Mayerling is supposed to be a story of love and passion set in the backdrop of political turmoil in the austro-hungarian empire. The problem is there is very little passion in this movie. Catherine Deneuve, which I usually love, and Omar Sharif give such wooden performances that it is hard to imagine they would die of love. Ava Gardner is about as bad and James Mason does hardly better. Only James Robertson Justice and Genevieve Page seem to believe in what they are doing.

As far as the political story, you will not know very much more of the state of the empire after seing the movie. Characters drop by Omar Sharif once a while without enlightening us very much about their problems and goals. The only redeeming values are production values which are quite good. Better watch the original French movie with Charles Boyer and Danielle Darrieux.

'Mayerling' (1968)

Opening thoughts: There were plenty of reasons for seeing the 1968 version of 'Mayerling'. Have always loved period dramas, and especially when it is a period of history that really piques a lot of interest. Having gained a major interest in Austrian royalty since my holiday to Vienna last year (especially Empress Elisabeth, aka Sissi), this was one such period. The cast is a truly talented one and have given great performances elsewhere and have liked a good deal of Terrence Young's other work as well.

Unfortunately, the 1968 version of 'Mayerling' is a disappointment. It certainly doesn't underwhelm visually, but the performances are wildly uneven and mostly unimpressive and it just feels sluggish and bland. The story was a lot more interesting and compelling than what is depicted here and done much more justice in the infinitely superior 1936 'Mayerling', which is very, very good by the way. This is not a terrible film, but it really should have been so much better than the mixed bag film it turned out to be.

Good things: 'Mayerling' does have good things. The best components are the photography, costumes and production design. The photography stuns throughout and the costumes and production design are just exquisite. Francis Lai's music is lush and stirring and doesn't come over as over-scored or over-bearing, also not jarring stylistically.

While not being impressed by the performances, two are good. James Robertson Justice gives by far the film's best performance and is a real joy, managing to give much needed enthusiasm without becoming hammy. Genevieve Page is close behind and brings a lot of class and dignity, as well as being every bit as animated as Justice without jarring.

Bad things: It is a shame that the rest of the performances don't work. Omar Sharif, with a hairstyle that does not flatter him, looks uncomfortable and is very stiff. Catherine Deneuve has no warmth or passion to her performance and is as wooden as him. The chemistry between them is passionless and felt underdeveloped. James Mason's part is underwritten and he is given little to work with, the under-developing also shows in his performance which looked as though he wanted to be elsewhere. Ava Gardner has the right ahead of the time beauty for Sissi that was not present enough in the 1936 version, but otherwise doesn't really register.

Young's direction is very undistinguished and indicative of somebody who wasn't that interested in the story or history much. The script tends to be stilted and melodramatic and the film is very sluggishly paced and needed a lot more charm, atmosphere and passion, which are pretty much missing so everything feels very bland and dull. When it tries to be emotional, it comes over as very overwrought and the drama just feels thin. It perhaps could have been shorter too, with some of the longer scenes in need of some trimming.

Concluding thoughts: Summing up, a very mixed bag.

5/10.

Set in 1888 , the royal Rudolf , Crown Prince of Austria/Hungary (Omar Shariff) , is fettered on all sides . He's a doomer and dissolute romancer who was never up to ruling anyways , being extremely bored and tired . His father , the emperor Francisco -Franz- Joseph (James Mason) , is a domineering and tyrannical ruler . Rudolph's politics are more liberal than his father's, but he knows his views carry no weight . Rudolph agreed to marry a princess to sire an heir , then spends his nights as a playboy . Meantime , Rudolf has almost an unhealthy infatuation with his mother, the Empress Elizabeth , Sissi (Ava Gardner) , she has largely been an absent figure from Vienna and thus his unfortunate life is almost invisible at the royal court . In 1888, Rudolf , heir to the Austro-Hungarian empire, falls for by Marie Vetsera . He meets Marie Vetsera (Catherine Deneuve) and sees her at a theatre , she , 17 , a baroness's attractive teenaged daughter . She is resolute, smitten, and wants nothing in return for her love . He's already a problem to the Crown because of his political ideas ; and a love affair with someone not of royal blood breeches protocol . As the Crown doesn't allow and the emperor further neutralizes Rudolph by making him inspector general of the army , sending him afield for months at a time . As Rudolph falls deeply for the commom-born Mary Vetsera , despite his political marriage . The Prime Minister is alarmed; he contrives to have her sent away. Rudolf sinks into dissipation, then he takes part in a student revolt for the liberation of Hungary , but things go wrong . When she returns , the lovers will handle the opposition of society and their families . Rudolf and Marie Vetsera fight to find a way for them to be together . Both of whom are tragically smitten by a difficult and complicated romance that causes a moral opprobrium in high aristocracy and Hapsburg kingdom . No one woman could satisfy him...until he fell in love.

