The Rise of Catherine the Great

Infuriated that her betrothed Russian Grand Duke Peter (Douglas Fairbanks Jr.) refused to even see her, German princess Sophie (Elisabeth Bergner, not yet given the name of the title character she plays) doesn’t realize it’s him she’s met while fleeing the palace, in The Rise Of Catherine The Great, 1934.

Artful opening, by either director Paul Czinner (husband of Elisabeth Bergner, the title character) or the producer (also-Hungarian-born Alexander Korda), introducing Douglas Fairbanks as the Grand Duke Peter, supporting players not credited, in the English-made The Rise Of Catherine The Great, 1934.

Petersburg, 1745, introducing Flora Robson (as Empress Elisabeth, trampling her valet, Gerald du Maurier), who has arranged the marriage of unwilling Peter (Douglas Fairbanks Jr.) to the title character, Elisabeth Bergner as Catherine, in Alexander Korda’s London Film production, The Rise Of Catherine The Great. 1934.

Russian Empress Elisabeth (Flora Robson), entertaining another lover, hears from the servant girl (Joan Gardner) that the title character (Elisabeth Bergner) is distraught, because the Grand Duke (nephew to the former, husband to the latter) has run off, in The Rise Of Catherine The Great, 1934.