Product Details

• Actors: Catherine Zeta-Jones, Paul McGann, Ian Richardson, Brian Blessed, John Rhys-Davies
• Directors: John Goldsmith, Marvin J. Chomsky
• Writers: John Goldsmith, Frank Tudisco
• Producers: Carla Thoeren, Fred Sidewater, Konstantin Thoeren, Kurt J. Mrkwicka
• Format: Color, NTSC
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: A&E Home Video
• VHS Release Date: February 27, 2001
• Run Time: 100 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 2.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0000524F3
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #311,758 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

In this gripping, real-life fairy tale, a young German princess rises from relative obscurity to the Russian throne as one of the most remarkable monarchs in history--CATHERINE THE GREAT. A strange twist of fate in 1744 brings 15-year-old, foreign-born princess Sophia Fredericka (Catherine Zeta Jones) to the court of Empress Elizabeth of Russia (Jeanne Moreau) where she becomes Catherine II, the wife of the Empress’ nephew Peter (Hannes Jaenicke). Through steely courage, audacious shrewdness and unbridled treachery, Catherine triumphs over her despicable husband in their all-or-nothing struggle for the throne, to become Empress and Czarina of Russia. Against the rich tapestry of 18th-century Russia, Omar Sharif (Doctor Zhivago, Lawrence of Arabia) and Mael Ferrer (Peter the Great, Falcon Crest) also star in this sweeping tale of a fascinating, commplex leader beloved by the Russian people who anointed her CATHERINE THE GREAT.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Yet Another Plea Against Editing!, March 10, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Catherine the Great (DVD)

My main problem with this A&E production was the fact that they cut about half of the original mini-series that this "presentation" was taken from. As a result the film as A&E showed it is EXTREMELY choppy (particularly the ending, where you can tell they skipped about an hour of the action). The only redeeming thing about this is that at least they kept a lot of Paul McGann (Potemkin), who is one of the best English actors of his generation. Look for the scene were the Orlov brothers beat Potemkin; the Orlovs are played by Paul's real-life brothers, Mark & Stephen McGann. Great if you are a McGann fan; stay away if you have any real interest in Russian history.

54 of 61 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Catherine the Not-So-Great: Wooden, dull, and confusing, March 6, 2001

By 

R.L. Holly "piper909" (Austin, TX USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Catherine the Great (DVD)

I had high expectations for this film before release, but now I expect to sell my copy and return to the far superior 1991 film "Young Catherine" starring Julia Ormond (particularly the unedited 180+ minute version). THAT film was well acted, well cast, well scripted, and convincing in the details. This piece of hackneyed, romance novel-level schlock isn't worth the time it takes to watch. If it was any more cardboard, it would be on the grocery shelves holding cornflakes.

Zeta-Jones can't do anything with the lines she's given, and I expect the chief reason guys might enjoy this is to watch Catherine happily hop from bed to bed with a succession of hard-to-distinguish lovers (generally in pursuit of some political gain). But even this grows joyless very quickly. CZJ's boy toys are so drab, listless, and ugly that one wonders what the producers were thinking. Even the bodice-buster elements in "Young Catherine" at least featured a more attractive male lead.

The so-called battle scenes are pathetic: a tiny handful of extras milling about in confusion. The Turks are beaten several times in inexplicable affairs (all fought in the woods, no less) that last about thirty seconds each. A subplot involving a rebellious Cossack chieftain (capably played by John Rys-Davies -- the Welsh are taking over Mother Russia!) should have added drama but instead only adds to the confusion regarding Catherine's true motivations. Earlier in the movie, when she's casually seizing power (coups were never so clean and easy as presented here), she announces her desire to free Russia's serfs; by movie's end, she is blithely executing her enemies in defence of the status quo. No explanations for this apparent sea-change are given. And we're supposed to find this character sympathetic? It's typical of this film's confused treatment of real history and people. There's no depth of characterization or feel for the intrigues and struggles of the times. And several scenes have been shamelessly stolen from other movies such as "Young Catherine" and "Waterloo".

It's a lazy, unengaging movie that offers little. Seek out the witty, intelligent, and lavish "Young Catherine" (which was actually filmed IN Russia) instead if you want to see a genuinely entertaining historical drama.

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars It...doesn't make her seem that great..., January 26, 2004

By 

TrezKu13 (Norfolk, VA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Catherine the Great [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Catherine the Great was known as Catherine the Great for a reason. She helped raise the standards of living in Russia, attempted to modernize it, and it was during her reign that the long dream of Russia was realized: they ruled all sides of the Caspian Sea.

They tell you this in the movie...but only in the last five seconds of the film. Most of the movie is spent concerning Catherine the Great's supposedly promiscuous sex life (although many historians think that is just anti-Catherine - and antique - propoganda). Oh sure they give you five seconds of a peasant rebellion, five seconds of some guys that strangle jailors, and five seconds of a Turkish battle...but the rest is pretty much Catherine Zeta-Jones stripping down in corsets.

I mean don't get me wrong, she's cute and all...but I saw the film to see her attempt acting, not cleavage. I would have liked to have known what made Catherine so "the Great."

This accompanied with "The Scarlet Pimpernel" really made me lower my standards for A&E's productions. I really expected better.