A Royal Scandal (1945)

Handsomely mounted -- as indeed any picture about the legendary Catherine the Great should be -- A Royal Scandal is a very entertaining film, despite some serious flaws. Doing a film in 1945 about an empress who was rumored to have an insatiable sexual appetite presents some sizable problems, and Scandal can be forgiven for not surmounting this particular obstacle. What is less forgivable is the unfocused story and the lack of dialogue that truly engages the audience. Under the circumstances, it's a tribute to the cast that they manage to take the material and weave it into something, if not magical, at least diverting. Scandal deserves applause for being one of the few films that allows the delicious Tallulah Bankhead a chance to flaunt her very distinctive personality. Her serious dramatic talents are not terribly taxed here, but her voracious comedic appeal is given a fine chance to shine. Her co-star, William Eythe, is also surprisingly effective. A not untalented actor, he nonetheless was somewhat limited in his abilities, but he handles his duties in Scandal with aplomb and demonstrates a small but definite flair for comedy. Charles Coburn is his usual dependable self, Anne Baxter is quite good and Vincent Price does quite well with a hideously small role. The direction is not of a piece, not surprising since two very distinctive directors had a hand in it, as Otto Preminger had to replace an ailing Ernst Lubitsch. One strong hand at the helm would been welcome, but the results are more than adequate. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide