During the 18th century, German noblewoman Sophia Frederica, who would later become Catherine the Great, travels to Moscow to marry the dimwitted Grand Duke Peter, the heir to the Russian throne. Their arranged marriage proves to be loveless, and Catherine takes many lovers, including the handsome Count Alexei, and bears a son. When the unstable Peter eventually ascends to the throne, Catherine plots to oust him from power.
Cast
Marlene Dietrich
Princess Sophia Frederica / Catherine II
John Lodge
Count Alexei
Sam Jaffe
Grand Duke Peter
Louise Dresser
Empress Elizabeth Petrovna
C. Aubrey Smith
Prince August
Gavin Gordon
Capt. Gregori Orloff
Olive Tell
Princess Johanna Elizabeth
Ruthelma Stevens
Countess Elizabeth 'Lizzie'
Davison Clark
Archimandrite Simeon Todorsky / Arch-Episcope
Erville Alderson
Chancelor Alexei Bestuchef
Maria Riva
Sophia as a Child
Jane Darwell
Miss Cardell, Sophia's Nurse (uncredited)
Edward Van Sloan
Herr Wagner (uncredited)
Akim Tamiroff
Bit Part (uncredited)
Marie Wells
Unknown
Eric Alden
Unknown
Elinor Fair
Unknown
Julanne Johnston
Unknown
Agnes Steele
Unknown
Philip Sleeman
Unknown
Hans Heinrich von Twardowski
Unknown
Gerald Fielding
Unknown
Richard Alexander
Unknown
Nadine Beresford
Unknown
Hal Boyer
Unknown
James Burke
Unknown
John Davidson
Unknown
George Davis
Unknown
Anna Duncan
Unknown
May Foster
Unknown
Ivan Linow
Unknown
James A. Marcus
Unknown
Eunice Murdock Moore
Unknown
Patricia Patrick
Unknown
Warner Richmond
Unknown
Blanche Rose
Unknown
Katherine Sabichi
Unknown
Sam Savitsky
Unknown
Dina Smirnova
Unknown
Minnie Steele
Unknown
Belle Stoddard
Unknown
Kent Taylor
Unknown
Jameson Thomas
Unknown
Bruce Warren
Unknown
Leo White
Unknown
Harry Woods
Unknown
