June 26, 2022, 5:35 am | Read time: 5 minutes
Few historical figures enjoy such enduring popularity as Elisabeth of Austria-Hungary, known as Sisi. TECHBOOK lists all series and films about the former empress–and where to stream them.
What do actresses Lil Dagover, Romy Schneider, Dominique Devenport, Christiana Capotondi, and Ava Gardner have in common? They have all portrayed the late “Sisi,” Empress of Austria-Hungary. Few historical figures appear so frequently in films and series, and few are as well-known–especially women. Soon, another name will join the ranks of these notable actresses: Devrim Lingnau. Streaming giant Netflix is planning its own miniseries about the former Austrian empress. To help keep track of all the Sisis, TECHBOOK has compiled all the film adaptations.
Overview
Sisi–a Figure Through the Ages
Older Films
The first known Sisi film was made during the silent film era, with actress Carla Nielsen in the lead role. Even the empress’s niece, Marie Louise von Larisch-Wallersee, was involved in its development. The most famous image from the film is Elisabeth on her deathbed, which was mistakenly presented as an original image of Sisi for years. In 1931, “Elisabeth of Austria” was released with Lil Dagover in the title role. The well-known stage and film actress reprised her role as Sisi in the 1956 film “Crown Prince Rudolf’s Last Love.” The operetta “The King Steps Out” took a completely new approach, with famous opera singer Grace Moore portraying the young empress.
Sisi’s childhood in Bavaria is explored in the relatively unknown 1938 film “Princess Sissi.” “Ludwig II–Glory and End of a King” (1955) depicts her friendship with Ludwig II of Bavaria, which ends tragically. Another film released the same year features Sisi, not yet married to Franz Josef, in a minor role.
“Sissi” with Romy Schneider
The image of the empress in this country was decisively shaped by Ernst Marischka’s film trilogy. The then-underage Romy Schneider achieved her international breakthrough with the role of “Sissi.” To this day, persistent legends about the life and especially the love story between Franz Josef and Sisi endure because of the three films released between 1955 and 1957.
Originally, a fourth film by Marischka was planned. However, the project failed because Romy Schneider wanted to pursue other roles and firmly opposed returning. In 1973, she donned the costume of Empress Elisabeth one last time for the film “Ludwig II.” In this title, Sisi is already significantly more mature and distant; the portrayal is praised as much more realistic.
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Other Adaptations
Many more films followed into the 1990s, although they focused more on Sisi’s son Rudolph. The Austrian heir to the throne died in 1889 alongside the young Baroness Mary Vetsera at Mayerling Castle, most likely by suicide. The circumstances of his death and his relationship with Mary Vetsera remain partially unresolved, making them a tragic pop culture couple who fell victim to the strict court regulations.
From the 1990s onward, there was an increasingly satirical examination of the historical figure of the Empress of Austria. “Sisi and the Emperor’s Kiss” exaggerates the Viennese court ceremonial and the marriage plans Archduchess Sophie had for her son Franz Josef. The animated film by Michael Bully Herbig, “Lissi and the Wild Emperor,” is also quite well-known in this country.
Current Films and Series
Since the 2020s, there has been a renewed boom around Sisi. In 2021, the RTL production “Sisi” was created with Dominique Devenport in the title role. Jannik Schümann plays her husband, Franz Josef. In 2022, the Netflix series “The Empress” is set to be released, along with the film “Corsage” starring Vicky Krieps as Elisabeth of Austria. “Sisi and I,” featuring Susanne Wolff as Sisi, is also planned to hit theaters in 2022.
In addition to film adaptations, Sisi has also been the subject of numerous documentaries. The musical “Elisabeth” by Michael Kunze and Sylvester Levay, which premiered in Vienna in 1992, is also very well-known.
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Why Are We Fascinated by Sisi?
Even more than 120 years after Elisabeth’s death, fascination with her remains unbroken. There are various theories as to why. One important factor seems to be the empress’s attractiveness. During her lifetime, the first photographs were taken, which certainly boosted her popularity, especially since Sisi was very conscious of how she was portrayed in public. Her obsession with beauty is also addressed in newer film and series productions, while it plays no role in the Romy Schneider films.
Also remarkable is the career Sisi had at court. Although the circumstances are often romantically exaggerated in film adaptations, her emancipation from Archduchess Sophie and the court protocol likely did occur. Her intriguing life story also includes her tragic death at the hands of assassin Luigi Lucheni. The tragic part–according to his own statement, he wasn’t even targeting the empress. Instead, he intended to murder Prince Philippe d’Orléans.
The love story between Elisabeth and the emperor is another piece of the Sisi myth. The Emperor of Austria was originally supposed to marry Elisabeth’s sister, Helene of Bavaria. A love marriage was absolutely unusual in aristocratic circles at the time, making it all the more remarkable. A story that still inspires dreams today.