The Crown Prince
The film recounts the last years of the life of the Austrian Crown Prince Rudolf of Hapsburg until his tragic death in Mayerling. They are highlighted the difficult relationship with his father, the Emperor Franz Joseph, and the affectionate bond with his mother, the Empress Sissi; the failed marriage to Stephanie of Belgium; and his romantic relationships with the prostitute Mizzi Kaspar and the young Baroness Mary Vetsera, together with whom he will die in Mayerling. The film endorses the reconstruction according to which the Archduke apparently committed suicide, overwhelmed not only by a role that weighed and imprisoned, but also from the disappointment due to the low esteem that his father would usually express.
- 2006-2006
- 1 season
- Universal Pictures
- Documentary, Drama
The film recounts the last years of the life of the Austrian Crown Prince Rudolf of Hapsburg until his tragic death in Mayerling. They are highlighted the difficult relationship with his father, the Emperor Franz Joseph, and the affectionate bond with his mother, the Empress Sissi; the failed marriage to Stephanie of Belgium; and his romantic relationships with the prostitute Mizzi Kaspar and the young Baroness Mary Vetsera, together with whom he will die in Mayerling. The film endorses the reconstruction according to which the Archduke apparently committed suicide, overwhelmed not only by a role that weighed and imprisoned, but also from the disappointment due to the low esteem that his father would usually express.
Season 1 Episode Guide
2 Episodes 2006
Episode 1
1ère Partie
88 mins
Prince Rudolf of Habsburg, son of the Austrian emperor François-Joseph and the sovereign Elisabeth of Wittelsbach known as Sissi, must assume his status as heir by directing the Austro-Hungarian Empire. But the prince, a sensitive and educated young man, is very interested in liberal and modern ideas. Rather aspiring to power, he is more interested in politics than in the army and resents having to embrace a military career, which worries the leaders around him. Another subject that upsets the monarchy, Rodolphe attaches little importance to marriage. He connects love affairs that end badly and loses himself in excess. In order to get closer to Vienna and the throne, to take control of his life and ensure his succession, the prince finally agrees to marry Princess Stephanie of Belgium, hoping that she will give him a son. But she will give birth to a baby girl soon after.
Episode 2
2ème Partie
92 mins
Prince Rudolf meets young Mary Vetsera. With her, he seems to find renewed vitality. His wife, Princess Stephanie, who gave him a daughter, can no longer bear his escapades and is becoming more and more distant. Politically, the dream of a united Europe so dear to Rodolphe is compromised by the arrival on the German throne of his cousin, William. He continues to publish under a false name articles where he expresses his progressive ideas, but Taaffe, who is not fooled, seeks to compromise him, having clearly understood the danger he represents.