Visually gorgeous, historically laughable

The film is gorgeous, well acted and well filmed. It even features a direct descendant of Catherine the Great in a minor role - Princess Katya Galitzine. However, for all it's sparkles, the film is basically a rehash of 18th century French propaganda that libeled Catherine and subsequently her son, Paul the First. It had been well established that for two years, Catherine and Peter the Third Romanov had sexual relations, even if they weren't particularly enthused about it. Paul was most likely son of Peter III, and not Orlov, as had been rumored by Russia's enemies abroad in an effort to undermine Russia's monarchy.