Sissi - Die junge Kaiserin

Contemporary critics, including ones on this site may describe as "kitsch" the Sissy series (Princess of Bavaria, Queen of Hungary, and Empress Consort of the Hapsburgs). But this is unfair. Everything must be seen in its time frame, and not retrospectively. The fact is this three part series was highly successful. So much so, it has been available in subtitled video in at least three languages I speak, Spanish, French, and English, for years. Speak to any older movie goer, who was a kid in the late 50's from Buenos Aires to Montreal to Paris, and he or she will remember Sissy fondly. I have seen many tourists in Vienna using the Sissy series as their total source of references while touring this city. This movie and the others, not only provided popular entertainment, historical education, and restored pride in German speakers in the post-war period. It made an international star of Romy Schneider, while she was still in her teens! The trio of Sissy features, prominently including the installment this IMDb page describes, made between 1955 and 1957 were edited together in 1962 into a 140 minute feature. I had previously seen all three individual installments about the Elizabeth (Sissy) and Franz Josef of Austria, dubbed in Spanish. They are beautiful films, recreating the entire period of history of the romance between young Sissy, Princess of Bavaria and the young Franz Josef, from the very beginning to the period after the "Ausgleich" (establishment of the dual monarchy of Austria-Hungary). It ends on a high note, while all involved was at its peak, leaving out the all the subsequent tragic events that marred Sissy's life, and that of Franz Josef, indeed the entire Empire. While some historic details are simplified, the bulk of the story is pretty well told, despite the teenage puppy love and later melodramatic elements thrown in to please the audience, and make the most of Schneider's incomparable charm, youth and beauty. See the condensed video if you are an English speaker. In fact I believe that is your only option. The three separate films, as described on this site are available in Spanish, French, Italian, and German only to my knowledge. But the 140 minute English-dubbed version is even available in NTSC now. It is sold in the USA. I hope American Amazon.com soon offers it, hopefully once this comment appears. Enjoy it! It's a classic.

....and she will have them all on her side,says Duchess Ludovica (Magda Schneider) to her son-in -law who is none other than the Emperor of Austria Franz-Joseph.In real life ,Elisabeth was not as lucky as Romy Schneider's character:not only her first daughter died (the one we see in this part of the trilogy)at a very early age (two) but she was also estranged from her second one ,Gisèle (whom we see in the third "schicksal (sic)" segment.As for her only son,the doom-fated Rudolph,she was never allowed to take care of his education,although she intervened once to snatch him from the clutches of Gondrecourt -who fired several shots in the Kronprinz 's bedroom to gently wake him up.The only one she had for her was her last,Valerie.

So we find Sissi battling against her sinister mother-in-law,a stickler for form.She has to strike back ,not only to get her child again ,but also for count Andrassy and his Hungarians the old lady will always consider her enemies.

There is a charming moment when Sissi and Franz take a holiday in the mountains.And as always,in the last scenes,pomp and circumstance prove that the love you take is equal to the love you make.

I will always love the Sissi saga.It's part of my childhood.Forever,my love.

Princess Sissi pretty much follows the well known story of the Austrian monarch, with few unpredictable moments and some unwelcome comedy acts. But, overall, it isn't a bad movie and the settings were breathtaking.

This movie continues the tall tale begun in SISSI as the adorable Imperial lovebirds move into the Schonbrunn Palace and all is hunky-dory for a year. When their daughter is born, however, up pops the Evil Mother-in-Law Trope, as Archduchess Vilma Degischer moves the baby to her wing of the palace. Maternal love cannot bear this, so Sissy flees back to Bavaria.

Will the Emperor follow? Will the Archduchess admit she's made a mistake? Will the Hungarians walk out on the Spanish Reception when they think they've been snubbed, threatening the Dual Monarchy?

Given the rough relationship of actual history to this spun-sugar confectionery, the best one can hope for is an exercise for old people tired of devastation by two World Wars talking about how it was better back in the Good Old Days. That's what one gets here in spades, with beautiful actors in beautiful clothes in beautiful settings, gemutlichkeit family relationships and beer and ham hocks at formal dinners, because under it all, that's what people really like. As a follow-up to the earlier movie, it's fine, but breaks little fresh ground on its own.

Loved it as a romantic teenager in Holland in 1956 - now I'm a senior in Australia and still love it. It brings back wonderful memories of my youth. Sure it is sweet and most probably not a completely true story, but who cares ? I'll see it anytime, it's a shame they don't make movies like this anymore.