Sissi – Fateful Years Of An Empress
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''Sissi – Fateful Years of an Empress'' (german: Sissi – Schicksalsjahre einer Kaiserin) is a 1957 Austrian film directed by Ernst Marischka and starring Romy Schneider, Karlheinz Böhm, Magda Schneider, Gustav Knuth and Josef Meinrad, costumes by (Gerda Gottschlich). It was entered into the
1958 Cannes Film Festival The 11th Cannes Film Festival was held from 2 to 18 May 1958. The Palme d'Or went to the '' Letyat zhuravli'' by Mikhail Kalatozov. Jury The following people were appointed as the Jury of the 1958 competition: Feature films *Marcel Achard (Fran ...
. It is the last film in the ''Sissi'' trilogy, following '' Sissi'' (1955) and ''
Sissi – The Young Empress ''Sissi – The Young Empress'' (german: Sissi – Die junge Kaiserin) is a 1956 Austrian film directed by Ernst Marischka and starring Romy Schneider, Karlheinz Böhm, Magda Schneider, Uta Franz, Gustav Knuth, Vilma Degischer and Josef Meinrad. I ...
'' (1956). The director Ernst Marischka planned a fourth film, but Schneider refused to play ''Sissi'' any longer. She appeared 15 years later again as Empress Elisabeth in Luchino Visconti's 1972 film ''
Ludwig Ludwig may refer to: People and fictional characters * Ludwig (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters * Ludwig (surname), including a list of people * Ludwig Ahgren, or simply Ludwig, American YouTube live streamer and co ...
''.


Plot

Empress Elisabeth of Austria, nicknamed Sissi, enjoys travelling in Hungary. She welcomes the politically valuable friendship of Count Andrássy, but when he confesses he is in love with her, she returns to Vienna lest the relationship become too intimate. Her time in Hungary is only a temporary relief from the frustrations of court life in Vienna, where dutiful
Franz Josef Franz Joseph I or Francis Joseph I (german: Franz Joseph Karl, hu, Ferenc József Károly, 18 August 1830 – 21 November 1916) was Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary, and the other states of the Habsburg monarchy from 2 December 1848 until his ...
remains at his desk and allows his strict, domineering mother
Sophie Sophie is a version of the female given name Sophia, meaning "wise". People with the name Born in the Middle Ages * Sophie, Countess of Bar (c. 1004 or 1018–1093), sovereign Countess of Bar and lady of Mousson * Sophie of Thuringia, Duchess o ...
to interfere in the raising of his daughter with Sissi,
Sophie Sophie is a version of the female given name Sophia, meaning "wise". People with the name Born in the Middle Ages * Sophie, Countess of Bar (c. 1004 or 1018–1093), sovereign Countess of Bar and lady of Mousson * Sophie of Thuringia, Duchess o ...
. Sissi decides to return and meets Franz underway who was coming to Hungary to bring her back to Vienna. They decide to take a vacation in Bad Ischl but Sissi falls ill and is diagnosed with possibly fatal tuberculosis. On doctors' orders Franz Josef must allow his mother to remove his daughter from Sissi's keeping. In poor health, deprived of the company of husband and child, Sissi is in danger of losing the will to live as she travels to healthier climates on
Madeira ) , anthem = ( en, "Anthem of the Autonomous Region of Madeira") , song_type = Regional anthem , image_map=EU-Portugal_with_Madeira_circled.svg , map_alt=Location of Madeira , map_caption=Location of Madeira , subdivision_type=Sovereign st ...
and
Corfu Corfu (, ) or Kerkyra ( el, Κέρκυρα, Kérkyra, , ; ; la, Corcyra.) is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea, of the Ionian Islands, and, including its small satellite islands, forms the margin of the northwestern frontier of Greece. The isl ...
. Desperately needed
psychosomatic A somatic symptom disorder, formerly known as a somatoform disorder,(2013) Ludovika, who lovingly nurses Sissi's illness and restores her zest for life by taking her on idyllic walks. Once again Oberst Böckl, the clumsy body-guard whose doting admiration for the empress borders on the improper, provides a comical note, as he does in each part of the trilogy. Finally, Sissi recovers and rejoins her husband on an official visit to Milan and
Venice Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400  ...
, Austria's remaining possessions in northern Italy.
Italian nationalists Italian nationalism is a movement which believes that the Italians are a nation with a single homogeneous identity, and therefrom seeks to promote the cultural unity of Italy as a country. From an Italian nationalist perspective, Italianness is ...
have prepared a hostile welcome for the
Habsburg The House of Habsburg (), alternatively spelled Hapsburg in Englishgerman: Haus Habsburg, ; es, Casa de Habsburgo; hu, Habsburg család, it, Casa di Asburgo, nl, Huis van Habsburg, pl, dom Habsburgów, pt, Casa de Habsburgo, la, Domus Hab ...
sovereigns; the Milanese nobility send their servants, dressed in noble clothing, to a royal command performance at
La Scala La Scala (, , ; abbreviation in Italian of the official name ) is a famous opera house in Milan, Italy. The theatre was inaugurated on 3 August 1778 and was originally known as the ' (New Royal-Ducal Theatre alla Scala). The premiere performan ...
, at which the orchestra begins with the melody of
Joseph Haydn Franz Joseph Haydn ( , ; 31 March 173231 May 1809) was an Austrian composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. He was instrumental in the development of chamber music such as the string quartet and piano trio. His contributions ...
's "
Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser "" (; ) was a personal anthem to Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor, Francis II, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire and later of the Austrian Empire, with lyrics by Lorenz Leopold Haschka (1749–1827) and music by Joseph Haydn. It is sometimes called t ...
" but smoothly transitions to Verdi's chorus " Va, pensiero" from '' Nabucco'' and the disguised servants in the audience sing it in protest against Austrian rule. There is a moment of comic relief when, after the opera, Franz Josef and Sissi receive the disguised servants at a formal reception, where the servants are presented to the imperial couple under the names of their aristocratic masters and mistresses. Sissi is aware that she is not meeting the true nobility, but when the real nobles realize their servants were introduced to the emperor and empress, they shriek in despair and panic at the idea that the imperial couple believe the awkward, common servants were really the aristocrats. In Venice, crowds stand in hostile silence at the couple's procession by
royal barge A royal barge is a ceremonial barge that is used by a monarch for processions and transport on a body of water. Royal barges are currently used in monarchies such as the United Kingdom, Sweden and Thailand. Traditionally the use of royal barges w ...
on the Grand Canal and as they pass, Italian nationalist flags are defiantly unfurled from behind shuttered windows. But the emotional Italians melt when they witness the openly loving reunion between Sissi and her little daughter on St Mark's Square.


