Mayerling (1968 film)
A romantic tragedy based on the Mayerling incident.
Mayerling is a 1968 romantic tragedy film directed by Terence Young, starring Omar Sharif and Catherine Deneuve. It depicts the real-life Mayerling incident involving Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria. The film is based on novels by Claude Anet and Michel Arnold, as well as the 1936 film of the same name.
Quick Facts
- Director
- Terence Young
- Based on
- Mayerling
- by Claude Anet
- L'Archiduc
- by Michel Arnold
- Producer
- Robert Dorfmann; Maurice Jacquin
- Music
- Francis Lai
- Cinematography
- Henri Alekan
- Editing
- Monique Bonnot
- Studio
- Associated British Picture (UK); Winchester-Corona Productions (France)
- Distributor
- Warner-Pathé (UK)
- Valoria Films (France)
- Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (USA)
Facts from the source article.
Plot
In 1880s Vienna, Crown Prince Rudolf clashes with his father Emperor Franz Joseph I and mother Empress Elisabeth over progressive policies. Feeling out of place in an empire resistant to reform, Rudolf finds solace in an affair with Baroness Maria Vetsera, escaping his loveless marriage to Princess Stéphanie. Franz Joseph sends Rudolf to supervise military training and exiles Maria to Venice. The couple's deaths at the hunting lodge Mayerling are presented as a suicide pact, driven by their inability to live without love or prospects for peace.
Accuracy
Patrick Gibbs noted several historical inaccuracies: the film shows Rudolf and Maria meeting publicly at a court ball, whereas few knew of the affair; Franz Joseph assumed his son had been assassinated, not dying by suicide; the timeline is compressed, with the Prince of Wales's visit occurring the previous year; and syphilis-related mental illness may have been a factor. Margaret Hinxman observed that Empress Elisabeth appears at events where she was historically absent, according to Joan Haslip's biography.
Production
Terence Young recalled seeing the 1930s Charles Boyer-Danielle Darrieux film while at Cambridge and noted the earlier version glossed over details due to less permissive film-making. Shooting took twelve weeks, primarily in Austria at locations including Heldenplatz, Hofburg, Schönbrunn Palace, and the Spanish Riding School. The opera scene was filmed on a set at Boulogne Studios in Paris, with additional shooting in Venice.
Reception
Penelope Mortimer agreed the lovers were tepid. Michael Billington found the film ponderous and Rudolf dislikeable, but praised James Mason's portrayal of the emperor as a preserver of law and order. Patrick Gibbs concluded the historical truth was more dramatic than the film's costume romance clichés. Margaret Hinxman called it a ponderous pageant, singling out Mason and Geneviève Page. Dilys Powell noted dry eyes at the end. Howard Thompson described it as an expensive but flat tapestry. Roger Ebert dismissed it as long, slow, and passive, with everything except a story. Sheridan Morley termed it an only occasionally animated costume parade.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who composed the music for Mayerling (1968 film)?
The music for Mayerling was composed by Francis Lai.
How long is Mayerling (1968 film)?
Mayerling has a running time of 140 minutes.
How much did Mayerling (1968 film) earn at the box office?
Mayerling grossed $14.7 million.
More in Cultural Depictions of Franz Joseph I of Austria
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