STOLEN IDENTITY

Francis Lederer, Donald Buka, Joan Camden

STOLEN IDENTITY (1953). Director: Gunther von Fritsch. Colorized. 

In post-war Vienna American Tony Sponer (Donald Buka) has difficulty making a living because he has no valid papers. When a man is shot in the back of the cab he is temporarily driving, he sees an opportunity to take on his identity and perhaps get back to the States. Unfortunately, the dead man was supposed to meet Karen Manelli (Joan Camden), who is running away from her suffocating husband, the famous pianist Claude Manelli (Frances Lederer of The Return of Dracula). When Karen meets up with her "boyfriend," a completely different person, things really become complicated. 

Buka and Camden

Stolen Identity is an unpredictable suspense story with some fine performances, intriguing aspects, and interesting characters. Lederer is as smooth and vaguely sinister as ever as the concert pianist, and Buka is excellent as Tony, who is torn in different directions as he simply tries to get back to his birthplace but gets tied up in murder and danger. Camden is generally good, although there are times when she hardly seems as upset as she should be considering the circumstances (and the death of her lover). The whole story takes place on New Year's Eve, was filmed on actual Viennese locations, and was produced by actor Turhan Bey. Buka had a long career before settling into a role on All My Children; Camden mostly did television. There are some good supporting performances in this as well. An Austrian-U.S. co-production. 

Verdict: Crackling good suspenser. ***. 

MAYERLING

Doomed lovers: Boyer and Darrieux

MAYERLING      (1936). Director: Anatole Litvak. French-language version with sub-titles.

Rudolph (Charles Boyer), the Crown Prince of Austria, is trapped in a loveless arranged marriage, disagrees with his father's politics and edicts, and spends most of his time carousing and womanizing. Until he espies the pretty young Marie Vetsera (Danielle Darrieux) and the two fall in love. Rudolph tries to have his marriage to the archduchess Stephanie (Yolande Laffon) annulled, but neither the Pope nor his father will allow this. The Emperor finally tells his son that this affair must end within 24 hours. The lovers spend one last fateful night together.

the real Prince Rudolph in younger days

Mayerling was a French film that turned Boyer into an international star. (I believe a dubbed version was also released). At 37 Boyer was a few years too old to play Rudolph (who was around 30), but it doesn't really matter. Boyer and Darrieux both give excellent performances in the less naturalistic style of the 1930's. The supporting cast consists of unfamiliar but well-chosen and effective French actors; I especially enjoyed Andre Dubosc as the prince's elderly and loving valet. 

Based on a novel, Mayerling -- named for the prince's retreat where the final rendezvous takes place -- is a fictionalized version of the story. There were at least three subsequent versions: The Secret of Mayerling, a French film that delves into the now-discredited theory that the lovers were murdered; a 1957 version with Audrey Hepburn and husband Mel Ferrer; and the 1968 version with Omar Sharif, which includes another lover of the prince's, an actress/possible prostitute that he apparently also tried to impress into a death pact. I have a feeling the real facts about our prince are much more interesting, and perhaps even less savory, than what happens in this movie. 

Boyer

In real life, Rudolph's marriage to Stephanie began happily enough, but frankly, Rudy was a bit of a dog; he even gave his wife a venereal disease! In the film Rudolph not only cheats on his wife but utterly humiliates her by asking Marie to dance with him instead of her at a royal ball. The couple's rather callous treatment of the wife is kind of glossed over, although the very young Marie does have the sensitivity to say of some gossiping old biddies, "It isn't easy getting old." Mayerling boasts a very arresting and interesting score by Arthur Honegger. Boyer and Darrieux reteamed 17 years later for The Earrings of Madame De.  

Verdict: If taken with a grain of salt, this is an impressive and well-made romantic picture. ***. 

ECSTASY

Hedy Lamarr in her famous nude scene

ECSTASY (aka Ekstase/1933). Director: Gustav Machaty.

Eva (Hedy Kiesler, soon to be known as Hedy Lamarr) marries an older man named Emile (Zvonimir Rogoz) but he proves to be a cold fish. Eva returns to her father (Leopold Kramer) and sues her husband for divorce; Emile is heartbroken. One afternoon Eve takes a nude swim and runs after her horse -- still naked -- where she encounters a handsome engineer named Adam (Aribert Mog). The two fall in love, and an encounter between Adam and Emile leads to tragedy on more than one level.

German hunk Aribert Mog

Ecstasy is best-known as the film that attracted American movie producers to Hedy Lamarr, who caused a bit of a scandal with her nude scenes. First she is seen from the back as she goes into a lake, then there is a shot of full frontal nudity, then the chase after her horse. She is hidden by bushes in subsequent shots, and covers her breasts when she is discovered by an amused Adam. But forget about the nudity, there is so much more to this lovely tone-poem of a movie, which is by no means a sordid melodrama. There is so little dialogue that this is nearly a silent picture, were it not for the beautiful score by Giuseppe Becce, which despite his being Italian-born, is Viennese "schmaltz" at its finest -- intense, romantic, and full of melody, and yes, the Italian influence is also there. The cinematography (by a trio of photographers) is also quite good.

Lamarr and Mog 

Some people can't get into the movie because it's a bit "minimalist," with, as noted, little dialogue and only the broadest of characterizations. But as you are pulled along by the symphonic score, the photography, and the expressive performances of the cast members, it somehow doesn't matter. There is a very touching sequence at a train station, and the wind-up is also moving. There is a sex scene that is powerful and obvious without being graphic. The direction is very good, although Machaty perhaps overdoes the symbolism with the frequent shots of horses and flies. Whatever its flaws, Ecstasy is a worthwhile and very arresting picture. Mog was a popular leading man in Germany who died at 37 fighting the Russians. Gustav Machaty also directed American films such as Jealousy.

