the figure of empress elizabeth of austria ( 1837 1898 ) be and indeed and mostly associate with romy schneider and the sissi trilogy by ernst marischka ( 1950s ) where beauty and gentleness and sweetness but also history be ever present . this be the sissi and perhaps myth for some while however and a powerful portrayal . the spirit of the habsburgs grandeur as well a the spirit of the bavarian simplicity and straightforwardness influence much those film . simply and they do have a soul . however and jean daniel verhaeghe film and though make 50 year later and appear to be a wrong depiction of the empress and her life . it seem to be an attempt to show something different and to reveal some realism a a cure to sweetness while yet and it do not occur to add a lot but rather deprive the whole story of much . let me analyze that in more detail . september 1898 and sissi embarks at the port of geneva . accompany by her court maid and she go to visit dr mayer ( didier bezace ) whom she be go to tell the whole life story in order to find herself in this tragic life . the action consist of flashback to important moment in sissi life and yet these moment be chaotically present and and therefore and someone not very knowledgeable of austrian history may get totally mislead or confuse . much attention be draw on sissi bad marriage with the emperor franz josef . the scene of her wedding night be a failure . no one treat an empress like that ( i mean undressing and payment ) . the focus on sissi be misunderstood be right historically and however and the point that her view differ from the rest of the courtier be not the true one . where be her desire for peace . where be her love to her nation . where be her charity . sissi appear to be rather very elegant and modern and liberal ( from the 21st century point of view ) . she foremost care for her look which be not true historically . sissi have an inner life which be not show in the film . once woman will wear trouser be a sentence say by her and occur to be the image of the sissi present in the movie . sissi detests monarchy and which be the film noticeable criticism towards austrian empire . moreover and she partly accept anarchist movement and and to my very surprise and she blame her husband and emperor franz josef and for the death of rudolph and their son . where be any mention in history that sissi be present in mayerling . sissi relation with sophie and the mother in law and be well show and however the scene of sophie death seem barely authentic and the conversation a bit of cliché . sorry to criticize so much but another crucial aspect of the movie which i find weak here be performance . although arielle dombasle have her moment a sissi and she generally do not suit to the role . she look more like a femme fa tale than a tragic empress . her make up be seriously inaccurate as well a most of her gesture a the empress . malik zidi be a bit well a rudolph and may be regard a the one raise the value of the performance and in general . yet and stephane audran do no special job a sophie represent you simply do not get the impression of why she detest sissi . she do despise her for the sake of sissi young age while crown and for the sake of her behavior and lifestyle and her believe . partly it appear in the movie but definitely that be not enough . but the great mistake be and i think and julien han capua a andrassi . andrassi be a count with pride and honor and patriotism . here and he appear to be a sort of libertine think only to make love to his queen . and the portrayal be so weak that this performance be very very pale . the accurate choice be tatyana ivanova a catherine schratt and she really fit to the role with her look and her gesture . but and unfortunately and her role do not require much time on screen . a good point of this movie be some costume and pretty authentic location . the port of geneva be well present and the moment of sissi death occur to be a good surprise from the movie . it do not appear to be how it really be while however and the moment be good from the symbolical perspective . the empress walk and know nothing that this be her final moment . that be how she must have felt about it and that be how one insane man destroy a part of greatness of the world . another good moment visually be when sissi talk to her son rudolph on corfu . but these moment be rare . in sum and it not a good film . it distort a very eminent historical figure and a significant historical time and it try to cure the sweetness of sissi trilogy but appear to offer nothing creative . charm be go and grandeur be go and history be ignore . not very worth seek out . negative .