The Scarlet Empress

The Scarlet Empress is a 1934 historical drama film made by Paramount Pictures about the life of Catherine the Great. It was directed and produced by Josef von Sternberg from a screenplay by Eleanor McGeary, loosely based on the diary of Catherine arranged by Manuel Komroff. Substantial historical liberties are taken.

Sophia Frederica Dietrich is the daughter of a minor German prince and an ambitious mother. She is brought to Russia by Count Alexei Lodge at the behest of Empress Elizabeth Dresser to marry her nephew, Grand Duke Peter played as a halfwit by Jaffe in his film debut. The overbearing Elizabeth renames her Catherine and reinforces the demand the new bride issue an heir to the throne.Unhappy in her marriage, Catherine finds solace with the womanizing Alexei, first and foremost a paramour of the mucholder Elizabeth. Rebuffed at this discovery, she takes lovers among the Russian Army to court its favor. When the old Empress dies seventeen years into their marriage, Peter ascends to the Russian throne and takes steps against his wife. Soon Catherine plots and exercises a coup, beginning a reign as Empress that will leave her known to history as Catherine the Great. ........

Source: Wikipedia