Films about Catherine II have been interesting to viewers for decades. This woman broke into the world political scene, redrawed the map of the world and annexed lands to the Russian Empire that had never been dreamed of before. It is quite natural that for a hundred years the directors of many countries have been trying in their own way to interpret the characteristics of the empress's public and personal life. Let's try to review the five most famous films on this topic.
Films about Catherine: The Slutty Empress, 1934
It is interesting that the first more or less famous film about Catherine the Great was shot by the Americans. This happened in 1934. Director Joseph von Sternberg gave a very provocative name to his picture - “The Slutty Empress”.
What can be said about this work? She is one of the best on this subject, at least if we talk about American paintings in principle. Films about Catherine, shot in the USA, leave much to be desired in terms of meaning, but are very attractive in terms of surroundings and scenery.
The picture of Joseph von Sternberg is known primarily for the fact that the inimitable Marlene Dietrich was assigned the main role in it . The plot of the whole action is straightforward: the young Princess Fike, who was just brought to the palace of the Russian Empress Elizabeth, did not like Peter III, and she began to turn novels left and right. They did not spare money for the film, so the costumes in it are simply dazzling.
The film about Catherine: "Young Catherine", 1991
After Joseph von Sternberg’s film, a lot of different things came out. In the Soviet Union, the nobility and the imperial theme were rarely raised at all, because party politics demanded only negative feedback about this period of history.
Nevertheless, films about Catherine continued to be released in the West. American director Michael Anderson in 91-m presented his work under the title "Young Catherine" with Julia Ormond in the title role. This film has caused fewer complaints from domestic critics. However, it is again not sustained in the historical direction, but more has an entertaining character. Michael Anderson drew Russian artists to create costumes and music.
“Viva, midshipmen!”, 1991
The film about Catherine from Svetlana Druzhinina is not very popular. And yet this is one of the most reliable essays on the theme of the early years of the life of the future empress, although even here fictional characters were woven into the plot outline for entertaining purposes.
The role of young Fike went to Kristina Orbakaite. This choice, of course, surprised both viewers and critics, because these two women did not even look like in appearance. But still, the dynamics of the film and magnificent costumes deserve attention.
"Catherine the Great", 1995
The 1995 film about Catherine the Great was criticized in Russia. Catherine this time turned out to be Katherine Zeta-Jones, and Marvin J. Chomsky was in the director's chair. Again, the real story completely did not coincide with the on-screen action, however, the performer of the main role was magnificent, and a lot of money was spent on sets and costumes.
Catherine the Great, 2014
The 2014 film about Ekaterina 2 was shot by Igor Zaitsev and broadcast on Channel One. In the role of the brilliant empress, the audience saw Julia Snigir, and the inglorious Peter III was played by Pavel Derevyanko.
It’s difficult to talk about modern television “creativity”, since costumes and scenery do not cause complaints, but there are big complaints about the performers. It seems that modern actresses were shredded and they only fit the role of club party girls. However, both Snigir and a participant in another television epic, Marina Alexandrova, can hardly claim the role of the autocratic empress.
This is not a complete list of paintings in which one way or another appears the image of the famous empress. In 2014, along with “Catherine the Great”, in Russia, for example, the series “Catherine” was also released with Marina Alexandrova in the title role. And more recently, sensational news struck fans of Angelina Jolie: it became known that she bought the rights to the film adaptation of a novel about the life of Catherine II. Unfortunately, the director’s work of the actress leaves much to be desired, so one can only hope that she will give the director’s chair to a more knowledgeable person.