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Mayerling
1936 Drama / Romance / History
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Credits
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Director: Anatole Litvak
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Script: Marcel Achard, Joseph Kessel, Irma von Cube, based on the novel "Idyl's End" by Claude Anet
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Photo: Armand Thirard
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Music: Arthur Honegger, Hans May
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Cast: Charles Boyer (Archduke Rudolph of Austria),
Danielle Darrieux (Marie Vetsera),
Marthe Régnier (Baroness Vetsera),
Suzy Prim (Countess Larisch),
Yolande Laffon (Stephanie),
Gina Manès (Marinka),
Jean-Louis Barrault (Un étudiant),
René Bergeron (Szeps),
Jacques Berlioz (L'aide de camp),
Jean Davy (Comte Hoyos),
Jean Dax (Emperor Franz Joseph),
Jean Debucourt (Count Taafe),
Gabrielle Dorziat (Empress Elizabeth),
André Dubosc (Valet),
André Fouché,
Fernand Ledoux
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Country: France
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Language: French
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Runtime: 96 min; B&W
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Summary
In the late 1880s, Archduke Rudolph is the crown prince of Austria, a reactionary young
man who prefers the company of ordinary folk to that of the nobility. In an attempt
to curb his son’s rebellious spirit, the Emperor Frantz Joseph forces him into an arranged
marriage and has him constantly tailed by his spies. The young prince is undeterred
and, skilfully evading his father’s spies, he visits a fair incognito. Here, he
meets a young woman, Marie, who, in contrast to the women of his father’s court, exudes
warmth and kindness. With Marie at first oblivious to the prince’s identity,
the young couple embark on an idyllic romance. Nothing, it seems, can spoil
their perfect happiness...
Review
It is not hard to see why Anatole Litvak’s Mayerling
is widely regarded as one of the greatest of cinematic love stories, a 1930s version
of Romeo and Juliette. Captivating
performances from Charles Boyer and Danielle Darrieux and some beautiful, genuinely inspired
camerawork combine to make this an exquisitely poetic and highly poignant film.
Lavish sets and costumes provide an authentic recreation of the court of the Hapsburgs
in 19th century Vienna, whilst the moody cinematography creates a sense of transience,
doom and oppression that is entirely appropriate for an ill-fated romantic drama.
The film is a faithful adaptation of Claude Anet’s novel "Idyl's End", which is based
on a true story concerning the death of the Austrian prince Archduke Rudolph. With
little in the way of historical fact to go on, the novel constructs a plausible (but by
no means proven) explanation of events, speculating that Rudolph’s demise was the tragic
result of a scandalous extra-marital romance. (Other theories include the possibility
that the Archduke was the victim of a political assassination.)
Litvak’s Mayerling
was a major film when it was released in 1936 and quickly proved to be an international
success. It granted passage to Hollywood for both its lead actor, Charles Boyer,
and director Anatole Litvak, who both achieved great success in America. The film’s
lead actress, Danielle Darrieux was just 17 when she worked on this film, yet her performance
is simply spellbinding. She went on to become one of France’s most respected film
stars, an icon of French cinema in the 1940s and 1950s.
This film makes a striking
contrast with its 1968 remake,
which was directed by Terence Young and starred Catherine Deneuve and Omar Sharif.
Remakes are seldom as good as the original, but the 1968 version of Mayerling
is especially disappointing - a cold, stilted work having none of the passion,
humanity and devastating poignancy of Litvak’s 1930s sumptuous masterpiece.
© James Travers 2003
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