Ludwig der Zweite, König von Bayern (1930)
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Directors
Cast
William Dieterle, Rina Marsa, Theodor Loos, Gerhard Bienert, Trude von Molo, Hans Heinrich von Twardowski
A Bavarian king’s grand visions of art and harmony strain his kingdom’s finances and alienate his court.
The story
The film follows Bavarian monarch Ludwig II, particularly in his later years. After early political successes, he grows increasingly extravagant and commissions castles to fulfill his visions of perfect harmony and noble art. The enormous expense drives Bavaria into a worsening financial crisis. The people and court turn against him, while Empress Elisabeth and Princess Sophie grow increasingly distant.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
The film traces the key stages in the life of the Bavarian monarch Ludwig II of Bavaria, focusing above all on his final years. After early political successes, his extravagance increasingly takes hold. Ludwig has castles built to match his ambitious visions of perfect harmony and noble art. These enormous expenditures plunge the state of Bavaria into an increasingly disastrous financial crisis. Soon the people and the entire court turn against him. Even his closest confidante, Empress Elisabeth, and her younger sister, Princess Sophie, grow increasingly estranged from him. Isolated and driven by the feeling that he is misunderstood and surrounded only by enemies and small-minded people, Ludwig’s behavior gradually takes on delusional traits. The king is first cut off from the outside world and then placed under guardianship. Finally, he and his personal physician, Dr. Gudden, die under unexplained circumstances in Lake Starnberg.
Genres
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