast rundown:

   Claudette Colbert..............................Barbara Clarke

   Fred MacMurray.................................Roger Coverman

   Harvey Stephens...............................Dr. John Harding

   Gale Sondergaard.............................Martha Harding

   Louise Dresser..................................Ellen Clarke

   Benny Bartlett..................................Timothy Clarke

   Edward Ellis.....................................Elder Nathaniel Goode

   Beulah Bondi....................................Abigail Goode

   Bonita Granville................................Ann Goode

   Virginia Weidler................................Nabby Goode

   Donald Meek....................................Ezra Cheeves

   E.E. Clive.........................................Thomas Bilge

   Madame Sul-Te-Wan..........................Tituba

   Sterling Holloway..............................Miles Corbin

   Zeffie Tilbury....................................Goody Hodgers

   J. Farrell MacDonald..........................Captain Edwards

   Lionel Belmore.................................Tavern Keeper

And that's it for Maid Of Salem.  Taking place between February 1692 and May 1693, the Salem Witch Trials saw the arrest of over 200 people for the crime of witchcraft.  Thirty were found guilty, and nineteen of them were executed.  It has been established that nearly all of them were innocent and were the victims of the mass hysteria and panic that were the result of pamphlets that cautioned and gave instances of witchcraft in the area.

As always, if you wish to leave a comment, please remember our posting rules.