Sissi: The Fateful Years of an Empress (1957)

The final film in a highly romanticized trilogy about Elisabeth "Sissi" of Austria finds the young empress traveling throughout Europe.

Director:

Ernst Marischka

Writer:

Ernst Marischka

Stars:

Romy Schneider, Karlheinz Böhm, Magda Schneider

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Romy Schneider	...	Empress Elisabeth of Austria / Sissi
Karlheinz Böhm	...	Emperor Franz Josef of Austria
Magda Schneider	...	Duchess Ludovika of Bavaria
Gustav Knuth	...	Duke Max of Bavaria
Uta Franz	...	Princess Helene / Nene
Walther Reyer	...	Graf Andrassy
Vilma Degischer	...	Archduchess Sophie, Franz Josef's mother
Josef Meinrad	...	Oberst Böckl
Senta Wengraf	...	Gräfin Bellegarde
Erich Nikowitz	...	Erzherzog Franz-Karl
Hans Ziegler	...	Hofrat Dr. Seeburger
Sonia Sorel	...	Henriette Mendel (as Sonja Sorel)
Klaus Knuth	...	Prinz Ludwig
Albert Rueprecht	...	Erzherzog Ferdinand-Max
Peter Neusser	...	Graf Batthyani

Storyline

The young Empress Sissi is staying at the Gödölle Palace in Hungary with her little daughter and some court people. Here she can be herself, liberated from all the strict court rules in Austria. She spends her days with Count Andrassy, riding in the woods. At a ball in his castle he declares his love for her. Because of this Sissi feels forced to break her relationship with him, and moves back to Vienna. It is soon discovered that she is seriously ill with tuberculosis. Dr. Seeburger doesn't think she will survive the winter, but a change of climate might help. After some months on Madeira Sissi's illness is even worse. Her mother, Duchess Ludovika, then decides to go to Madeira to help Sissi recapture the joy of life. When Dr. Seeburger examines Sissy at Corfu several months later, he finds her fully recovered. The Austrian ministers suggest that Emperor Franz Joseph should combine his reunion with Sissy with an official visit to Lombardy-Venetia. Austria is much hated there, but ...

---

Plot Keywords:

empress of austria | habsburg empire | couple | lung disease | marital crisis | 

---

Genres:

Drama | History | Romance

---

Did You Know?

Trivia

When Sissi got very sick, Helene, then pregnant with her second child, followed Sissi to Madera to stay by her side. The two sisters were very close. This was never shown in the movie.

---

Quotes

Empress Elisabeth of Austria: My darling, now I want a little kiss. No, that was nothing... Another one. Another one. A real big one. There!

---

Connections

Featured in 'Ach, die Sissi!' - Wie Romy lernte, nein zu sagen (2007)

---

Soundtracks

Roses from the South
Music by Johann Strauss

User Reviews

Kitsch

What a film: full colour (from Agfa), all those typical Austrian names and characters, beautiful and young Romy Schneider, but it is "Kitsch". The movie has nothing in common with real history, but served in the 50s an audience which tried to forget the war and nazism. They took the most wonderful scenes in Venice, when Sissis little daughter welcomes her mother arriving by gondola. Kitsch as kitsch can!

Details

Country:

Austria

Language:

German Greek Hungarian Italian Portuguese

Release Date:

1957 (Austria)

Also Known As:

Sissi face à son destin

Filming Locations:

Atelier Rosenhügel, Vienna, Austria

Company Credits

Production Co:

Erma-Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

109 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Perfectone)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1