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| Mayerling - 1936 |
Coming up next is 1936's "Mayerling", a fictionalized French language film about the love story of Archduke Rudolf, Crown Prince of Austria, and Maria Vetsera.
The film's cast includes Charles Boyer, Danielle Darrieux, Marthe Regnier, Yolande Laffron, Suzy Prim, Gabrielle Dorziat, Jean Dax, Jean Debucourt, and Andre Dubosc.
University students in Vienna are causing some upheaval for Emperor Franz Josef. He instructs his Prime Minister to use force if necessary to bring them under control.
Among those rounded up and arrested is Archduke Rudolf, Crown Prince of Austria. Of course, once he is recognized, he is set free, and he instructs the police to release all of their student captives.
Emperor Franz Josef urges Rudolf to settle into a life of royal duty, get married, and raise a family. Reflecting on how unsuited he is to the life of royalty just like his mother, Rudolf reluctantly agrees.
At the wedding, Rudolf tells his mother that he hopes never to fall in love. Empress Elisabeth, while sympathetic to her son's character, says, "No one escapes his destiny, my son. God grant that you will learn that with time."
Five years later, Rudolf still has not found the happiness he has sought. He keeps company in nightclubs away from his wife, being entertained by gypsy singers and copious amounts of alcohol.
One evening at the Prater, he meets a young woman by chance. They don't introduce themselves, but they spend an enjoyable couple of hours in each other's company, then they part. Both of them have very happy memories of that evening.
Life at court gets harder for Rudolf. His father has one of his revolutionary friends arrested and refuses to see Rudolf over the matter, which drives him into despair.
He's forced to attend a ballet performance with his father and wife. There, unbeknownst to him, the young woman from the Prater watches his entrance. She is Maria Vetsera, daughter of Baroness Vetsera. During the performance, Maria fondly remembers her evening with Rudolf.
During the performance, Rudolf sees her and stares quite openly at her.
During the ballet intermission, he asks his cousin, Countess Larisch, about her. Countess Larisch knows everything about everyone and is quite the gossip. When a woman in the audience smiles at her, the Countess says, "Edwige shouldn't smile. Her teeth are as false as her pearls."
That night, visions of Rudolf dance in Maria's head as she struggles to get to sleep.
At church a few days later, Maria is surprised when Rudolf sneaks in and kneels next to her. He confides to her that he is unhappy, but he is very glad at seeing her again.
Countess Larisch takes the opportunity to smuggle Maria into the palace without alerting Maria's mother to where she is taking her.
They begin meeting secretly, however, Rudolf becomes increasingly paranoid that they are being followed and watched from places of concealment.
Eventually, the Prime Minister informs Baroness Vetsera about certain activities involving her daughter. The Baroness is furious and sends her daughter away for an extended period of time.
During this time, Rudolf sinks deeper and deeper into depression. He horrifies nightclub guests when he starts shooting at himself through a mirror.
Maria returns to Vienna when Rudolf is at his lowest ebb. She is able to comfort him like no one else can, and she brings a sense of normality to his life. Rudolf decides to petition the pope for an annulment of his marriage so that he can be with Maria.
During one of their secret meetings, Rudolf is summoned to an official audience. He asks Maria to remain behind in his rooms to wait for him. She agrees.
Empress Elisabeth comes to her sons rooms to check on his health. She finds Maria there, and talks with her. The Empress tells Maria that she knows all about their relationship, and that her son loves her. She also tells Maria that the palace is a sad place, and that she should never return. Before she leaves, the Empress kisses Maria's forehead.
Rudolf is summoned to a meeting with his father, who tells him that the pope has denied his petition for an annulment. Rudolf is stunned, and can now see only one way out: suicide.
Shortly afterwards at a court ball, Rudolf scandalizes the assembled guests when he asks Maria to open the ball with him.
Rudolf's wife protests to the Emperor, but he tells her to keep calm and remember that she is an Archduchess of Austria.
During their waltz, Rudolf broaches the subject of a suicide pact with Maria. Initially stunned, she agrees, and leaves the matter entirely in Rudolf's hands.
Rudolf sets tongues to wagging when he has the audacity to officially introduce Maria to his father. Rudolf then leaves to make arrangements for Maria and himself.
And the court is shocked when Stephanie decides to leave as well and Maria refuses to curtsey, staring down her rival in a prolonged gaze.
Of course, that brings us to the hunting lodge at Mayerling and the horrible murder/suicide that occurred. No one knows for sure what happened behind closed doors. In the film, Rudolf shoots Maria and then turns the gun on himself, grasping for her hand in his last moments.
Cast rundown:
Charles Boyer.............................Archduke Rudolf
Danielle Darrieux........................Maria Vetsera
Marthe Regnier...........................Baroness Vetsera
Yolande Laffron...........................Archduchess Stephanie
Suzy Prim..................................Countess Larisch
Gabrielle Dorziat.........................Empress Elisabeth
Jean Dax....................................Emperor Franz Josef
Jean Debucourt...........................Count Taafe
Andre Dubosc.............................Loscheck
And that's it for Mayerling. This was one of the first foreign language films with sound to become popular in the United States, and it rocketed Charles Boyer to stardom. In 1947, Charles Boyer reprised his role for a thirty-minute radio adaptation of the film. The movie was remade under the same name in 1968.
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