Mayerling (1968 film)

Mayerling is a 1968 romantic tragedy film starring Omar Sharif, Catherine Deneuve, James Mason, Ava Gardner, Geneviève Page, James Robertson Justice and Andréa Parisy. It was written and directed by Terence Young. The film was made by Les Films Corona and Winchester and distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

It was based on the novels Mayerling by Claude Anet and L'Archiduc by Michel Arnold and the 1936 film Mayerling, directed by Anatole Litvak, which dealt with the real-life Mayerling Incident.

Plot

In 1880s Vienna, Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria clashes with his father, Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria and his mother Empress Elisabeth, about the implementation of progressive policies for the empire. Rudolf soon feels he is a man born at the wrong time in a country that does not agree on the need for social reform. The Prince of Wales, later to become King Edward VII of Britain, visits Vienna and provides comic relief. Later in Hungary a popular revolt breaks out, which Rudolf begs his father, Francis Joseph, to tolerate, but to no avail.

Rudolf finds refuge from his loveless marriage with Princess Stéphanie by taking a mistress, Baroness Maria Vetsera. Franz Joseph I sends his son to supervise military training, and exiles Maria to Venice. When back in Vienna, the couple's mutual deaths at Mayerling, the imperial family's hunting lodge, are cloaked in mystery. The film's ending suggests that the two lovers made a suicide pact when they decided they could not live in a world without love or prospects for peace.

Cast

Omar Sharif as Crown Prince Rudolf

Catherine Deneuve as Baroness Maria Vetsera

James Mason as Emperor Franz Josef

Ava Gardner as Empress Elisabeth

James Robertson Justice as Prince of Wales

Geneviève Page as Countess Larisch

Andréa Parisy as Princess Stéphanie

Ivan Desny as Count Josef Hoyos

Fabienne Dali as Mizzi Kaspar

Véronique Vendell as Lisl Stockau

Howard Vernon as Prince Montenuovo

Irene von Meyendorf as Countess Stockau

Mony Dalmes as Baroness Helen Vetsera

Bernard Lajarrige as Loschek

Maurice Teynac as Moritz Szeps

Charles Millot as Count Taafe

Jacques Berthier as Archduke Jean Salvator

Roger Pigaut as Count Karolyi

Lyne Chardonnet as Hannah Vetsera

Moustache as Bratfisch

Roger Lumont as Inspector Losch

Jacqueline Lavielle as Marinka

Alain Saury as Baltazzi

Jean-Claude Bercq as Michel de Bragance

Jean-Michel Rouzière

Jacques Ciron

Liane Daydé

Friedrich von Ledebur

See also

Mayerling (1936) feature film directed by Anatole Litvak

Mayerling (1957) TV film also directed by Litvak

References

External links

1968 films

British historical drama films

1960s historical drama films

Remakes of French films

1960s English-language films

Biographical films about Austrian royalty

Biographical films about British royalty

Cultural depictions of Empress Elisabeth of Austria

Cultural depictions of Franz Joseph I of Austria

Films directed by Terence Young

Films set in the 1880s

Films set in Austria

Films set in Vienna

British remakes of French films

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films

Romantic period films

Rudolf, Crown Prince of Austria

Films produced by Robert Dorfmann

Films scored by Francis Lai

English-language French films

French historical drama films

Films set in Austria-Hungary

1960s British films

1960s French films