The movie
Corsage
Corsage is a beautifully photographed dive into the psychology of a fascinating, tortured woman, who one character in the film describes as “a book with a riddle on each page.”
Length: 115 min
Country: Duitsland, Frankrijk, Luxemburg, Oostenrijk
Language spoken: Duits, Frans, Engels, Hongaars
Language subtitles: Nederlands
Cast: Vicky Krieps, Colin Morgan, Raphael von Bargen, Finnegan Oldfield
Director: Marie Kreutzer
Release date: 2022
Description
It is 1877: Duchess Elisabeth Amalie Eugenie in Bavaria, Empress of Austria and Queen of Hungary (a fabulous Vicky Krieps, still best known for her role in Paul Thomas Anderson’s ‘Phantom Thread’), is turning 40 and chafing at the constraints placed on her by her husband, Emperor Franz Joseph (Florian Teichtmeister), and his court. What writer-director Marie Kreutzer does with this scenario is nothing short of marvellous: she mixes fact and fiction to create an indelible portrait of a lady, if not on fire, at least smoking (literally, as Elisabeth was an early adopter of a new fad—smoking cigarettes).
‘A superb Vicky Krieps gives the empress new clothes in a brilliant reclamation of the “Sissi” legend… Marie Kreutzer's bold costume drama depicts a restless Empress Elisabeth of Austria touring Europe, trying to break free of her literally and figuratively constricted life at court… “Corsage” is… a witty subversion of biopic and costume-drama clichés. Full of odd glitches and deliberate flubs in period detail, the film feels like an invitation into a secret conspiracy to reach back through time and, with deft, irreverent 21st-century fingers, loosen the stays on Empress Elisabeth’s corsetry just a little.’—Jessica Kiang, Variety
