Review of The Scarlet Empress (1934) by X. T — 18 Jul 2008

In "The Scarlet Empress", Josef von Sternberg transforms his idol Marlene Dietrich from an idealistic young princess into a pessimistic goddess--literally. This film has no traditional character arcs...its about images, pacing and Dietrich.

This a very edgy and heady film, especially for the time. It was released in 1934, right before the censors took over hollywood which meant there could still be sex and depravity in the movies. This has both, but what's really shocking are two elements: the horror/nightmarish mise-en-scene of the entire film, (twisted gargooyles littering the palace, images of tortured prisoners being burned or torn apart) and Sterberg's clear distaste for mass audiences. He tries to trick viewers into siding with a corrupted Empress...most didn't buy, and the film flopped. But its still a great example of Sternberg's genious, and its one of his most philosophically-minded films.