Mayerling (1968 film)
Mayerling is a 1968 romantic tragedy film starring Omar Sharif, Catherine Deneuve, James Mason, Ava Gardner, Geneviève Page, James Robertson Justice and Andréa Parisy.[2] It was written and directed by Terence Young. The film was made by Les Films Corona and Winchester and distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
| Mayerling | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster by Tom Jung | |
| Directed by | Terence Young |
| Produced by | Robert Dorfmann Maurice Jacquin |
| Written by | Claude Anet (novel) Michel Arnold (book L'Archiduc) Terence Young (screenplay) Denis Cannan (dialogue) Joseph Kessel (uncredited) |
| Starring | Omar Sharif Catherine Deneuve James Mason Ava Gardner |
| Music by | Francis Lai (original) Aram Khachaturian (non-original; Adagio from Spartacus |
| Cinematography | Henri Alekan |
| Edited by | Monique Bonnot |
Production company | Associated British Picture (UK) Winchester-Corona Productions (France) |
| Distributed by | Warner-Pathé (UK) Valoria Films (France) Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (USA) |
Release date | 1968 (France, UK) |
Running time | 140 min |
| Country | United Kingdom / France |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $5,000,000 (estimated) |
| Box office | $14,754,720[1] |
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.
Plot
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.
Rudolf finds refuge from a loveless marriage with Princess Stéphanie (Parisy) by taking a mistress, Baroness Maria Vetsera (Deneuve). Their untimely death 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.
Cast
- Omar Sharif - Crown Prince Rudolf
- Catherine Deneuve - Baroness Maria Vetsera
- James Mason - Emperor Franz Josef
- Ava Gardner - Empress Elisabeth
- James Robertson Justice - Prince of Wales
- Geneviève Page - Countess Larisch
- Andréa Parisy - Princess Stéphanie
- Ivan Desny - Count Josef Hoyos
- Fabienne Dali - Mizzi Kaspar
- Véronique Vendell - Lisi Stockau
- Howard Vernon - Prince Montenuovo
- Irene von Meyendorf - Countess Stockau
- Mony Dalmes - Baroness Helen Vetsera
- Bernard Lajarrige - Loschek
- Maurice Teynac - Moritz Szeps
- Charles Millot - Count Taafe
- Jacques Berthier - Archduke Jean Salvator
- Roger Pigaut - Count Karolyi
- Véronique Vendell : Lisl Stockau
- Lyne Chardonnet : Hannah Vetsera
- Moustache : Bratfisch
- Roger Lumont - Inspector Losch
- Jacqueline Lavielle - Marinka
- Alain Saury - Baltazzi
- Jean-Claude Bercq - Michel de Bragance
- Jean-Michel Rouzière
- Jacques Ciron
- Liane Daydé
- Friedrich von Ledebur
See also
- Mayerling (1936) feature film directed by Anatole Litvak
- Mayerling (1957) TV film also directed by Litvak