Mayerling (1968 film) - Alchetron, The Free Social Encyclopedia

Ava gardner james mason omar shariff catherine deneuve mayerling waltz

Mayerling is a 1968 romantic tragedy film starring Omar Sharif, Catherine Deneuve, James Mason, Ava Gardner, Geneviève Page, James Robertson Justice and Andréa Parisy. It was written and directed by Terence Young. The film was made by Les Films Corona and Winchester and distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

It was based on the novels Mayerling by Claude Anet and L'Archiduc by Michel Arnold and the 1936 film Mayerling, directed by Anatole Litvak, which dealt with the real-life Mayerling Incident. Although not completely historically accurate, the movie was well received, in part because of its lavish sets and costumes.

Mayerling (1968 film) Mayerling 1969 with Omar Sharif and Ava Gardner

Mayerling 1968 who wants to live forever

Plot

Mayerling (1968 film) ROYALTY ON SCREEN Omar Sharif in The tragedy of Mayerling Iraniancom

In the 1880s, Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria (Sharif) clashes with his father, Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria (Mason) and his mother Empress Elisabeth (Gardner), over implementing progressive policies for their country. Rudolf soon feels he is a man born at the wrong time in a country that does not realize the need for social reform. The Prince of Wales (Robertson Justice), later to become Britain's King Edward VII, provides comic relief.

Mayerling (1968 film) Mayerling Movie Review Film Summary 1969 Roger Ebert

Rudolf finds refuge from a loveless marriage with Princess Stéphanie (Parisy) by taking a mistress, Baroness Maria Vetsera (Deneuve). Their untimely demise at Mayerling, the imperial family's hunting lodge, is cloaked in mystery, but the film's ending suggests the two lovers made a suicide pact when they decided they could not live in a world without love or prospects for peace.