Sissi: The Young Empress (1956)

Sissi: The Young Empress - 1956

Coming up next we have the second installment in the German language trilogy about Empress Elisabeth of Austria.  1956's "Sissi: The Young Empress" tells the story of Sissi's early period at the rigidly formal Austrian court and the obstacles she must overcome to forge her own identity, which may change the course of nations.

The film's cast includes Romy Schneider, Karlheinz Bohm, Magda Schneider, Gustav Knuth, Vilma Degischer, Josef Meinrad, Erich Nikowitz, Walther Reyer, and Senta Wengraf.

Sissi's early married life doesn't begin well.  Her mother-in-law and aunt, Archduchess Sophie, has planted spies within her household to report on everything she does.

Sissi is also forced to memorize the rigidly formal Spanish court ceremonial, upon which the Austrian court models itself.  She detests it, and she calls it nonsense.

Her greatest joy comes from her Hungarian language lessons and information she learns about the country from her tutor.  Hungary has recently become an Austrian dominion, and the relationship between the two countries is far from cordial.  Sissi is fascinated by Hungary.

Elsewhere in the palace, Archduchess Sophie has stolen Sissi's diary.  Entries in the diary point to Sissi's homesickness and her feelings of isolation in Austria.

Because Franz Josef is so busy, Sissi rarely sees him.  She tells him she feels alone, except when they are together.

She fills her days with hours of horseback riding, which she does in one of the public parks.

On their one month wedding anniversary, Sissi and Franz Josef spoil each other with gifts.  Part of his surprise to her is Bavarian pork roast and beer at an evening reception.  Sissi is thrilled, but Archduchess Sophie can't stand it and glares at everyone who partakes.

One day at the palace, Sissi receives the head of the Hungarian delegation, Count Andrassy.

She tells him how much she wants to help improve relations between Austria and Hungary and make sure that the alliance is more than just words.  Count Andrassy is ecstatic to have found someone in the Imperial House that will help to further the Hungarian cause.  Sissi invites the Hungarian delegation to the next court ball.

The ball is suitably glittering, and Franz Josef and Sissi open it with a waltz.

Archduchess Sophie, however, is not thrilled about the Hungarian presence at the palace.  She's decidedly against the alliance and publicly refuses to meet with any of their representatives.

Count Andrassy threatens to leave and cause a diplomatic incident.  Sissi must think fast if she is to save relations between Austria and Hungary.

She tells Franz Josef that she is sorry, but what she is about to do she is doing for him and his country.

Sissi causes the next dance to be "Ladies' Choice", a serious breach of the court ceremonial, which further angers the Archduchess Sophie.  Sissi asks Count Andrassy to dance.  He sees the Empress's approval as carrying more weight than the Archduchess's slight, and he and the Hungarians stay.

During the dance, however, Sissi collapses, and she must be carried out of the ballroom by Franz Josef.

Concern gives way to joy as Sissi reveals to Franz Josef that she is expecting a baby.

A little girl, who is named Sophie, is born, and her grandparents remark on how much she looks like Sissi.

Sissi dotes on her little daughter and takes every opportunity to be with her.

After she has gone on an official function, Sissi returns to the nursery and finds it empty.  Franz Josef tells her that his mother, with his permission, has relocated the baby to her wing of the palace so that Sissi can concentrate on being an empress.

Sissi is furious and demands her child be returned to her.  When she sees that both Franz Josef and his mother remain firm on the matter, Sissi tells her husband that she knows what she has to do.

Sissi leaves the Austrian court and returns to Possenhofen to her mother's loving arms.

While out on a walk with her father in the hills of Bavaria, Sissi breaks down and confesses to him what her life is like in Austria.

Franz Josef arrives in pursuit of Sissi, and the two kiss and make up.  He tells her that they will go away for a few days together before returning to Vienna. He wants to show her some of the Austrian mountains, so she will not be so homesick.

They spend time mountain climbing.  Sissi and Franz Josef scout out herds of chamois and pick edelweiss.

They even spend a few days incognito at a mountain retreat.  Sissi shines her husband's boots and cleans up around the house.  They revel in the time they spend as an ordinary couple.

Rumors abound in Vienna of a rift in the Imperial household.  Franz Josef appears at a gala ballet performance with his mother and wife in an effort to stop the rumors.

Unfortunately, things stay the same as Archduchess Sophie refuses to relinquish control of her baby granddaughter.  Sissi tells her husband that she will be leaving the court forever.

Archduchess Sophie is visited by her sister (and Sissi's mother) Ludovika in the hopes that she will let Sissi raise her daughter.  The Archduchess says she considers Sissi to be a child, and the raising of children is better suited to women of their age.

Sissi continues to make plans to leave.  Franz Josef is particularly upset when she won't come to a reception in honor of the Hungarian delegation headed by  Count Andrassy.  He tries to remind her of her position as the Empress of Austria, but she reminds him that her first position is that of mother.

Sadly, Franz Josef bids Sissi farewell as he heads off to prepare for the reception.

When Count Andrassy hears that Sissi will not attend the reception.  He hurries to see her.  He pleads for her to make the sacrifice and attend the reception to salvage the relationship between their two countries.  He makes an impassioned speech: "Your Majesty, since the time of Maria Theresa, the Hungarian nation has waited from generation to generation for a human being in this Imperial House.  Someone to trust, someone worth living for, and someone worth dying for.  We didn’t come to see the Emperor of Austria today, but to see our future Queen!"

Franz Josef prepares to attend the reception alone, without Sissi.

He is very happily surprised when she arrives dressed for the reception.  He tells her that his mother has agreed to move the nursery back to where it was.  Sissi runs to him and embraces him.

At the reception that follows, Count Andrassy makes an address in which he proclaims it the desire of the Hungarian nation that Sissi be crowned Queen of Hungary alongside Franz Josef at his upcoming coronation.  This is a request that Franz Josef is more than happy to accommodate.

As they travel to their coronation in Hungary, Sissi catches a glimpse of the country she has longed to see.

After a vibrant and boisterous procession through the main streets of the city, Sissi and Franz Josef are crowned in a solemn ceremony.

Afterwards, Sissi acknowledges the cheers of the crowds that have gathered to watch the coronation proceedings.

Watched by their parents, Franz Josef and Sissi make their oaths of loyalty to the Hungarian nation.

Afterwards, the Hungarian citizens sing their national anthem.  Sissi, visibly moved, has tears in her eyes as she listens.

Cast rundown:

   Romy Schneider............................Empress Elisabeth "Sissi"

   Karlheinz Bohm............................Emperor Franz Josef

   Magda Schneider...........................Princess Ludovika

   Gustav Knuth...............................Duke Max

   Vilma Degischer............................Archduchess Sophie

   Josef Meinrad...............................Major Bockl

   Erich Nikowitz...............................Archduke Franz Karl

   Walther Reyer...............................Count Andrassy

   Senta Wengraf..............................Countess Bellegarde

And that's it for Sissi: The Young Empress.  One of the things I love about the Sissi trilogy is the mother/daughter acting duo Romy and Magda Schneider who also play mother and daughter in the films.  It's a pure joy to watch them on the screen together.

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