Plot:
Princess Elisabeth, nicknamed "Sissi", is the second oldest daughter of Duke Maximilian Joseph and Princess Ludovika of Bavaria. She is a carefree, impulsive and nature-loving girl. With her mother and her demure older sister Helene, 16-year-old Sissi went to Upper Austria. Ludovika's sister, Archduchess Sophie, is the mother of the young emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria. Helene is called to meet the young emperor Franz Joseph so that the two might be immediately engaged. Sissi is unaware of the real reason for the journey.
Sissi spends her time fishing in the forest where by chance she meets Franz Josef. The emperor is unaware that the girl is his cousin Sissi. They fall in love with each other. During their trip, Sissi learns of the planned marriage between Franz Joseph with her sister. Sissi becomes distraught due to her loyalty to Helene. She runs away from Franz Joseph without any explanation.
Unexpectedly, Sissi is invited to Franz Josef's brother, Carl-Ludwig's birthday celebration. At this party, Franz Joseph realizes who Sissi is and tries to talk to her, openly confessing his love and asking her to marry him. Sissi rejects Franz Joseph in order not to betray her sister. He defies his mother's reservations and Sissi's resistance and announces, to the surprise of his guests, his betrothal to Sissi. Helene is heartbroken and leaves the party crying. Sissi, in a state of shock, is forced to obey the Emperor's wishes. In Possenhofen, preparations for the wedding have started. Sissi is not excited for her impending marriage, as the hurt Helene has left for an indefinite period. For her sister's sake, Sissi attempts to break her engagement, however, Helene returns with a new suitor, Maximilian Anton, Hereditary Prince of Thurn and Taxis. The sisters reunite and Helene gives her blessings to Sissi for her marriage.
Comment:
There is a trilogy of Sissi movie, which represent the legendary life of Sissi, Empress of Austria, Queen of Hungary and Queen consort of Croatia and Bohemia. This trilogy was also shown at the end of the first wave of feminism. It can be seen from several aspects:
First of all, take the first movie as example: in the movie, Sissi is a pretty, innocent and kind-hearted girl, just like Princess Ann in Roman Holiday. Sissi loves nature and freedom. Although she falls in love with Franz Joseph, she refuses to heart her sister.
Nevertheless, the movie still shows the absolute speaking right of male. Sissi is reluctant to be the queen; Helene was heartbroken by Franz Joseph’s choice of Sissi, while Franz Joseph’s mother Sophie is also unwilling to make Sissi become her daughter in law. Three female characters have their own thinking, but they all finally obey Franz Joseph’s wish and constitute a happy ending of the movie. Although the movie is about princess, it seems that the bravest one who bears the pressure and breaks the role for true love is still the male. The sense of male heroism is permeated in the whole movie.