This movie continues the tall tale begun in SISSI as the adorable Imperial lovebirds move into the Schonbrunn Palace and all is hunky-dory for a year. When their daughter is born, however, up pops the Evil Mother-in-Law Trope, as Archduchess Vilma Degischer moves the baby to her wing of the palace. Maternal love cannot bear this, so Sissy flees back to Bavaria.
Will the Emperor follow? Will the Archduchess admit she's made a mistake? Will the Hungarians walk out on the Spanish Reception when they think they've been snubbed, threatening the Dual Monarchy?
Given the rough relationship of actual history to this spun-sugar confectionery, the best one can hope for is an exercise for old people tired of devastation by two World Wars talking about how it was better back in the Good Old Days. That's what one gets here in spades, with beautiful actors in beautiful clothes in beautiful settings, gemutlichkeit family relationships and beer and ham hocks at formal dinners, because under it all, that's what people really like. As a follow-up to the earlier movie, it's fine, but breaks little fresh ground on its own.
Will the Emperor follow? Will the Archduchess admit she's made a mistake? Will the Hungarians walk out on the Spanish Reception when they think they've been snubbed, threatening the Dual Monarchy?
Given the rough relationship of actual history to this spun-sugar confectionery, the best one can hope for is an exercise for old people tired of devastation by two World Wars talking about how it was better back in the Good Old Days. That's what one gets here in spades, with beautiful actors in beautiful clothes in beautiful settings, gemutlichkeit family relationships and beer and ham hocks at formal dinners, because under it all, that's what people really like. As a follow-up to the earlier movie, it's fine, but breaks little fresh ground on its own.