Ah, my beloved Vienna! How much I do adore thee... Happily, while I cannot be there, you have been the star of some wonderful films to help ease my yearning.
Sissi (1955)
If you have watched any movie about the Austrian-Hungarian Empire, the Habsburgs or the royal family, you have probably seen Sissi. Portrayed by the stunning actress, Romy Schneider, Sissi was the nickname for Empress Elizabeth. The film series is beautifully shot in Austria and Germany with spectacular costuming and a radiant star. The movies immortalized the Empress making her the most famous character in Austrian history. Sissi is portrayed as a beautiful, happy newlywed doted on by her new husband, Emperor Franz Josef. The storyline and movies are pleasant to watch and present a whimsical side of all of the characters.
Many people fall in love with Sissi through these films - present company included! However, even though they are historically fairly accurate, when you begin reading the truth about Sissi through biographies and other literature, you will soon learn that she was not raised to be an empress and was miserable about her fate when chosen by the emperor. Alas, another story about a princess in a gilded cage.
The Third Man (1949)
This was one of the first films shot on location in Vienna right after WWII when the capital was still rebuilding. Backdrops include buildings barely left standing after the bombs fell and the characters are often seen running up and down piles of rubble. The city was split up by the allied countries and the story exists in a rarely seen time in post-war history.
The film begins with an American author (Joseph Cotten) arriving in Vienna to visit a friend (Orson Welles) who he finds out has died just days before. In his quest to learn more about his friend's death, he learns more than he wants to know about his life and the film turns from a mystery to suspense.
The film is so famous in Vienna among tourists that an entire museum exists and multiple tour guides specialize in showing visitors the shooting locations around the city. I definitely recommend it as a "must see" before heading to Vienna for the first time.
Amadeus (1984)
Mozart in this film, and in real life, was a true character. A child prodigy, he never truly grew up. Although various members of the royal family in Vienna adored him, landlords were not such big fans as he infamously changed homes frequently without paying rent. He had an extravagant lifestyle and the movie won many awards for representing it through lavish costumes and sets. Actor Tom Hulce portrays the composer well and the film took home the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1984. An additional Oscar went to co-star F. Murray Abraham for his portrayal of Mozart's "nemesis" Salieri.
On the "historical fiction" scale, it rates fairly high in terms of showing what Vienna may have been at the time (with lots more color) but the rivalry between Mozart and Salieri is exaggerated... greatly. Still, it is fun to watch and the soundtrack, of course, is amazing.
Hotel Sacher (2016)
Never seen on any other movie list for Vienna, I am pretty proud to introduce this soap-operatic two-part film to you. As of this posting date, it is available on amazon.com free for Prime Members. If the name Sacher is familiar to you, your mouth may be watering at the thought of their famous torte - a rich chocolate cake invented by the founder of the hotel and a must-try for all visitors to Vienna.
The film opens up in the end of the 19th century as Herr Sacher is on his deathbed. His father, the founder of the hotel, is too old to take back management, and it is simply not a woman's place to be put in charge of such an esteemed establishment. But, our heroine, Frau Sacher, is not any woman and she successfully takes the reins and steers the business through scandals, war and other challenges.
A wide variety of characters interweave their stories through the hotel's front... and back... doors over a period of almost twenty years. If you like Downton Abbey, you will love Hotel Sacher.
The Illusionist (2006)
As far as period pieces go, this is one of my favorite movies of all time. It won an Oscar for best cinematography making it an extraordinarily beautiful film. Entirely fiction, the story does include some characters that are inspired by Emperor Franz Josef and his son, Crown Prince Rudolph. The movie provides a well-balanced entertainment in romance, mystery, suspense and... magic.
In a story as old as time, a princess falls for a commoner and their love is forbidden. But, as we all know, love finds a way. Although this film takes place in early 20th century Vienna, all of the shooting was done in Czechia. As a matter of fact, most of the locations are found in my ancestors' home village of Cesky Krumlov, an area about an hour south of Prague. If you are spending some time in Vienna and can spare a day or two, venture out to other areas of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. I highly recommend the beer and dumplings.
Woman in Gold (2015)
Can I just say two words here? Helen. Mirren. Well, ok. Two more words. Ryan. Reynolds. But, seriously, I love these two superstars in this movie. Combine them with the story, the scenes in Vienna and the amazing ending, it is pretty much perfect. And true stories like this deserve high praise.
