Another of the earlier Romy movies, the period when she had been regularly playing Cinderella, with a known historical touch (Sissy, Deutschmeister or even Mädchenjahre einer Königin) or sometime without history (e.g. Scampolo).
This one is almost from the first category, there are historical characters (Tsar Alexander I, Prince Metternich of Austria, and even Empress Marie Louise & off screen Napoleon I), though the disclaimers tells that there is no history in it, unlike her Marischka's historical ones, which had been closer to fact.
The story is thin, the poor Cinderalla, for a change is wooed by four persons, of varied power.
Two of them, A Prince of France, a regular philanderer, and Tsar is not with very honorable intentions, at least the Tsar didn't have any intention to make a Tsarina of her (though not mentioned in story, but history tells that he already had one at home).
The original sweet heart of course had to have honourable intentions, though there is the father, who is the thorn. Being son of a Prince (non-royal), and only child, this marriage would have been a mesalliance, which the Prince father naturally didn't want.
Then there was he second power-house of the time, after Tsar, Prince Metternich of Austria. His intention were political, and purely noncarnal
The result of course is predictable, and to get her favours, the power houses quite willingly showered largesses on the young sweet-heart, probably, with mistaken notion of compensation, which naturally doesn't happen in stories, where she would have the cakes and later eat them.
But there are some glowing inconsistencies, of rank. If the Tsar had coveted someone, I don't suppose anyone of much lower rank would have dared to cross his path, even Prince Metternich was only a minister to Emperor of Austria, though a powerful one.
But strangely they continued to openly defy him, aware of their act. The sweet-heart, I can appreciate, though probably he would have lost his head, literally, but this wasn't the case with others who openly crossed Tsar's path.
Another problem I faces (usually I do) is lack of subtitles, even on web only one is available, which is quite incomplete, and not in sync.
Plus points are of course Romy, and she even sang a song, I wonder with her voice, why she didn't a few more, either on screen, or off screen.
Not bad for a pastime, though this could be one of her weaker attempts on the same basic story., or may be it was direction/ script.
