A montage of torture chambers, axed heads, and a human bell-clapper-all a child's fantasy-sets the tone for The Scarlet Empress, von Sternberg's rendition of the life of Catherine the Great of Russia. Marlene Dietrich portrays the empress who molded political prowess into sexual power, and Sam Jaffe gives a very bizarre performance as the popeyed Grand Duke. Sternberg himself characterized his biopic as "a relentless excursion into style," and without the constraint of a historical model, Travis Banton could create some of his most lavish costumes for Dietrich. (If he didn't have to answer to history, Banton did have to answer to former furrier, now producer, Adolph Zukor, hence the plethora of furry fashions.) And are we surprised that Banton, author of Dietrich's female machismo, had the Empress dressed as a hussar? We love a gal in a uniform. (JB)