Just what I expected

hyped garbage

There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

This is the second film in the Sissi trilogy. Like the first movie Sissi, this continuation is equally idealized, but here the movie actually disregards historical fact so that a more fairy-tale-like storyline can be presented. It is historical fact that by the time Franz Josef and Elizabeth were crowned King and Queen of Hungary in 1867, Elizabeth already gave birth to 3 children and her oldest child, daughter Sophie, had died. These are huge events in the lives of both parents and monarchs. Yet, in the movie, only the oldest daughter had been born, the second born daughter and third born son do not exist, and by the end of the movie no child is ever mentioned. These are serious omissions which can be problematic if the viewer assumes the story as told in the movie is historically accurate. It's not. I have no doubt that some scenes were totally invented - such as the Tyrolean holiday sequence. I realize that film makers of historical drama need to take some liberties since there is no time to present all of the events truthfully and accurately. In this movie, the film makers wanted to focus on the empress's influence on the resolution of the conflict with the Hungarians. Unfortunately, it was done at the expense of leaving out the ongoing drama and suffering of the real Elizabeth - as opposed to the idealized Elizabeth presented here. Her mother-in-law's extreme cruelty toward her is minimized, and though the emperor's love for his wife was never in doubt throughout their lives, he completely failed to protect her from his mother - a situation that is not portrayed in the movie accurately. In spite of all this, the movie is still enjoyable and hopefully viewers will realize they are watching a very idealized fairy tale and will not confuse the story presented here with historical fact. The opulent ceremonies of the era, the pomp and splendor of the monarchy, are all well portrayed and definitely enjoyable to watch. I missed some explanation, even a very simplistic one, of why a dual monarchy was formed and its importance. But politics do not fit well into fairy tales, so this was likewise completely omitted.

A few years ago, my wife and I toured Austria. Up until then, I'd never heard of Empress Elisabeth ('Sissi'). However, as we toured a couple of the royal palaces in Vienna, we heard an interesting version of the life of Sissi. Tour guides said that the popular image of the empress was far from the real lady. On more than one occasion, she was described as vain as well as 'not quite right' (a nice way of saying crazy or at least emotionally unstable). And, tour guides enjoyed regaling us with stories about her eccentricities. Some of these I know to be true (such as her obsession with her weight) and others I still haven't been able to prove or disprove (they claimed she had teeth pulled in order to make her face look thinner). Regardless, this new assessment of the woman flies in the face of the fanciful and highly fictionalized Sissi trilogy made back in the 1950s. Whether or not you'll like these films has a lot to do with whether you are looking for the real Elisabeth or the nearly Cinderella-like fictionalized Sissi. Since I am a retired history teacher, you can probably guess which version I prefer.From what I have been able to learn, "Sissi: The Young Princess" is closer to the truth than the first film, "Sissi". That's because the first film is all happiness and joy--and is hard to believe. But here in the second of three films, you see the beginnings of a schism in the marriage between her and Emperor Franz Joseph. The film seems to blame all this on Franz's overbearing mother, Archduchess Sophie. While she was clearly a dominant figure in her son's life, blaming all the couple's problems on her is overstating things a bit. Much of the problem between the pair related more to very, very different temperaments--Franz Joseph was a rather dull and hard-working man whereas Sissi was almost manic and never liked to sit still. And, from what I have recently read, Sissi seemed to have little interest in her husband.So apart from overstating the awfulness of Archduchess Sophie, what's the rest of this film like? Well, like the first one, it's filmed in magnificent color--and sure looks great with its location shoots in the mountains as well as throughout Vienna (such as in Schönbrunn Palace). And for the romantics out there who love everything royal, there is a lot to like. Romy Schneider plays Sissi with an almost cloying niceness and you can't help but like her--even though she isn't too much like the real Sissi. She is who people WISH Sissi to have been--much like the world's fascination with Princess Diana. Not, like the real Sissi--complete with coughing fits and depression! All in all, an enjoyable film that's best taken for what it is instead of what it isn't. To me, it's like a steady diet of meringue--tasty but not especially filling.

....and she will have them all on her side,says Duchess Ludovica (Magda Schneider) to her son-in -law who is none other than the Emperor of Austria Franz-Joseph.In real life ,Elisabeth was not as lucky as Romy Schneider's character:not only her first daughter died (the one we see in this part of the trilogy)at a very early age (two) but she was also estranged from her second one ,Gisèle (whom we see in the third "schicksal (sic)" segment.As for her only son,the doom-fated Rudolph,she was never allowed to take care of his education,although she intervened once to snatch him from the clutches of Gondrecourt -who fired several shots in the Kronprinz 's bedroom to gently wake him up.The only one she had for her was her last,Valerie.So we find Sissi battling against her sinister mother-in-law,a stickler for form.She has to strike back ,not only to get her child again ,but also for count Andrassy and his Hungarians the old lady will always consider her enemies.There is a charming moment when Sissi and Franz take a holiday in the mountains.And as always,in the last scenes,pomp and circumstance prove that the love you take is equal to the love you make.I will always love the Sissi saga.It's part of my childhood.Forever,my love.

Whenever I see this part, it seems to me that Ernst Marischka wanted to show Sissi as a gentle woman who is exposed to the hardship of royal life. In spite of the fact that the film is full of sweet images (like other parts) which may seem to some people "out of date", it has a certain message conveyed.In fact, this part's content is built upon two issues: politics and the family life in imperial palace. Sissi, as a young empress, has to get used to the lifestyle in the palace. She finds it difficult, especially due to the attitude of her mother in law, archduchess Sophie. The problems grow when Sissi gives birth to her daughter and the baby is taken from her. Sophie thinks that Sissi is too young to be a good mother. She has to choose: be an empress and forget about mother's feelings or escape from the golden cage...Another interesting fact about the movie is the political situation of Hungary. Sissi loves this nation and aims at uniting it with Austria. Obstacles, however, are huge. Nevertheless, she does not give in and, in the long run, her goals are achieved.I loved the scene when she thinks of leaving Vienna due to family problems, but the Hungarians are waiting for the meeting. She decides to take part in it. Here, Marischka shows the price she had to pay. The duty of an empress is more important than the family, the beloved baby and personal happiness. As her mother Ludovika says to her that she has a duty and has to be strong to fight her emotions.At the end, I must admit that I cried when Sissi becomes the queen of Hungary, swears to fulfill her duties and the Hungarian anthem is being sung (so much forbidden in the time when this nation was persecuted): "Isten, Aldd Meg A Magyart, Jo Kedvvel Boeseggel..." Sissi cries. This is the love for the nation. This is the right attitude of a queen. Sacrifice even her happiness for the sake of fulfilling her duties.I love this part of Sissi. It has much to say to our times, in which the feeling of duty and a good motherhood have been distorted and lost. Especially, young mothers should see it. Marischka shows the love of a mother to her child and the love of a queen or empress to her nation.WORTH WATCHING. CLASSIC!!!