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The Scarlet Empress
''The Scarlet Empress'' is a 1934 American historical drama film starring Marlene Dietrich and John Lodge about the life of Catherine the Great. It was directed and produced by Josef von Sternberg from a screenplay by Eleanor McGeary, loosely based on the diary of Catherine arranged by Manuel Komroff. Even though substantial historical liberties are taken, the film is viewed positively by modern critics. ''The Scarlet Empress'' is particularly notable for its attentive lighting and the expressionist art design that von Sternberg created for the Russian palace. The film stars Dietrich as Catherine, supported by Lodge, Sam Jaffe, Louise Dresser, and C. Aubrey Smith. Dietrich's daughter Maria Riva plays Catherine as a child. Plot Princess Sophia Frederica is the daughter of a minor East Prussian prince. Count Alexei brings her to Russia at the behest of Empress Elizabeth to marry her nephew Grand Duke Peter. Elizabeth renames her Catherine and demands that the new bride ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Josef Von Sternberg
Josef von Sternberg (; born Jonas Sternberg; May 29, 1894 – December 22, 1969) was an American filmmaker whose career successfully spanned the transition from the Silent film, silent to the Sound film, sound era, during which he worked with most of the major Hollywood studios. He is best known for his film collaboration with actress Marlene Dietrich in the 1930s, including the highly regarded Paramount/UFA production ''The Blue Angel'' (1930). Sternberg's finest works are noteworthy for their striking pictorial compositions, dense décor, chiaroscuro illumination, and relentless camera motion, endowing the scenes with emotional intensity. He is also credited with having initiated the gangster film genre with his silent era movie ''Underworld (1927 film), Underworld'' (1927). Sternberg's themes typically offer the spectacle of an individual's desperate struggle to maintain their personal integrity as they sacrifice themselves for lust or love. He was nominated for the Academy Aw ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Elizabeth Of Russia
Elizabeth or Elizaveta Petrovna (; ) was Empress of Russia from 1741 until her death in 1762. She remains one of the most popular List of Russian rulers, Russian monarchs because of her decision not to execute a single person during her reign, her numerous construction projects, and her strong opposition to Prussian policies. She was the last person on the agnatic line of the Romanovs as Peter III of Russia, her nephew ascended, thus creating the house of Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov. The second-eldest daughter of Tsar Peter the Great (), Elizabeth lived through the confused successions of her father's descendants following her half-brother Alexei Petrovich, Tsarevich of Russia, Alexei's death in 1718. The throne first passed to her mother Catherine I of Russia (), then to her nephew Peter II of Russia, Peter II, who died in 1730 and was succeeded by Elizabeth's first cousin Anna of Russia, Anna (). After the brief rule of Anna's infant great-nephew, Ivan VI of Russia, Ivan VI, Eliz ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ruthelma Stevens
Ruthelma Stevens (1903–1984) was an American film actress. Stevens's mother was Mrs. Beatrice Stevens. Stevens's film debut came in ''Life Begins''. She was signed to a long-term contract after acting on the Broadway stage. Broadway plays in which she appeared included ''Speak Easy'' (1927), ''Jarnegan'' (1928), ''Hotel Universe'' (1930), ''Roadside'' (1930), ''Anatol'' (1931), ''Life Begins'' (1932), and ''A Red Rainbow'' (1953). Stevens married Waldo H. Logan, a "wealthy young sportsman" in Yuma, Arizona, in November 1933. The marriage was disclosed in June 1934. Filmography References Bibliography * Solomon, Aubrey. ''The Fox Film Corporation, 1915-1935: A History and Filmography''. McFarland, 2011. External links * 1903 births 1984 deaths American film actresses 20th-century American actresses {{US-film-actor-1900s-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Joanna Elisabeth Of Holstein-Gottorp
Joanna Elisabeth of Holstein-Gottorp (24 October 1712 – 30 May 1760) was a member of the German House of Holstein-Gottorp, a princess consort of Anhalt-Zerbst by marriage, and the regent of Anhalt-Zerbst from 1747 to 1752 on behalf of her minor son, Frederick Augustus. She is best known as the mother of Catherine the Great. Early life Joanna Elisabeth was born to Christian August, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp (1673–1726), Prince of Eutin and Prince-Bishop of Lübeck, and his wife, Albertina Frederica of Baden-Durlach (1682–1755), who belonged to a minor branch of the influential House of (Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp). Since her father was not rich and had eleven children, he sent Joanna to the court of her godmother, Duchess Elisabeth Sophie Marie of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Norburg (1683–1767), who had no children of her own. Joanna was thus brought up in one of the most luxurious courts of Northern Germany, together with the three daughters of Elisabeth Sophie Marie ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Olive Tell
Olive Tell (September 27, 1894 – June 8, 1951) was a stage and screen actress from New York City. Biography Tell was educated in several cities in Europe. She and her younger actress sister Alma Tell, Alma graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in 1915. The sisters began appearing in Broadway theaters around 1918. Olive made her New York debut in the drama ''Husband and Wife''. At first, she preferred acting in theater and detested her work on screen. She first appeared in motion pictures during World War I. Her early screen roles were in silent films, including ''The Silent Master'' (1917), ''The Unforeseen'' (1917), ''Her Sister'' (1917), and ''National Red Cross Pageant'' (1917). Tell appeared with popular film actors of the era such as Donald Gallaher, Karl Dane, Ann Little, Rod La Rocque, Ethel Barrymore and a young Tallulah Bankhead. Her first husband was killed in World War I. Tell married George Willis Kreh in April 1923; he died four months later; she ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Grigory Grigoryevich Orlov
