Sissi (1955)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

Ernst Marischka

Writer:

Ernst Marischka (writer)

Release Date:

22 December 1955 (West Germany)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | History | Romance

Plot:

First of a trilogy of movies about the Austrian princess Sissi.

Plot Keywords:

Love | Princess | Emperor | Marriage | Costume Drama

Cast

Romy Schneider	...	Princess Elisabeth in Bavaria / Kaiserin Elisabeth / Sissi
Karlheinz Böhm	...	Kaiser Franz Joseph
Magda Schneider	...	Duchess Ludovika in Bayern / Vickie
Uta Franz	...	Princess Helene in Bayern / Nene
Gustav Knuth	...	Duke Max in Bavaria
Vilma Degischer	...	Archduchess Sophie, Franz Josef's mother
Josef Meinrad	...	Gendarmerie-Major Böckl
Erich Nikowitz	...	Archduke Franz Karl
Karl Fochler	...	Graf Grünne
Franz Böheim	...	Johann Petzmacher
Peter Weck	...	Archduke Carl-Ludwig
Hilde Wagener	...	Baronin Wulffen
Egon von Jordan	...	Graf Arco, Prime Minister
Richard Eybner	...	Postmeister von Ischl
Otto Treßler	...	Feldmaerschall Radetzky

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

Austria

Language:

German

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Chile:TE | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | West Germany:6

Filming Locations:

Atelier Sievering, Vienna, Austria

Company:

Erma-Film

Trivia:

Magda Schneider, playing Sissi's mother Ludovika in all three parts of the Sissi trilogy, is 'Romy Schneider''s (Sissi's) real life mother.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Persepolis (2007)

Soundtrack:

Messiah

A Delightful Romance for All Ages

"Sissi" is the first part of a trilogy about the Austrian princess/empress Elisabeth in Bavaria, aka Sissi (Romy Schneider). The teenage princess lives happily in Bavaria with her parents, Duke Max (Gustav Knuth) and Duchess Ludovika (Magda Schneider, Romy's real life mother), and siblings.When Ludovika is invited by her sister, Archduchess Sophie (Vilma Degischer), to take Helene, Sissi's older sister, to the Austrian court in Ischl, in order to arrange a royal engagement for Helene and the young emperor Franz Joseph (Karlheinz Böhm), Sissi goes along. However, nobody could imagine that Franz would fall in love with the spontaneous, childish Sissi, instead of the sophisticated Helene.

"Sissi" is nothing more than a naïve, romantic matinée – but a very well done romantic matinée! Romy Schneider shines as the young princess, she's the heart of the movie. It's impossible not to fall in love with her gorgeous smile and sweet manners.

Released in the same year as another unforgettable romance ("Picnic", with William Holden, Kim Novak and Rosalind Russell), "Sissi" may not be called a masterpiece. However, I cannot give anything less than a "10" to a movie that makes you feel good and smile even during the hardest times.