Mayerling

I first saw this movie about 20 years ago in SBS Channel in Sydney, Australia. The movie was in the French language so I had to read the subtitles. It is a very old movie in B&W but it was a very enchanting movie. Danielle Darrieux was perfect for the role of the beautiful Anna Vetsera. Her acting was also perfect (for an innocent girl madly in-love with her prince). Whether the real Anna Vetsera was as innocent is beside the point. The movie was based on the true story of the love affair between the Archduke Rudolf (heir to the throne of Austria- Hungary) and his young mistress Baroness Anna Vetsera. They committed a suicide (or murder-suicide?) in 1889 in the Archduke's hunting lodge in Mayerling. Afterwards the title of Archduke passed on to the emperor's nephew, Franz Ferdinand (who became heir). Franz Ferdinand was assassinated in July 1914 in Sarajevo in Bosnia-Herzegovina which sparked the First World War. This movie has a very sad ending, with both lovers dying in the end. But the implications for the real world in that era was most terrible. It is a great wonder today whether there would have been war in 1914 had Rudolf lived and remained heir.

Recently, I was able to obtain a copy of the this movie and saw it again after 20 years. The movie did not disappoint and I can say that it is one of the best movies ever. It must have been such a sensation when first released in 1936.

Joseph Kessel and Marcel Achard turned the book of Claude Annet "Mayerling" into a strong script with time to overlook the political situation in the Austrian Empire at that time. The costumes of Annenkov are impressive and the music of Arthur Honegger "Musique Nouvelle" goes well with the pathetism of this flamboyant movie. The Austrian emperor Joseph (Jean Dax) is historically correct and Marie Vetsera (Danielle Darieux) and Rudolph of Habsbourg (Charles Boyer) form a convincing couple with much love but without future.

The story of the perceived (other conspiracy theories are available!) double-suicide of Archduke Rudolph of Austria and his teenage lover Baroness Marie Vetsera at Mayerling in 1889 is one of the great royal dynastic tragedies of the 19th Century and has even been named a contributory factor in the outbreak of the First World War some 25 years later.

In this French-language version by Ukranian director Anatole Litvak, we get a highly-romanticised version of the story with Charles Boyer and Danielle Darrieux as the star-crossed but ill-fated lovers.

The direction throughout is stylish and tasteful, Litvak impressing in his recreation of the Viennese Court with its surface splendour barely concealing the jostling for position and rumour-mongering beneath the facade. Boyer and Darrieux are excellent in their lead roles, his character the reforming, rebellious heir to the throne, unhappy in his arranged marriage and she the youthful, highly-impressionable innocent caught up in the first great passion of her life.

The concluding climax is sensitively and humanely depicted too with my only major criticisms of the film being an over-reliance on the use of the no-doubt in-vogue montage sequences and a tendency to slightly overstay the camera's welcome in certain scenes.

Nevertheless, this was a fine retelling of the notorious scandal and it's no surprise that its artistic and commercial success lured director Litvak to Hollywood where he enjoyed a distinguished career for many years.

This is the original movie version of the murder/suicide pact between Archduke Rudolph, heir to the throne of the Austro-Hungarian empire, and his mistress, Baroness Marie Vetsera. Made in France and subtitled for the English speaking audience, it stars Charles Boyer as Rudolph and Danielle Darrieux as Marie. Boyer obviously appeared to better advantage in French films... .....his whole persona appears different than that in his American roles. His interpretation of Rudolph is one of a tortured man who does not have much to do while waiting around to inherit the throne, so he dallies with Marie Vetsera and falls in love with her. Danielle Darrieux is bewitching as the Baroness.

The story unfolds to the inevitable conclusion of murder/suicide which threw the Empire into turmoil. History may record the events of what happened at Mayerling a little differently but it surely makes a good story of thwarted love and royal politics. The 1968 remake with Omar Shariff and Catherine Deneuve is not bad either. This legendary romance has fascinated people since the turn of the century. So have the Kleenex handy and enjoy!!

I had forgotten that this was a true story and so sat down to watch a film, hopefully, with a plot. From what we see at the beginning of the film, I thought that we were going to embark upon an involving tale of intrigue surrounding René Bergeron (Szeps) and his association with Charles Boyer (Archduke Rudolf), the heir to the crown as they plot to bring down the incumbent emperor - his father Jean Dax (Emperor Franx Joseph).

Well, it just didn't happen like that. It turned out to be a love story starring Charles Boyer and it gets very predictable from the moment we are introduced to Danielle Darrieux (Marie Vetsera). The films tells us early on exactly where this is heading with constant references to death. So, we wait to see how this is going to happen. This gets revealed right at the end - the only part of the film that holds any interest. Up until that point, it's a series of watching ballet, going to the fair, Morris dancing (the other standout moment of the film), etc whilst there are lavish sets and costumes to look at.

Once the film had finished, my wife asked if this was a true story and looked it up. Bingo! It's a true story. That makes a big difference and adds an extra point onto the score. This now holds an interest as the film describes a hugely significant moment in history. I wish I'd reminded myself of this before watching. I'll know for next time. The actual incident is a milestone as it changes the lineage of succession. Would there have been a World War 1 if the reforming, liberal Rudolf had acceded the throne? Would prostitution have become acceptably mainstream like it should be? The real story is interesting but the film not as interesting as it could have/should have been.