Original subtitles

Get out of here.

What have you done?

I will not forge any pact with that man.

I risked my life to get Hungary back on our side.

And you throw it all away out of... jealousy?

Thousands of soldiers will die,

you may even lose the war. Franz, please...

I will declare war on Bismarck today.

Franz, I’m on your side!

I curse the day I sent you to him.

I’m looking for the master of that horse.

Count Andrássy.

Majesty?

- What are you doing here? - I...

I just want to...

I just want to tell you...

that, as long as I’m Empress,

your people will always have an ally in Vienna.

What else must I do?

Ödön Körték and many others will follow Bismarck to war

against your husband.

You did what you could.

I thank you for it.

And I thank you

that my last memory of Vienna won’t be a blade at my throat.

Good luck.

I will come back.

See you soon, Marie.

Right face!

Should I take him?

Hard times are coming, Sisi.

For you, too.

You are now in charge of this court,

this country.

Can you do it?

Marie!

It’s your fault Franz is going to war!

What on earth makes you think that?

A very mighty man wants to wage war against Franz. That’s why he--

Liar! You chased him out!

Marie!

Stay where you are!

- I’m not lying. - So tell me what happened with my mother.

Why is she dead?

Your mother sided with rebels.

With assassins who wanted to kill Franz and me.

The scar on Franz’s neck?

That was one of them.

Franz almost died in my arms.

I’m so sorry, Marie.

I sentenced her to death.

Me.

I wish-- I wish I had never done it.

I’m so sorry, Marie.

I think...

I think she was in great distress. That’s why she did it.

And she wanted to protect you.

From that distress, understand?

I’m sorry.

She asked me to take care of you.

She wanted a better life for you than hers.

I want that too.

Marie.

Marie, I...

I hate your lies, I want to see Franz!

Marie.

- Majesty. - Have you seen Marie?

No.

- You’re injured! - Never mind.

- Guards! - Majesty?

- Find the girl. - Very well.

Marie, where on earth are you?

BISTRITZ VALLEY NEAR KÖNIGGRÄTZ

We’ll surround them.

We await them here, drive them towards us.

We shouldn’t fight with the woods in our back.

It would be disastrous in case of a retreat.

A soldier who knows there is no retreat will fight until the end.

I say we fight here.

Stop!

I need to speak to Ödön.

I don’t know...

if you’re suicidal or brave.

We need to talk.

Why?

Austria and Prussia have called to arms. A great war is coming.

Yes. And as you can see, we’re on the right side.

The same violence Bismarck will use to dominate Europe will strike us, too.

Think I haven’t considered it?

Franz Joseph is no better than Bismarck.

But it’s Bismarck I have a deal with.

But Franz isn’t the only voice in Vienna anymore.

There is an Empress there

who chooses the path of diplomacy.

Humanitarian paths, and of respect.

Humanitarianism and respect...

Yes, I know.

You left that path a long time ago.

I saw it with my own eyes when you raided my estate.

Our country

faces civil war!

Brothers will fight their sisters!

A joint parliament is our only chance.

The Austrian Empress may be our best chance at freedom and self-determination.

Even if the path is long and cumbersome,

they cost no human lives.

See for yourself how much consent you garner.

I’ll take my chances.

So! Let’s vote!

There will be no vote here!

Yes, there will.

There will be a vote.

How can I help you?

Your Majesty,

we’re not exactly sure whom to address with our cause.

You are facing the Austrian Empress.

Very well.

The Prussians raided a food storage near Usti.

We lost three regiments worth of supplies.

Then we must send new supplies.

Our storages are empty, Your Majesty.

Either the Viennese go hungry or the soldiers on the front.

Ration the food in Vienna to the utmost.

That includes this court.

- Send all you can to the front. - Very well, Your Majesty.

Anything else I can do?

Speak.

It is only a rumor for now, Your Majesty.

But we assume that cholera...

- How many cases are there? - We don’t know.

But they say the Prussians are equally affected.

Like I said, only a rumor right now.

Report to me once you know more.

The Hungarians, the Hungarians!

Whose side are they on?

- Are the children asleep? - Yes.

Any news from Marie?

No. Nowhere to be found. She’s gone.

But she’s smart. She’ll get by somehow.

There is news from the front.

- “...surrounded.” - The Prussians almost destroyed our army.

If the Hungarians hadn’t intervened...

Count Andrássy.

Franz has retreated to Königgrätz to regroup the army...

for a decisive battle.

The people are afraid.

The people should know that

Franz, heroically and with the help of our Hungarian friends,

freed himself from mortal encirclement at Bistritz.

Have all papers print it.

Fine.

Thank you.

Something else you may want to know...

Count Andrássy was wounded.

They’ll probably bring him to Vienna to sickbay.

Why are you telling me this?

I wanted to see for myself how the news affects you.

The Empress proclaims:

Franz Joseph and his Hungarian allies

have freed themselves from entrapment with heroic courage and cleverness.

SEARCHING FOR A GIRL

Do we have enough space?

Are you heading to the front?

- What do you think? - Take me with you.

- How old are you? - 15.

Yeah, right.

Up it goes... We take this one, too.

Now get lost.

Hey! Give me back my spoon!

Give it back or you take me with you!

Kid, this is not a game, understand?

Then give me back my spoon!

You’d better just be glad I don’t report you to the police.

