What: a historical drama imagining the story of one year in the life of Empress Elisabeth of Austria (1854-1898)
When: showtimes available Sat. 1/14 – Thur. 1/19
Where: Michigan Theater
Tickets: $8.50 for students, $10.50 for adults, available online (linked here) or at the box office
Empress Elisabeth of Austria, or Sisi, has been the subject of popular myths since her lifetime in the mid-1800s. She was known for being obsessed with beauty, refusing to pose for photos after her 30th birthday, and for her willful life in a time when docility and service were all that was expected of women. One of several recent adaptations of her story, Corsage imagines Elisabeth’s life in the year following her 40th birthday, where she retreats further from the public in an effort to retain some level of self-determination. I became aware of this movie last October after reading this (linked here) New York Times article, which discusses some of the myths and facts of the legendary empress as well as some of the more influential pop-culture renderings of her character. I look forward to seeing how this movie captures Sisi’s character in a way that stays true to the reality of her life while also demonstrating how clearly she was ahead of her time.
