Varietys original 1933 review summed up the film as having numerous sequences with outstanding "direction, portrayal and dialog," particularly crediting performances by Fairbanks (whose performance they described as one of the best of his career) and Robson, while noting that Bergner was "altogether believable" as the young Catherine.New York Times reviewer Dave Kehr described the film as "a handsome but conventional melodrama," but inferior to the contemporaneous rival Catherine biopic The Scarlet Empress (1934) by Josef von Sternberg.The Guardian's'' historical films reviewer Alex von Tunzelmann credits the film with both entertainment value (grade: B-) and substantial historical depth and accuracy (grade: B-). Cast Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., as Grand Duke Peter Elisabeth Bergner as Catherine Flora Robson as Empress Elisabeth Gerald du Maurier as Lecocq Irene Vanbrugh as Princess Anhalt-Zerbst Joan Gardner as Katushienka Dorothy Hale as Countess Olga Diana Napier as Countess Vorontzova Griffith Jones as Grigory Orlov Gibb McLaughlin as Bestujhev Clifford Heatherley as Ogarev Laurence Hanray as Goudovitch Allan Jeayes as Col. Karnilov References External links The Rise of Catherine the Great view film online at YouTube.com 1934 drama films 1934 films 1930s historical films Films set in Saint Petersburg Films set in 1744 Films set in the 1750s Films set in the 1760s British historical films British biographical films British drama films British black-and-white films 1930s English-language films British films based on plays Films directed by Paul Czinner Films about Catherine the Great Films scored by Ernst Toch Films produced by Alexander Korda Cultural depictions of Peter III of Russia Films shot at Imperial Studios, Elstree 1930s British films