The Scarlet Empress (1934)
Only the third film with Marlene Dietrich I see, but she is already among my favorite actresses. Similar to Huppert and Foster, she has a very commanding presence in every scene, she is strong and assertive, yet still feminine and not afraid to use it in her acting. Dietrich’s gradual transformation from naive young girl to ruthless power hungry empress seals her as one of the greats of her time. Her and the fantastic set design is what makes this film absolutely worth watching. Yes the acting is theatrical as it often was in the 1930s, but it works very well in this royal court setting, where the window dressing may be from a fairy tale, but it is a brutal political thriller that unfolds. I was reminded of Elizabeth from 1998 which clearly owes a lot to this classic. This film is filled with so many great details, from funny quick dialogue with obvious innuendo, long stretches of simple eyes starring telling more than words, to a candle almost going out with each breath.
Rating: 4.5