Elisabeth von Österreich

I guess the excellence of some of the early sound films never ceases to amaze me, in that in every way better than anything that came after. Elisabeth von Österreich is one such example. Lil Dagover has blossomed all her life and with the opportunities she had, there was no other actress in her time who could have become Elisabeth of Austria and lived all the key moments of the Empress' life. In this film, Sissi experiences everything from her vain youth to the Mayerling affair to a fatal assassination. Thanks to Lil Dagover with her spare gestures and a great face, the Empress came alive again and lived her whole life to the bitter end. (18.12.2013)