Sissi facing his destiny ( Sissi, Schicksalsjahre einer Kaiserin in German ) is an Austrian filmdirected by Ernst Marischka , released in 1957 . He was selected at the Cannes Film Festival .
The film is based on the love story of Empress Sissi , played by Romy Schneider , and the Emperor Franz Joseph , played by Karlheinz Böhm .
Synopsis
The Empire is agitated by Hungarian revolutionaries dissatisfied with their attachment to the House of Austria. Sissi convinces Franz to let her go to Hungaryto calm the spirits. However, Count Andrassy confesses to him that he is in love with her. Sissi decides to leave Hungary. On the way back, she finds Franz in an inn, gone to meet him. They decide to spend a few days away from Vienna but are forced to return faster than expected because Sissi is sick. The doctors declare her to be breastfed, she has very little chance of being cured. They send him to care in Madeira and Greece and, with the help of his mother Ludovica, Sissi regains a taste for life and heals. Before making an official trip, Franz finds her in Italy, a country where Austria is badly perceived.
In Milan, the imperial couple must attend an opera. Instead of opening the performance by the Austrian anthem, all the Italians present singing “The choir of slaves” of Nabucco de Verdi . The Emperor’s advisers then realize with horror that, with rare exceptions, all the Italian nobles have been replaced by their servants. Instead of leaving the premises, as planned by the dissidents, and at the instigation of Sissi, the Austrians applaud, and the reception takes place, and the “nobles” are presented to Their Majesties. The Milanese nobles are therefore ridiculed, having passed for boors no better than coachmen or cooks.
A few days later, the nautical procession passes in Venice without being acclaimed, until once arrived on the Saint Mark place, Sissi notices that her daughter, whom she has not seen for a long time, awaits her in the distance and run to join her. The excited Italians cry out: “Viva la mama! ”
Technical sheet
- Original title: Sissi – Schicksalsjahre einer Kaiserin
- French title: Sissi facing his destiny
- Director: Ernst Marischka
- Scenario: Ernst Marischka
- Photography: Bruno Mondi
- Sets: Fritz Jüptner-Jonstorff
- Costumes: Geradago and Franz Szivats
- Music: Anton Profes
- Producer: Karl Ehrlich
- Distribution: SNC
- Country of origin: Austria
- Size: 35mm – Colors – Ratio: 1,66: 1
- Sound: Stereo 4 magnetic tracks and mono optical sound copies
- Genre: Drama , Romantic , Historical Movie
- Duration: 106 minutes
- Release dates:
- Austria : 1957
- France :
Distribution
- Romy Schneider (VF: Gilberte Aubry ) : Empress Elisabeth called Sissi
- Karl-Heinz Böhm (VF: Jean-Pierre Duclos ) : François-Joseph says Franz
- Magda Schneider (VF: Lita Recio ) : The Duchess Ludovica of Bavaria
- Gustav Knuth (VF: André Valmy ) : The Duke Max of Bavaria
- Uta Franz (VF: Lily Baron ) : Princess Helen
- Walther Reyer (VF: René Arrieu ) : Count Andrássy
- Peter Weck (VF: Jacques Thébault ) : The Archduke Karl-Ludwig
- Vilma Degischer (VF: Lucienne Givry ) : The Archduchess Sophie
- Erich Nicowithz (VF: Gérard Férat) : Archduke Franz-Karl
- Josef Meinrad (VF: Michel Roux ) : Colonel Böckl
- Senta Wengraf : The Countess Bellegarde
- Helene Lauterböck : Countess Esterházy
- Sonja Sorell : Henriette Mendel
- Peter Neusser : Count Batthyani, son of Count Lajos Batthany , Hungarian revolutionary executed in 1849
Around the film
The film is part of a trilogy with Sissi ( 1955 ) and Sissi Empress ( 1956 ). Following Sissi’s success against his fate ( 1957 ), Ernst Marischka proposed to Romy Schneider a continuation of the adventures of the young Empress, but despite a very high seal Romy will refuse, wanting to do something else, and no longer supporting the image of Sissi to which we associate it too often. But she will never get rid of it, all her life she will remain the one who interpreted the famous Empress of Austria. [ref. necessary]