Rudolf, the only heir to Emperor Franz Josef of Austria-Hungary, is trapped in a loveless marriage to a Belgian princess. As he seeks to flee his stifling environment, he meets the beautiful Maria, and the two enter into a scandalous affair. Despite the interference of the Emperor, the couple refuse to give each other up.
Acting
Boyer smolders; Darrieux's eyes do all the dialogue.
Production
Depression-era sets pretending to be Habsburg decadence.
Direction
Litvak's tracking shots through gilded corridors of power.
Director
Anatole Litvak
Charles Boyer
L'archiduc Rodolphe
Danielle Darrieux
Marie Vetsera
Jean Dax
L'empereur François-Joseph
Yolande Laffon
L'archiduchesse Stéphanie
Suzy Prim
La Comtesse Larisch
Gina Manès
Marinka
Marthe Régnier
La Baronne Vetsera
Odette Talazac
Marie's Nanny
Nane Germon
Anna Vetsera
Assia Granatouroff
Marie's Cousin
Gabrielle Dorziat
Empress Élisabeth
Jean Dax
Emperor François-Joseph
Jean Debucourt
Count Taafe
André Dubosc
Loscheck
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The real Mayerling incident's details were suppressed for decades; this film helped popularize the 'romantic suicide' narrative that historians now dispute.
Made the same year as Edward VIII's abdication, giving audiences delicious contemporary parallels to royal self-destruction.
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