weezeralfalfa Review of A Royal Scandal

A Royal Scandal (1945)

Catherine the Great's fictional affair with a young soldier

[7/10 · 7 March 2018]

Here is your chance to see the flamboyant acclaimed actress Tallulah Bankhead on film. She was much better known as a stage actress, as she preferred live audiences, didn't like Hollywood, and often didn't come over well on film. This film has been controversial, whereas her previous film "Lifeboat" is generally recognized as her best role. In the present film, she is certainly the dominating personality, in the role of the early middle aged Catherine the Great....The prolific Charles Coburn , as the sly chancellor, is in many scenes. He his the ultimate survivor in the ever risky palace bureaucracy. ...William Eythe , as young Lt. Alexei Chernoff, also has much screen time, primarily with Charlotte or Coburn. It's the relationship between Charlotte and Alexei that is the meat of the story. ...Although there is no historical basis for the specifics of the story, it is well documented that Catherine had many lovers during her reign. Anne Baxter has a non-essential role as Countess Anna: Charlotte's lady in waiting, and Alexei's young fiancé. Just how she, as a member of the royal court, and Alexei, a soldier on the western front, managed a romance before Alexei's arrival at court is not explained. ....Vincent Price has the role of the French ambassador, Marquis de Fleury, come to negotiate a treaty, is known primarily for his flowery praise of Catherine. He is seen only near the beginning ,and again at the very end, when he closes the film with a hint that he and Catherine soon will be lovers.....Sig Ruman has the role of General Ransky, who supposedly came to the palace to see Alexei, as the new commander of the imperial guard. But, he eventually reveals himself as a traitor to the queen, intent on leading a coup d'état, perhaps because of Catherine's anti-war sentiment. Although Alexei initially is very hostile when it is proposed that he join the revolution, after an argument with the queen, he joins them. His main role is to make sure the palace guard is elsewhere during the storming of the palace. Just before the storming, he rushes into the queen's bed chamber and rattles his sword, but says that he wants to protect her from being killed. Then, he leaves. Meanwhile, chancellor Coburn, who had pretended to join the revolution, has taken control of the palace guard, and hidden them in the palace , awaiting the arrival of the rebels. He doesn't want the queen deposed, as that would probably be the end of his position. The palace guard arrest the ringleaders, including Alexei. It turns out that they generally get remarkably light sentences. Alexei is sentenced to die, but the queen tries to find a reason why he shouldn't. Regardless, he is resigned to his fate. When asked if she pardoned him, she doesn't answer, but a physical act answers the question....I thought the film was reasonably good, with the main actors all good. The screenplay is a bit farfetched in some ways, mainly involving Alexei......You should be aware that there is another film(for TV) also titled "A Royal Scandal", released in 1997, dealing with the troubled marriage of George IV, of the UK, and his wife Caroline, It is an acted documentary. Both films are presently available at YouTube and on DVD.