One of my all time favorites.

Very interesting film. Was caught on the premise when seeing the trailer but unsure as to what the outcome would be for the showing. As it turns out, it was a very good film.

It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.

It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties.

As non-German speaking member of the European Commonwealth I want to make statement on the common, I presume, genealogical heritage of all Europeans. The cultural issues from the movie "Mayerling" (1968) lay as background only to much more important problems of today. I am worried to think that the still actualized division of Europe into Western and Eastern compartments could reflect unbeneficial to whatever meaningful strategy in the future. The only common denominator for this division is the existence of Nuclear Power Plants of Soviet Union design (formerly) in this geographical region from Central Europe to the Black Sea aquatorial zone. But do we know our common history, and think about it, do Americans divide their United States to Western and Eastern parts? Or do Turkey contemplate to remain a buffer zone between Europe and Middle East solely because global politicians couldn't devise a mechanism to measure the extent of cryto-Christianity in these countries?I talk now for the film "Mayerling" (1968) and then for its forbearing, the Holy Roman Empire. The plot is trivial enough to deserve attention which is a suicide attempt of Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria and his lover Mary Vetsera, played by Omar Sharif and Catherine Deneuve. Sharif performs brilliantly in another historical personages of his acting career (he played in "Genghis Khan" (1965), "Che!" (1969) and as Sultan Hassan in "Harem" (1986)). I look forward to find the two-part movie under Henri Verneuil's directorship about the Armenian Genocide - "Mayrig" (1991) and "588 Rue Paradis" (1992), dubbed in English since I don't understand the original French soundtrack. So also the titular movie present Emperor Franz-Josef (played by James Mason, the longest ruling Monarch in European History with 68 years reign 1848-1916) and Empress Elizabeth of Bavaria (played by Ava Gardner, recognized as the most beautiful women of 19th century). Mayerling locations were shot in Boulogne Studio in France which depicted the Habsburg Palaces and its environment as exact replica of the reality. Not many people now-a-days know that Paris and Vienna were the two utmost achievements of Baroque Architecture in Middle Ages!I also made effort to trace the origin of Bulgarian kingship in Modern Times. It stems from Franz Frederick, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, and Sophie of Saxe-Hildburghausen which had 10 children from the lineage House of Wettin, Saxony. Their descendants established ruling houses in Belgium, United Kingdom, Portugal and Bulgaria. Son Leopold ruled as Leopold I of the Belgians. Male-line great-grandson reigned as Edward VII of the United Kingdom. Another grandson reigned as king Ferdinand II of Portugal. Leopold I of Belgium's daughter was Empress Carlota of Mexico. Furthermore, the great-grandson and nephew of Ferdinand II of Portugal ruled as Ferdinand I of Bulgaria.

Watch the 1936 version. As personally annoying I find Charles Boyer's voice, he's more of a match to pay cosmopolitan, depressed Rudolf--I mean Omar Sharif tries but, no--too cute and vibrant. Catherine Denueve (sp) besides being too old looks nothing like Marie--nothing! She looks too sophisticated to even think of dying for love of this man in such a fashion.The only actor in the entire movie who conveys the role they're playing is Ava Gardner whose appearance as Empress Elisabeth on the screen is fittingly brief (and look up pictures of the empress there's more than a passing resemblance) as historically, Empress Elisabeth wasn't involved that much in Rudolf's life.

All modern historians agree that it was not the "impossible " love depicted in all Mayerling versions.No Rudolph did not throw away his empire for the love of Mary!He had at the time of his affair with baroness Vetsera other mistresses(the most famous was Mizzi Kaspar).Too bad for those who are still dreaming of romantic passion,but the harsh truth is that Rudolph was a jaded man,using morphine to relieve his sufferings .He was seriously ill,since he contracted a VD.Historian Jean-Paul Bled goes as far as to say he would not have outlived his father anyway(think that his father died in 1916!).Just before his death he was not physically the handsome man played by Omar Shariff anymore!As for Mary,she was seventeen (Deneuve was already too old in spite of her stunning beauty),and she did love Prince Rudolph,but she was too young to understand that she was used by her lover as a helping hand to die:Rudolph had already asked Mizzi(see above) to die with him because he was frightened to pass away ALONE.Another scene is completely refuted by every earnest historian:during the ball in the German Embassy,Mary refuses to bow before Rudolph's wife Stephanie.Or ,absolutely nobody,among these who attended the reception,spokeabout it afterward.The only person who mentions it is Countess Marie Larish,who was not invited,and who was a very shady and perverse lady,who wrote a book called "my past" .And what a past!She was Empress Elisabeth's niece,child of a misalliance:Sissi's brother had married an actress.In the Mayerling saga ,she played a very bad part,that of a go-between(Genevieve Page in the movie)The imperial couple reunited James Mason and Ava Gardner ,who were the leads in "Pandora and the flying Dutchman" (Lewin,1951),a treat for cinema buffs.The cinematography is dazzling,and at least the story was filmed where it took place.Francis Lai's score is nice too(Un Homme Et Une Femme,1966,love story,1970).The director ,Terence Young ,is the movies odd-job man:James Bond (Dr No,From Russia with love,thunderball),the amorous adventures of Moll Flanders,wait until dark,the Christmas tree,spy thriller,horror,melodrama,not a genius but a competent craftsman.After Mayerling,the hunting lodge was razed to the ground and the emperor had a nunnery built on the site.Hence the necessity to film the last part in a studio.Another scene completely made up from start to finish is the Deneuve /Gardner meeting.At the time ,Elisabeth had become the wandering empress she would remain until her death in 1898,nine years after the Mayerling tragedy.She used to shun Vienna,the Court ,the étiquette and even politics.But the movie is true for one thing:she was here when Rudolph died.Marie Larish(Genevieve Page),the go-between, was her protégée,but she would realize too late what a perverse creature she was.Rudolph was a depressed man,who failed twice:politically,he was kept out of things by his father and his plots led to nowhere.He used to worry about the Monarchy's (actually a double one,Austrian and Hungarian since 1867)future and he dreamed of federalism and parliamentary democracy;besides,his marriage was on the rocks,his wife Stephanie(Andréa Parisy) being unable to give birth to another child. The opening scene is the only one which deals with politics:a student riot during which Rudolph is arrested by the police:once again,it's very implausible,since the Kronprinz's actions were watched day and night by Francis Joseph's henchmen.Even his numerous -and almost absent here ,to give the movie a romantic flavor-mistresses used to "help" police reports.The best thing-one user noticed it- is Marie Larish's obnoxious behavior.Genevieve Page is remarkable,acting with Mary Vetsera like a spider with a fly,unbeknown-st to her mother (Mony Dalmes).Outside Litvak's version ,already mentioned by some users,there's also Jean Delannoy's "le secret de Mayerling" (1949),with Jean Marais as Rudolph which has a rather good reputation,in spite of a weird ending:Bismarck was behind the lovers' assassination.Even stranger:when Zita,Austria's last empress ,came back from exile in the early eighties,she hinted at a political assassination as well.

Omar Sharif and Catherine Deneuve were both so splendid and believable in their roles. The sets were superb. The script and acting were top drawer. Part of the pathos of the movie is that it was based on a true story. Seldom is it hard for me to find a drawback to a movie. This movie is one well worth seeing more than once. It was hard to find the video, but I did, and purchased it immediately. History buffs will be enthralled. Romantics will be satiated. Just can't say enough in praise of the movie.