“MAYERLING”

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24430, 16 October 1940, Page 5

“MAYERLING”

OUTSTANDING FRENCH ■ - PRODUCTION “ Mayerling,” which will make its first local appearance at the Regent Theatre on Friday, is from the French, made in France by the Nero productions, and based on a novel by Claude Enet, “Idyl’s End.’’ Many are living who remember the mysterious tragedy of the House of Habsburg when, the Crown Prince Rudolph was found shot at Mayerling, near Vienna, in January, 1889. Handsome, distinguished, he was a man of destiny, married to Stephanie, a Belgian princess,' and loving the little Baroness Marie Vetsera, portrayed by Danielle Darrieux. The strangeness of the link binding the disgruntled, embittered and much. older man to the lovely, dainty girl is one of the mysteries often revealed in life, and exquisitely moulded into an enthralling story. It completely captures the imagination through the inspirational genius of Boyer and Damelle Darrieux, the young French actress lately come to Hollywood* The did-, logtie is in French with English translations placed at the foot of the frames. The intuitive insight of the French has imparted extreme finesse in handling matter which could so easily have .offended, and the result is a beautiful creation of supreme artistry, The film is peculiarly informative, of the terrific glare of publicity which always beats on the heir to a throne, and one can easily sympathise with and understand how a human being can become hardened and soured by continual thwarting of his heart's desires. Rudolph even threatens abdication and when Marie, is sent away for a month he returns to the dissipated life which he has entirely eschewed as Marie's influence affected him—she being the one and only being on whom he could faithfully count as a sympathiser.