Ernst Lubitsch produced it and put his name above the title but the directing duties this time went to Otto Preminger and while "A Royal Scandal" may lack 'the Lubitsch Touch' this screen version of Lajos Biro and Melchior Lengyel's play "Die Zarin" is often very funny and splendidly cast. Set in the court of Catherine the Great it's basically a vehicle for Tallulah Bankhead in one of her rare screen appearances. She makes for an imperious empress and dominates her every scene but a supporting cast that includes Charles Coburn, Anne Baxter, Ty Power lookalike William Eythe, Sig Ruman, Mischa Auer and Vincent Price give excellent value. Indeed in their few scenes together Baxter more than holds her own against Bankhead and Eythe proves himself a versatile comic actor. It also shows Preminger could do comedy with a little help from his producer, of course.
Review of A Royal Scandal
