Drama,History
Austria,France,Germany,Hungary,Luxembourg
W gorsecie is a Polish historical drama film released in 1979, directed by Tadeusz Konwicki and starring Grazyna Szapolowska as Empress Elisabeth of Austria. The film is a fictional account of one year in the life of the empress, exploring her struggles with aging and maintaining her public image.
The movie opens on Christmas Eve 1877, with Elisabeth celebrating her 40th birthday. She is officially declared an old woman by the court, and this realization leads her to become increasingly obsessed with her looks and preserving her youthful appearance. She spends hours each day exercising, dieting, and undergoing various beauty treatments.
As the year progresses, Elisabeth's vanity and insecurities begin to take a toll on her relationships. She becomes increasingly distant from her husband, Emperor Franz Joseph, and struggles to connect with her children. Her constant preoccupation with her appearance also causes her to clash with her ladies-in-waiting and the courtiers who serve her.
Amidst all of this, Elisabeth finds solace in her travels. She visits various European cities and becomes enamored with the natural beauty of the Swiss Alps. She also forms a close bond with a young artist named Milewski, who is commissioned to paint her portrait.
As the year draws to a close, Elisabeth is confronted with the reality that her obsession with youth and beauty cannot last forever. She ultimately comes to accept her age, and decides to use her position as empress to advocate for causes she believes in, such as women's rights and animal welfare.
W gorsecie is a visually stunning and thought-provoking film that explores the complexities of power, beauty, and aging. It offers a poignant portrayal of a woman struggling to reconcile her own desires with the expectations of her society.
