Radetzkymarsch Teil 2

It was the simple Slovenian soldier Joseph Trotta who saved Emperor Franz Joseph's life in 1859 with his fearless endeavours at the Battle of Solferino. As a sign of gratitude, he was elevated to the nobility - and his descendants also had to live up to this honour. He denies his son Franz a career in the military, which is why he in turn urges his son Carl Joseph to pursue a military career. The latter is unable to free himself from the overpowering figure from his past. Carl Joseph becomes increasingly caught up in a maelstrom of alcohol, gambling and women, with no luck here or there. Meanwhile, the monarchy is slowly but surely falling apart.

RADETZKYMARSCH was the last project of Axel Corti's heart, who died of leukaemia after about two thirds of the film had been shot. The extremely difficult work, which was accompanied by numerous scandals in the local press, was finally completed under cinematographer Gernot Roll. With around 3,000 extras and a brilliant international cast of stars, this funeral dirge to the Austro-Hungarian monarchy is one of the most important TV productions of the 1990s.