Mayerling, 1968
Starring: James Mason as Emperor Franz Josef
Ava Gardner: As Empress Elizabeth
Omar Sharif: As Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria
Catherine Deneuve: As Baroness Mary Vetsera

This true story is a film about a drama/history/romance--and add murder, suicide, mystery and tragedy, a story that left me unsettled. It was filmed in precision bright beautiful color and has gorgeous sets and costumes, though some of the casting was awry.
Ava Gardner with an American accent playing Empress Elizabeth was off, and Omar Sharif as the troubled and tragic Crown Prince Rudolf was too old and Middle Eastern looking to play the part, but whatever, as they say--it is what it is.

Crown Prince Rudolph was one of those sons of powerful world figures, whom,(say for instance like Prince Charles), is in waiting--and waiting and waiting for his father to die to assume the title of next Emperor but meanwhile he is in limbo, living a wastrel life. Emperor Franz Josef gives his son no real duties or teaching on how to be Emperor.
C.P.Rudolph has migraines and is addicted to morphine, and associates with rebels who want to unseat his father the Emperor. The Prince's wife whom he doesn't like, incurs his anger when she mentions insanity in the Prince's Hapsburg blood line, and also says he has a too close relationship with his mother, and insinuates they have an un-natural relationship. The Prince slaps her around for those remarks.

The unhappy Prince meets and falls in love with a beautiful much younger Baroness, Mary, and the innocent young woman falls deeply in love with him, but they are star crossed lovers. They are trapped by the roles they were born into. The Prince is controlled by his father, and his fate and future is sealed. The Prince of Wales, Queen Victoria's son, points out to the Prince, I may dally around with other women, but I always go home--to my wife!.
Everyone is in an uproar about the Prince showing off his lover in public. The Emperor says the Baroness will be sent to a nunnery, but agrees to allow the Prince to spend a few last days with her after the Prince begs him to.

The couple go to Mayerling, an estate, and according to this movie make a pact to be together forever, by murder/suicide. The Prince shoots his beloved Baroness first, then shoots himself. And the movie ends. It was such a melancholy ending; maybe that's why I'm still thinking about it today.

susil