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Ludwig II: Glanz und Ende eines Königs

  • 1955
  • 1h 55m
IMDb RATING
6.8/10
348
YOUR RATING
O.W. Fischer and Ruth Leuwerik in Ludwig II: Glanz und Ende eines Königs (1955)
Costume DramaPeriod DramaBiographyDramaHistory

King Ludwig II of Bavaria is frustrated, having to accept parliament's will to join Bismarck, rather he his cultured Habsburg friends, in wars. His love-life being as fruitless, he seeks com... Read allKing Ludwig II of Bavaria is frustrated, having to accept parliament's will to join Bismarck, rather he his cultured Habsburg friends, in wars. His love-life being as fruitless, he seeks comfort in art. But building fairytale castles and an even grander opera for his musical idol... Read allKing Ludwig II of Bavaria is frustrated, having to accept parliament's will to join Bismarck, rather he his cultured Habsburg friends, in wars. His love-life being as fruitless, he seeks comfort in art. But building fairytale castles and an even grander opera for his musical idol Wagner proves so expensive, his cabinet ends up resorting to formally challenging his men... Read all

  • Director
    • Helmut Käutner
  • Writers
    • Georg Hurdalek
    • Peter Berneis
    • Kadidja Wedekind
  • Stars
    • O.W. Fischer
    • Marianne Koch
    • Paul Bildt
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • IMDb RATING
    6.8/10
    348
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Helmut Käutner
    • Writers
      • Georg Hurdalek
      • Peter Berneis
      • Kadidja Wedekind
    • Stars
      • O.W. Fischer
      • Marianne Koch
      • Paul Bildt
    • 7User reviews
    • 3Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 wins & 2 nominations

    Photos61

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    Top cast23

    Edit
    O.W. Fischer
    O.W. Fischer
    • Ludwig II
    Marianne Koch
    Marianne Koch
    • Prinzessin Sophie
    Paul Bildt
    Paul Bildt
    • Richard Wagner
    Friedrich Domin
    Friedrich Domin
    • Otto von Bismarck
    Rolf Kutschera
    • Graf Holnstein
    Herbert Hübner
    Herbert Hübner
    • Von Pfistermeister
    Robert Meyn
    • Professor Dr. Gudden
    Rudolf Fernau
    Rudolf Fernau
    • Prinz Luitpold von Bayern
    Willy Rösner
    • Minister von Lutz
    Klaus Kinski
    Klaus Kinski
    • Prinz Otto von Bayern
    Fritz Odemar
    Fritz Odemar
    • General von der Tann
    Erik Frey
    • Kaiser Franz Joseph
    Albert Johannes
    • Fürst Hohenfels
    Erica Balqué
    • Cosima von Bülow
    Walter Regelsberger
    • Graf Dürckheim
    Hans Quest
    Hans Quest
    • Kapellmeister Eckert
    Horst Hächler
    • Prinz Louis
    Wolfrid Lier
    Wolfrid Lier
    • Kammerlakai
    • (as Wolfried Lier)
    • Director
      • Helmut Käutner
    • Writers
      • Georg Hurdalek
      • Peter Berneis
      • Kadidja Wedekind
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

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    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Released the same year as Sissi (1955), which also has Empress Elisabeth aka "Sissi", who is prominently features in the movie, her sister Sophia and Sissi's husband Emperor Franz Joseph I.
    • Goofs
      Ludwig II told Otto von Bismarck that he wished they could be friends but couldn't due to different assignments. However in real life they were pen pals and wrote each other, despite only met each other once.
    • Quotes

      Ludwig II: [to Otto von Bismarck] I admire great men. I love the strenght. What big we could have been friends if the nature didn't give us such different assignments.

    • Connections
      Featured in Klaus Kinski - Ich bin kein Schauspieler (2000)

    User reviews7

    Review
    Review
    Featured review

    Highly underrated!

    There is a generation divide, as always with cinema, and it is obvious with regards the Visconti's film and the earliest Käutner's version. In the modern times, when it is commercially fashionable to insist on the more prurient aspects of one's biography and when crude obscenity has replaced suggestiveness, it is quite understandable that younger generations should far prefer the eroticism and nauseating aestheticism of Visconti. As a man in his seventies, I must say I was deeply moved by the Ludwig portrayed by Käutner. The camera-work is excellent, the Wagnerian musical background sublime and the rendering of the end of the King quite gripping. It is a great injustice to compare this film with the Sissi series.
    • hadock4
    • Aug 22, 2009
    • Permalink

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • 1959 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • West Germany
    • Language
      • German
    • Also known as
      • Mad Emperor: Ludwig II
    • Filming locations
      • Bavaria Studios, Bavariafilmplatz 7, Geiselgasteig, Grünwald, Bavaria, Germany
    • Production companies
      • Aura
      • Bavaria Film
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

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    • Runtime
      1 hour 55 minutes
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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