The Nazis stole a lot of art during WWII. After the war, it ended up in every place except where it should have... with the original owners or their ancestors. Helen Mirren is the heroine here whose aunt posed for Klimt in Vienna before the war. The portrait hung in her family's home when they fled to save their lives. Fast forward sixty years and the famous work has become one of the most visited works at the Belvedere Museum. The question is: who owns the painting?
As a museum scholar, I loved when this movie came out and educated the world about art provenance. Museums have since taken it upon themselves to make sure that they truly own a piece of art. Some are returning works to their appropriate owners, some are not. But, now we know how many of our favorite museums acquired their art.
Egon Schiele - Death and the Maiden (2016)
I can't say enough about how wonderful this movie is. It may be difficult to find. I was able to watch it through my public library's online streaming service Hoopla. The cinematography, the locations, the characters, the music and the story all come together so beautifully to tell the love story of Egon Schiele and his muse Wally.
For those who don't know, Schiele played a huge part in the art that came out of Vienna during the Succession. He was great friends with Klimt and his mentor makes some wonderfully surprising appearances in the film. Although there is a lot of nudity in this movie, I feel it is tasteful and appropriate given the fact that most of Schiele's works were nudes. I appreciated learning about his time of incarceration and his relationships with his sister, his wife, and of course, Wally.
How I wish everyone could experience a love like this.
Portrait of Wally (2013)
This fascinating documentary brings to light the discovery that one of Egon Schiele’s most famous works went through three world-renowned museums before its provenance was challenged.
The work was owned by a Jewish gallery owner and collector as the Anschluss began in Vienna in 1938 when Austria joined the Third Reich. After the gallery and piece was seized by a Nazi officer, the owner of Portrait of Wally Neuzil fled the country. After the war, she reached out to the avid Schiele collector and Leopold Museum founder to help retrieve the work. Instead, he acquires it for himself and includes it in the major Schiele exhibit that he sent to MOMA in 1997. The American government found out and, for thirteen years, refused to let it leave the country until true ownership was established.
The documentary includes some rarely seen film clips of Vienna during the Anschluss. For prime members of amazon.com, it can be seen for free.
Before Sunrise (1995)
This film starring Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke began an unexpected trilogy that followed a couple of young people who met on a train from Budapest to Vienna. As he gets off the train the afternoon before an early morning flight back home to the United States, he takes a chance and asks the French girl he just met to get off the train with him. The rest of the movie is spent following them around Vienna as they learn more about each other and fall in love.
I remember seeing this film 25 years ago and feeling something off about it. Julie Delpy is sparkling but the chemistry with Ethan Hawke isn’t believable. She is way too smart for him. I always wondered what people found appealing enough to encourage their partnership twice more. Now that I am older, I see the movie better for what it is - a fantasy. What solo traveler doesn’t secretly dream of a similar romantic encounter in a foreign country? Vienna is the perfect backdrop and I thank the producers for choosing it.
A Dangerous Method (2011)
Based on a true story, this film focuses on the relationship between Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung, especially as it pertained to the affair Jung had with patient-turned-psychologist Sabina Spielrein. Most of the film takes place between Switzerland and Vienna with scenes shot in the Belvedere Gardens and the Freud Museum as highlights.
The movie can be disturbing at times. The characters all have significant challenges and struggle with mental illness at one point or another. If understanding more about Jung and Freud is a goal, you will probably like this film. They spent a lot of time corresponding through letters which can make it easier to understand each person's point of view. Not a light film by any means but not too difficult a way to spend an hour and a half.
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Finally, a film I do not recommend and one I am looking forward to seeing...
The Piano Teacher (2001)
This film does take place in Vienna but it is hard to tell. It is almost totally in French and involves a woman and her student at a Viennese music conservatory. It did win the Cannes Palm D'or the year it came out but it is just not my taste. I stopped halfway through as it got more and more perverse. The main character is truly disturbed and has an extremely dysfunctional relationship with her mother to the point where they are violent with each other. I rented the movie in order to review it for you, dear reader. But, this is not a blog about pornography.
Museum Hours (2012)
I was really looking forward to seeing this film. It is about a guide and a visitor who strike up a friendship in Vienna's famous art history museum, the Kunsthistorisches. Unfortunately, at this time in the US, it is only available on DVD or through a free trial on Fandor... and we all know what free trials lead to. A true Baby Boomer on a Budget, I will wait until my next trip to Europe and hope it is featured on one of the streaming services there.
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