What’s wrong with these men?

You shouldn’t be here, Your Majesty.

Answer me.

It’s probably cholera, Your Majesty.

Majesty.

NEAR THE FRONT AT KÖNIGGRÄTZ

Your Majesty should get some rest.

- How so? - It would do you good.

We’re having fun, aren’t we? Are we having fun?!

In a few days,

we face off here with 200,000 Prussians, and all you do is whore around.

What should I do... Sit in my tent, frozen in fear, like you?

- Take your sword. - What’s this about?

- What, you scared? - Yes, I am!

For you, too.

Grab your sword, I said.

Maybe you should party a bit more.

The cholera robs the people of their juices, Your Majesty.

They need water.

A lot of water.

Then, with God’s mercy, they have a chance to survive.

But it might also be the problem.

- God’s mercy? - No, Your Majesty.

The water.

I know a doctor in London, a Dr. Snow.

This man claims cholera is transmitted by impure water.

Here, Your Majesty.

Dr. Snow shut down the impure water pumps, thereby allegedly defeating cholera.

Then we have to purify the water.

I will issue an order.

The people must boil their water before drinking it.

Very well.

Thank you.

Wait, there’s more...

You called for me, Majesty?

- Have a carriage harnessed. - What? At this hour?

Forgive me, Majesty.

Which destination?

The sickbay.

You want to see him?

- Should I accompany you? - No.

Very well, Majesty.

You have visitors.

Mamma.

Néné.

We wanted to be by your side in these... hard hours.

They say we’re on the brink of a decisive battle with Prussia.

I know my sister.

Even in the darkest hours, she’ll find something to nag about.

I am very proud of you.

Thank you, Mamma.

Make yourself at home.

I’ll have your rooms prepared.

What is it?

Aunt Sophie already told us how well you manage it all, in these hard times.

Sisi,

I’ve always envied you,

for all of this, here.

But now I see the high price you pay.

I chose this life myself.

So, is this your life?

It’s the life of an empress.

Therefore, mine.

When Franz was in Possenhofen, I tried to take him from you.

For one night, at least.

But he wouldn’t betray you.

Franz loves you like on the first day.

I understand that now.

Without a grudge, even, Sisi.

Majesty.

The carriage is ready.

I’m going to bed.

But, the carriage...

Maybe a schnapps?

Get up!

Dammit, soldier! Stand straight!

I expect you to be ready for combat.

No more drinking!

For no one!

Have the artillery take its position.

But, General, sir...

It’s the Emperor’s wish.

We stay.

Very well.

You wanted a word?

Thank you for coming, Mamma.

You know Bismarck personally, don’t you?

He even came to Possenhofen once, but you were still very little.

And he was a young corp student.

He already felt invincible and took the moral high ground.

Despite borrowing money from your father for the casino and...

And never even planned to pay it back.

Father told me the story.

You’re afraid of him.

Me too.

He’ll enforce his vision of a German superpower with all his might.

- I want you to accompany me to Bismarck. - Oh, Lord, you want to go see him?

To play the last card Austria still holds.

Is it a... good card?

It’s a bluff.

Does Franz know?

- You don’t have to come along. - Sisi, I’m honored by your trust.

Of course I’ll accompany you.

Thank you, Mamma.

Mamma.

I have another question.

About Father. Did you ever...

Was there ever...

another man...

in your life?

You mean...?

Once.

Who was it?

- Did you ever regret it? - No.

Is there anything I can do?

I don’t know anything anymore, Mamma.

It can take years for us to understand what good can come of what happens to us.

PRUSSIAN CAMP NEAR KÖNIGGRÄTZ

Straight ahead, move on...

Straight ahead. Halt it and inspect...

The Empress of Austria.

I expect this strategy to be carried out meticulously.

- Maybe this is not the time... - How dare you...?

Otto!

- Ludovica. - Long time.

So the Emperor sends his wife and mother-in-law...

My spouse doesn’t know we’re here.

How about that!

Napoleon helped Austria to pay for this war.

He’ll surely not stand idly by while you destroy my husband.

And I thought Napoleon was my friend.

There are no friends in our position, Count von Bismarck.

Only political interests.

If France enters this war,

and it will, sooner or later, against you,

then there will be bloodshed of unseen dimensions upon Europe.

Let us find a solution

outside of the battleground.

Get lost!

Otto.

This war has long since ceased to be fought only on the battlefield.

Where, then?

In the sickbays.

We know how badly the cholera is hitting your army.

And it won’t just be your soldiers. Soon, women and children back home will also die.

By the thousands.

- It’s the same for you. - Wrong.

Vienna’s found a way to contain the epidemic.

I hope there’s still a spark of kindness somewhere deep inside you.

All you need to know is in here.

What do you want for it?

Do the right thing.

Down with the authorities!

We have nothing left!

We want peace!

You tried.

- Thank you, Mamma. - The war isn’t lost yet.

You want to take what is ours!

- We’ll take a detour by the sickbay. - But why?

Stop this war!

I’m hoping it will all make sense one day.

It will, my dear.

We’re starving to death!

Where is Count Andrássy?

He went back to the front, Your Majesty.

Did he...

Did he leave anything? A letter maybe?

I’m sorry, Your Majesty.

Please leave me alone for a moment.

Franz, they’re overrunning us!

Franz, we must retreat!

We stay!

Franz!

Retreat!