Verdict: This Austrio-Czechoslovakian co-production was  Hedy's fifth film and decidedly one of her most interesting and unusual. ***. 

SISSI: THE FATEFUL YEARS OF AN EMPRESS

Franz (Boehm) and Sissi (Schneider) at La scala 

SISSI: THE FATEFUL YEARS OF AN EMPRESS (aka Sissi - Schicksalsjahre einer Kaiserin/1957). Director: Ernest Marischka. 

The third and final installment in the Sissi trilogy continues the story of the beautiful young Austrian empress (Romy Schneider) and her husband, the Emperor Franz Josef (Karl Boehm). Sissi develops a serious lung infection  which has her doctor predicting that she will die unless she goes to a warmer climate, and that even then the outcome is not certain. The film turns into a type of travelogue as Sissi travels to other lands such as Portugal and Greece with her mother (Magda Schneider) and Major Bockl (Joseph Meinrad), whose romantic adventures with different women are briefly explored. The travelogue continues as the empress accompanies the emperor on a goodwill tour to Naples and Venice, where the Italian citizenry, still smarting over past unpleasantries and Austria's occupation, do their best to snub and ignore them. An interesting scene has everyone at the La scala opera house singing one of Verdi's patriotic choruses from Nabucco as the royal Austrians take their seat in their box. There are some attempts at drama when Sissi tries to make friends with one Hungarian, Count Batthyani (Peter Neusser)  who is not thrilled with Austria, and is told by handsome Hungarian Count Andrassy (Walter Meyer), whom she charmed in the last picture, that he is in love with her. Anton Profes' musical score is richly romantic and memorable, as is Bruno Mondi's photography, especially his exquisite shots of Venice. The opening credits feature a flock of birds actually spelling out the name "Sissi" before taking to flight -- marvelous. The leads and supporting players are fine and Vilma Degischer continues her wonderful portrait of the stern, if loving, mother-in-law Sophie. 

Verdict: Entertaining and nice to look at if you take it with a grain of salt. ***.  

SISSI: THE YOUNG EMPRESS

A ball at the palace

SISSI: THE YOUNG EMPRESS (aka Sissi - Die junge Kaiserin/1956). Director: Ernst Marischka. 

This is the second film in the trilogy that began with Sissi. Sissi (Romy Schneider) and Franz Josef (Karl Boehm) are married and living in the beautiful Schonbrunn palace. As Empress of Austria, Sissi is instrumental in creating new understanding between the Austrians and Hungarians when she importunes Franz to offer amnesty to former enemies. Naturally, her termagant mother-in-law, Sophie (Vilma Degischer), a conservative with old, rigid ways, disagrees with Sissi, then goes too far when she decides to simply take over the raising of Sissi's baby daughter without even talking it over with the mother. This causes a brief separation between the emperor and his wife. This is an entertaining movie, even if it gets to be a little cloying at times, and there seem to be more kids [in the scenes when Sissi goes home to her family] than in The Sound of Music, adorable as they may be. Although this has the same cinematographer as Sissi, Bruno Mondi, the film and its glamorous, magnificent settings are photographed and displayed with much more care than in the first film, making this a treat to look at. Anton Profes has contributed a beautiful opening theme as well. The silly bodyguard, Major Bockl (Joseph Meinrad) is back and now in love with Sissi. Schneider, Boehm, Degischer and the other actors all give fine performances. 

Verdict: Not exactly heavy drama, but lovely in many ways, and well-acted. ***. 

SISSI

Karl[heinz] Boehm and Romy Schneider

SISSI (1955). Director: Ernst Marischka.

The Austrian Archduchess Sophie (Vilma Degischer) has decided that her son, Emperor Franz Josef (Karlheinz Boehm) should take a wife, and she has decided upon her Bavarian niece Helene, known as "Nene" (Uta Franz). Unfortunately, while Nene is in town with her mother (Magda Schneider) and sister Elizabeth, nicknamed "Sissi" (Romy Schneider), Sissi accidentally encounters Franz, who doesn't know who she is (not having seen the sisters since childhood) and is almost instantly smitten and vice versa. This causes a serious complication, as the last thing Sissi wants to do is hurt and humiliate her sister, who already thinks of herself as engaged to Franz. That's about all the real drama you get in this nonetheless entertaining and very well-acted Austrian film that makes full use of beautiful Austrian palaces and settings. (Unfortunately, these settings are not photographed with any particular elan; in fact recreations in a Hollywood film might have been more impressive because of it). A bone-headed alleged bodyguard who mistakes Sissi for an assassin is thrown in for some unfunny comedy relief. The Archduchess describes Sissi as "16, impudent, and ill-mannered," but she doesn't come off that way until after the old lady gets sharp with her. Schneider was 17 when she made this film and is lovely. Her real-life mother plays her mother in the film. Boehm was later known simply as Karl Boehm, wherein he appeared in such films as Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm. His most famous movie is probably Peeping Tom, wherein he was billed as "Carl" Boehm. This is the first part of a trilogy about the beautiful young empress which was later dubbed in English, spliced together, and released in the US (especially television) as Forever, My Love. The basic facts about Karl Franz preferring Sissi to Helene are true although much of the rest is fanciful fabrication.

Verdict: Nothing spectacular, easy to take, but lacks that certain Hollywood panache. ***.