Sarajevo (French: De Mayerling à Sarajevo) is a 1940 French historical drama film directed by Max Ophüls and starring Edwige Feuillère, John Lodge and Aimé Clariond. Beginning in the aftermath of the Mayerling Incident, the film portrays the love affair and marriage between Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg, leading up to their eventual assassination in 1914 in events that triggered the First World War. The film was not a commercial or critical success.[1] Following the German occupation of France the film was banned, and Ophüls fled into exile for the second time.
| Sarajevo | |
|---|---|
Theatrical film poster
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| French | De Mayerling à Sarajevo |
| Directed by | Max Ophüls |
| Written by |
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| Produced by | Edward Halton Eugène Tucherer |
| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Curt Courant Otto Heller |
| Edited by | Myriam Borsoutsky Jean Oser |
| Music by | Oscar Straus |
Production | B.U.P. Française |
| Distributed by | Compagnie Cinématographique de France |
Release date |
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Running time | 95 minutes |
| Country | France |
| Language | French |
In the late 1800's, Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian empire, falls for Sophie Chotek, a Czech countess. He's already a problem to the Crown because of his political ideas. In addition, a love affair with someone not of royal blood breaches protocol. The Crown allows the union only after the couple agrees to a morganatic marriage. Franz doesn't seem to care about the protocols of the time, provoking the emperor to further neutralize him by demoting him to inspector general of the army. In June 1914, fearing for his safety, Sophie seeks permission to accompany Franz to Sarajevo; protocol dictates that no army troops attend Franz while she is present. An assassin strikes. Their deaths spark World War I.
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