Cast

* Romy Schneider as Empress Elisabeth of Austria, or "Sissi" * Karlheinz Böhm as Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria *
Vilma Degischer Vilma Degischer (17 November 1911 - 3 May 1992) was an Austrian theatre and film actress. She appeared in more than thirty films from 1931 to 1991. From 1931 to 1991 she played at the Theater in der Josefstadt in Vienna. Early life After she atte ...
as Archduchess
Sophie Sophie is a version of the female given name Sophia, meaning "wise". People with the name Born in the Middle Ages * Sophie, Countess of Bar (c. 1004 or 1018–1093), sovereign Countess of Bar and lady of Mousson * Sophie of Thuringia, Duchess o ...
, Franz Joseph's mother * as Archduke Franz Karl, Franz Joseph's father * Magda Schneider as Duchess Ludovika in Bavaria, Sissi's mother * Gustav Knuth as Duke Max in Bavaria, Sissi's father * as Princess
Helene in Bavaria Helene Caroline Therese (4 April 1834 16 May 1890), nicknamed Néné, was the Hereditary Princess of Thurn and Taxis as the wife of Maximilian Anton, Hereditary Prince of Thurn and Taxis, Maximilian Anton Lamoral. She was a Duchess in Bavaria by b ...
, or "Néné", Sissi's older sister *
Walther Reyer Walther Reyer (4 September 1922 – 5 September 1999) was an Austrian actor. He appeared in more than 50 films and television shows between 1954 and 1997. Filmography References External links * 1922 births 1999 deaths Austrian m ...
as Count
Andrássy The House of Andrássy is the name of a Hungarian noble family of very ancient lineage that was prominent in Hungarian history. The full family name is ''Andrássy de Csíkszentkirály et Krasznahorka''. ''Csíkszentkirály'' is a town in modern- ...
* as Count Batthyány * Josef Meinrad as Lieutenant Colonel Böckl *
Senta Wengraf Senta Wengraf (10 May 1924 – 6 December 2020) was an Austrian film and television actress.Fritsche p.231 Selected filmography * ''Two Times Lotte'' (1950) * '' Voices of Spring'' (1952) * '' The Spendthrift'' (1953) * ''Franz Schubert'' (1953) ...
as Countess Bellegarde ( Pauline von Königsegg) * as Dr. Seeburger * as
Henriette Mendel Henriette Mendel, Baroness von Wallersee (July 31, 1833 – November 12, 1891) was a German actress, and the mistress and, later, morganatic wife of Ludwig Wilhelm, Duke in Bavaria. By him she was the mother of Countess Marie Larisch von Moen ...
* as
Prince Ludwig A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. Th ...
* as Archduke Ferdinand Max * as Count Windisch-Graetz


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Sissi 3 1957 films 1950s biographical drama films 1950s historical drama films Austrian biographical drama films Austrian historical drama films Cultural depictions of Empress Elisabeth of Austria Cultural depictions of Franz Joseph I of Austria Films directed by Ernst Marischka Biographical films about Austrian royalty Films set in Austria Films set in Bavaria Films set in Greece Films set in Hungary Films set in Italy Films set in Portugal Films set in the 1860s Films set in Vienna Monarchy in fiction Austrian sequel films Films set in the Austrian Empire Films set in the Kingdom of Bavaria Films set in the Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia