Mayerling is a Franco – British film by Terence Young, released in 1968 . It traces the tragic love story of the archduke Rudolph of Austria – played by Omar Sharif – and his mistress Marie Vetsera – interpreted by Catherine Deneuve – link that leads to the drama of Mayerling .
Synopsis
1888. Archduke Rodolphe, the Austro-Hungarian Crown Prince, came into conflict, for both personal and political reasons with his father François-Joseph . His marriage to Princess Stephanie of Belgium does not satisfy him more than the evolution of the political regime. On a stroll, he meets a young stranger, Maria Vetsera, with whom he soon has a secret affair, which his father, the Emperor, and his wife, the Empress Elizabeth, disapprove of. It was then that a revolt broke out in Hungary. Rodolphe begs his father the emperor to take urgent measures of reform. But François-Joseph remains inflexible about his line of conduct. In addition, he sends his son to maneuver and exiles Maria to Venice.
Technical sheet
- Title: Mayerling
- Director: Terence Young , assisted by Bernard Farrel
- Script: Terence Young from the novel The Archduke of Michel Arnold and based on the novel by Claude Anet
- Dialogues: Denis Cannan and Joseph Kessel
- Photography: Henri Alekan
- Editing: Monique Bonnot (uncredited)
- Artistic direction: Maurice Colasson and Tony Roman
- Set decorator: Georges Wakhévitch
- Costumes: Marcel Escoffier
- Music: Francis Lai
- Production: Robert Dorfmann and Maurice Jacquin associate producer
- Production Company: Associated British Picture Corporation, Corona Films and Winchester Productions
- Distribution Company: MGM
- Country of Origin: United Kingdom , France
- Format: color (Technicolor) – 35 mm – 2,20: 1 / 2.35: 1 – Sound: mono (Westrex Recording System) / 70 mm 6-Track (UK release) (RCA Recording System)
- Duration: 140 minutes
- Genre: Historical drama , Romance
- Release dates: United Kingdom : (first in London ); France : ; United States : ( New York )
Distribution
- Omar Sharif : Rodolphe of Habsburg
- Catherine Deneuve : Marie Vetsera
- James Mason : Emperor Franz Joseph
- Ava Gardner : The Empress Elisabeth
- James Robertson Justice : Edward, Prince of Wales
- Geneviève Page : Countess Marie Larisch
- Ivan Desny : Joseph Hoyos
- Bernard Lajarrige : Loschek
- Maurice Teynac : Moritz Szeps
- Andréa Parisy : Archduchess Stephanie
- Fabienne Dali : Mizzi Kaspar
- Charles Millot : Count Taafe
- Jacques Berthier : Archduke Jean Salvator
- Roger Pigaut : Count Karolyi
- Mony Dalmès : Baroness Hélène Vetsera
- Véronique Vendell : Lisl Stockau
- Lyne Chardonnet : Hannah Vetsera
- Mustache : Bratfish
- Roger Lumont : Inspector Losch
- Jacqueline Lavielle : Marinka
- Alain Saury : Baltazzi
- Jean-Claude Bercq : Michel of Braganza
- Jean-Michel Rouzière : the police chief
- Jacques Ciron : a police officer
- Irene von Meyendorff : Theresa Stockau
- Liane Daydé : the dancer “Giselle”
- Howard Vernon (uncredited): Prince Montenuovo
- Friedrich von Ledebur (uncredited): Hofmarschall
- Laure Paillette : the old friend of the Vetsera