Mayerling (1936) is Anatole Litvak’s film portrayal of the largely biographical love story of Archduke Rudolph, heir to the Austrian throne, and his beloved Marie Vetsera. It is a touching love story and one that viewers will be well advised to watch with tissue paper on hand.

Historical Background: Mayerling was based on a novel written by Claude Anet, which was in turn based on the real life story of Rudolph (1858-1889), the Archduke and Crown Prince of Austria, although the novel was not an historically accurate account. For that matter, the historical facts of the case are uncertain since investigation of the events was suppressed by the Austrio-Hungarian monarchy. In some respects, the story was pivotal in the larger story of Europe leading up to World War I.

Rudolph was the only son of the Emperor Francis Joseph (1830-1916), Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary after 1867. Francis Joseph had become emperor in 1848 immediately following the Austrian revolution and the abdication of his uncle Ferdinand I. Francis Joseph’s reign was characterized by strict repression of liberal political activities, but setbacks in the Italian War of Liberation followed by a defeat at the hands of Prussia emboldened the leftist groups within Austria. Rudolph was more attuned to the intelligentsia than was his father. As heir apparent to the throne, he was a great patron of the arts and literature and collaborated with prominent Austrian scholars in the preparation of a history of the Austrian monarchy entitled Die Österreichisch-Ungarische Monarchie in Wort und Bild. He was also a bit dissolute in his personal habits, drinking heavily and sleeping with many women.

After Rudolph’s death as told in Mayerling, Rudolf’s cousin Archduke Francis Ferdinand (1863-1914), became the heir to the Austro-Hungarian crown. His assassination in Sarajevo, Bosnia on June 28, 194 by Serbian nationalists precipitated World War I. So, the events at Mayerling in 1889 changed the course of human history dramatically.

The Story: As the heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary, Rudolph is expected to subordinate his own desires to the needs of The State. He lives something of a life of debauchery and is watched by his father’s secret agents wherever he goes. Although he has women galore at his beck and call, his relationships with them are the epitome of shallowness. Suddenly, at a street fair, he meets Marie Vetsera. She is young, pure, and innocent, not at all like the jaded prostitutes with whom Rudolph typically frequents. She is also unaware of who he is and treats him as merely an attractive officer that she has encountered by chance. Rudolph is drawn to the genuine quality of his relationship with Marie. At the opera house, Marie is surprised to see her gallant male friend sitting in the royal box and inquires as to who the officer might be. She is startled to learn that he is, in fact, the Prince. Rudolph, for his part, soon spots Marie in her box and is unable to keep his eyes off her.

Through the intrigues of Rudolph’s cousin, a lady of the court, Rudolph and Marie find opportunities to meet – an hour here and another there. One of the Emperor’s secret agents informs Marie’s mother that she is seeing a man without naming who the man is. The mother judiciously sends Marie away to her uncle’s house for six weeks. When she returns, the romance picks right back up where it left off. Rudolph even writes to the Pope seeking a special annulment of his arranged marriage so that he can marry Marie. His request is denied. When the Emperor finally intercedes himself, threatening to have Marie sent to a convent if Rudolph does not stop seeing her, Rudolph agrees on condition of one last day to see his beloved. Rudolph and Marie then undertake a suicide pact, ride off to the royal country estate at Mayerling, where Rudolph kills Marie in her sleep and then shoots himself as well.

Themes: I suppose the theme is something like love will have its way, one way or another. This film is touted as one of the greatest love stories on film, but I’m not a big fan of murder/suicide as an expression of love. I can understand Rudolph’s despair over always having to subordinate his own desires to the interests of The State and the demands of his father, but poor Marie was just seventeen, seemingly had a lot of living in front of her, and was undoubtedly unduly influenced in entering this murder/suicide pact (if that is indeed what happened) by the older and more experienced Rudolph. I can’t accept the outcome as a mutual expression of deep love rather than an act of desperation attributable mainly to Rudolph.

Production Values: The story of Mayerling was later remade in 1969 in a film directed by Terence Young and starring Omar Sharif and Catherine Deneuve. The remake is not nearly as effective as the original from 1936. Omar Sharif is far less effective than Charles Boyer as Rudolph. Catherine Deneuve, who was 25 in 1969, was a more accomplished actress than the 17-year-old Danielle Darrieux, but, on the other hand, Darrieux more closely matches the age and stage of development of her character, Marie Vetsera. The directing is much stronger in the 1936 version as well. There are some exquisitely shot scenes in Anatole Litvak’s film. When Rudolph and Marie separately attend the ballet at the opera house after their first meeting together, there is a marvelous double-exposure sequence by which the ballet performance is commingled with Marie’s recollections of her pleasant moments with Rudolph. There is another great scene when the two meet briefly in a dimly lit cathedral during mass. The imperial ball when Rudolph opens the dance by selecting Marie as his partner is utterly dazzling. At the street carnival where Rudolph and Marie first meet, the performances by the dancers are marvelous entertainment in their own right. Litvak produced a beautiful film considering his limited budget and the technology that was available to him in 1936.

Charles Boyer had a long and distinguished career as an actor on both sides of the Atlantic. Some of his most noteworthy credits include Algiers (1938), All This and Heaven Too (1940), The Earrings of Madame de . . . (1953), Around the World in 80 Days (1956), Barefoot in the Park (1967), Casino Royale (1967), and Stavinsky (1974). Danielle Darrieux later appeared in La Ronde (1950) and The Earrings of Madame de . . . (1955). She even appeared in 8 Women (2002) at age 84! How’s that for a career – spanning 64 years!

Litvak had a distinguished career as a director. Some of his better known films include The Roaring Twenties (1939), All This and Heaven Too (1940), The Snake Pit (1948), Sorry, Wrong Number (1948), Decision Before Dawn (1951), and Anastasia (1956).

Bottom-Line: This is a beautiful love story that is well directed and offers excellent performances by the two leads as well as in several of the secondary roles. It is limited, a bit, by its 1930 technology and the less than ideal prints now available. Nevertheless, it greatly outshines its 1969 remake. Mayerling is in French with English subtitles and has a running time of 96 minutes. I strongly recommend it, particularly for those who enjoy a tragic love story. I would be cautious about which adolescents to allow to see this film. Adolescents sometimes harbor romantic notions of suicide anyway and this film could reinforce such ideas in those teens that are less than fully stable.

Recommended:
Yes

Video Occasion: Good Date Movie
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older