Based on the tragic and voluptuous romance between Rudolf and Baroness Maria Vetsera . No doubt meant to be a sweeping combo of a deep love story and politics about the separation of Austria and Hungary , forming the Austrian-Hungarian Empire , ala ¨Doctor Zhivago¨style . Main cast is pretty good , Omar Shariff plays the philander and seducer Prince with no crown and Catherine Deneuve is ideal as the tragic heroine , she is not only exquisitely gorgeous , she is alive as well . They are well accompanied by a very good support cast , such as : James Mason as Emperor Franz-Jose , Ava Gardner as Empress Elizabeth , Sissi , James Robertson Justice as Edward , Prince of Wales , Geneviève Page as Countess Larish , Andréa Parisy as Princess StephanieI , Ivan Desny as Count Hoyos , Maurice Teynac , Moustache , Fabienne Dali , Jacques Berthier , Charles Millot , Véronique Vendell , among others . The film provides lavish settings , brilliant cinematography and spectacular scenarios with bustling balls and lots of extras . Terence Young is equally acceptable at conveying the tidal wave which consumes the Hapsburg court , as well as love, passion and distresses that drowned the heir to the throne . Of course , it is extremely romantic and novelettish , sometimes in Barbara Cartland rubbish style , resulting to be really tedious and overlong , at times ; watching the 1936 retelling by Anatole Litvak , being much better shot and played . However , the picture turns out to be passable , though at the time it was a real flop at boxoffice.

It packs glimmer cinematography by cameraman Henry Alekan , Terence Young's regular , shot on location in Venice, Veneto, Italy , Mayerling, Lower Austria, Vienna, Austria , Paris Studios Cinema, Billancourt, France . As well as atmospheric musical score by Francis Lai , including classical music , such as : P. Morgenblaetter (Morning Paper) Composed by Johann Strauss , Radetzky-Marsch Composed by Johann Strauss Sr. , Giselle Composed by Adolphe Adam , The Waves of the Danube Composed by Iosif Ivanovici and Spartacus Suite Written by Aram Khachaturyan . The picture was professionally directed by Terence Young , being made with skill and commitment enough , displaying quite a few visual opulence and estimable production design .

There are several renditions about these deeds : ¨Tragedy in the House of Hapsburg¨ 1924 by Alexander Korda with Emil Fenyvessy , Kálmán Zátony , María Corda . The classic and best ¨Mayerling¨ 1935 by Anatole Litvak with Charles Boyer , Danielle Darrieux , Vladimir Skoloff , Jean Louis Barrault . ¨From Mayerling to Sarajevo¨ 1940 by Max Ophüls with Edwige Feuillère , John Lodge , Jean Worms , Jean Debucourt . ¨The secret of Mayerling 1949¨ with Jean Marais as L'archiduc Rodolphe d'Autriche-Hongrie , Dominique Blanchar as Marie Vetsera , Claude Farell as La comtesse Marie Larisch , Jean Debucourt as L'empereur François-Joseph . ¨Maria Vetsera¨1956 with Rudolf Prack as Rudolf , Christiane Hörbiger as Baroneß Mary Vetsera , Winnie Markus, Lil Dagover. Mayerling 2013 with Mara Galeazzi as Mary Vetsera and Edward Watson . And remade in 1967 for TV , among others .