Twist of a true story

Rating: 8/10 (17 March 2007)

Crown Prince Rudolf must be turning in his grave. Mayerling was a rotten attempt at an old celebrity mystery death. (Trivia, I was a 14 year old dancer in the ballroom scene, the camera was on a mini railway track and I got the extra job, because I had no tan, and was as white as a woman would be in 1889.) But this is good, obviously it should have had a more clever ending....a darker ending would have added to the film considerably. But the sets were brilliant, the costumes and the lighting really felt in another time. I twigged it was Czech land, not Austrian quickly, because of some basic differences, no undergrowth under trees, cobbles in non Viennese patterns, but the Czech republic makes a great generic 'old Europe', and this is just a quibble, and mean spirited, sorry. I have to say I really enjoyed the story, even if it was predictable, and Paul Giamatti, who is such a modern man, as an historical figure, was a delight. Hard to steal a movie from Ed Norton, but he does it. Jessica Biel is a bit of nonentity tho'. Rufus is not a bit like the real Kronprinz, who was weak and mild, but heck, excellent in the part. Just enjoy it for what it is, better than the Prestige.