Prince Grigory Grigoryevich Orlov (; 17 October 1734 – 24 April 1783) was a favourite of the Empress Catherine the Great of Russia, Prince of the Holy Roman Empire (1772), state and military figure, collector, patron of arts, and General-in-Chief. He patronised M. V. Lomonosov, D. I. Fonvisin, V. I. Bazhenov and gave them financial support. Honorary member of the Imperial Academy of Arts (since 1765). He collected paintings (including Rembrandt, P. P. Rubens, Titian), sculpture, Chinese, Japanese and Russian porcelain, hunting weapons, etc. (Orlov's collection has been preserved almost completely; it is now in the State Museum-Reserve "Gatchina" of the eponymous city). A large landowner, particularly of the Gatchina manor, where Orlov commissioned the construction of a palace and a landscape garden. He became a leader of the 1762 coup which overthrew Catherine's husband Peter III of Russia and installed Catherine as empress. For some years he was virtually co-ruler wit ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gavin Gordon (actor)
Fred Gavin Gordon (April 7, 1901 – April 7, 1983) was an American film, television, and radio actor. Life and career Gordon landed his first part on stage at the age of nineteen. He began getting small roles at studios including at Fox and Paramount in 1927. After a film test, Gordon starred as Greta Garbo's leading man in '' Romance'' (1930). Garbo biographer Robert Dance called Gordon "the least remembered of all the men who supported Garbo. ...Gordon was good-looking, rather than handsome, and had a strong, rich speaking voice. But he was either utterly miscast or appallingly directed: it is hard to say even after ninety years." An automobile accident that injured Gordon as he was to have begun shooting almost resulted in his being replaced. Although he went to set, he was too injured to work and was hospitalized for two weeks. Garbo insisted that he not be replaced and shooting continued until he could resume work. Dance noted that Gordon's film career largely consisted ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Christian August, Prince Of Anhalt-Zerbst
Christian August, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst (29 November 1690, in Dornburg – 16 March 1747, in Zerbst) was a German prince of the House of Ascania, and the father of Catherine the Great of Russia. He was a ruler of the Principality of Anhalt-Dornburg. From 1742, he was a ruler of the entire Principality of Anhalt-Zerbst. He was also a Prussian ''Generalfeldmarschall''. Life Christian August was the third son of John Louis I, Prince of Anhalt-Dornburg and Christine Eleonore of Zeutsch (1666–1699). After the death of his father in 1704, Christian August inherited Anhalt-Dornburg jointly with his brothers John Louis II, John Augustus (died 1709), Christian Louis (died 1710) and John Frederick (died 1742). After possibly six months as a captain in the regiment guard in 1708, on 11 February 1709 he joined the Regiment on foot in Anhalt-Zerbst (No. 8) which later changed its name to the Grenadier's Regiment King Frederick William IV of Prussia. It was stationed in Stettin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Alexey Razumovsky
Count Alexei Grigorievich Razumovsky (, ; 1709–1771) was a Ukrainian-born Russian Registered Cossack who rose to become the lover, and it was suggested he was the morganatic spouse, of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna of Russia. A member of the House of Razumovsky, he survived Elizabeth. The matter of any children they may have had together is unresolved. Early life Alexei Grigorievich Razumovsky was born as Alexei (or Oleksiy) Rozum on 17 March 1709 (NS: 28 March) on Lemeshi, a farm in the area of Chernigov Regiment, Tsardom of Russia (now Ukraine), to the family of a registered Ukrainian Cossack, Gregory Rozum. In his youth he was a shepherd and he was taught to read and write by a rural sexton. Having a fine voice, he sang in the choir at the village church. In 1731, Colonel Vyshnevsky, one of empress Anna Ivanovna's courtiers, while passing through the village on his way back to the Russian capital from a mission to Hungary, was impressed with his vocal ability, and took ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1812 Overture
''The Year 1812, Solemn Overture'', Op. 49, popularly known as the ''1812 Overture'', is a concert overture in E major written in 1880 by Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The piece commemorates Russia's successful defense against the French invasion of the nation in 1812. The overture's first public performance, under the baton of Ippolit Al'tani, took place in Moscow on , under a tent, near the still unfinished Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, which also memorialised the 1812 defence of Russia.Felsenfeld, Daniel. Tchaikovsky: A Listener's Guide', p. 54. Amadeus Press, 2006. The fifteen-minute overture is best known for its climactic volley of cannon fire, ringing chimes, and a brass fanfare finale. It has also become a common accompaniment to fireworks displays on the United States' Independence Day. The ''1812 Overture'' went on to become one of Tchaikovsky's most popular works, along with his ballet scores to ''The Nutcracker'', '' The Sleeping Beauty'', and ' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Intertitle
In films and videos, an intertitle, also known as a title card, is a piece of filmed, printed text edited into the midst of (hence, ''inter-'') the photographed action at various points. Intertitles used to convey character dialogue are referred to as "dialogue intertitles", and those used to provide related descriptive/narrative material are referred to as "expository intertitles". In modern usage, the terms refer to similar text and logo material inserted at or near the start or end of films and television shows. Silent film era In the silent film era, intertitles were mostly called "subtitles", but also "leaders", "Caption (text), captions", "titles", and "headings", prior to being named intertitles, and often had Art Nouveau, Art Deco motifs. They were a mainstay of silent films once the films became of sufficient length and detail to necessitate dialogue or narration to make sense of the enacted or documented events. ''The British Film Catalogue'' credits the 1898 film ''Our ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
