Ludwig II

Ludwig II is a 2012 German-Austrian historical film directed by and , starring as the younger Bavarian King Ludwig II and Sebastian Schipper as the king in his later years. Plot Crown Prince Ludwig suffers under the authoritarian education of his father King Maximilian II and has no interest in his militaristic attitude. In addition, because of his love for music and the fine arts, Ludwig repeatedly incurs the displeasure of his father. For Ludwig, art is more important than daily bread. Maximilian II dies unexpectedly of erysipelas, so Ludwig, full of idealism, ascends the Bavarian throne at the age of 18. At a time when war and poverty are omnipresent, he believes in a better world and wants to use his power to ensure that his people can live in peace and happiness. He wants his kingdom to become a place where beauty, art and culture will flourish; instead of weapons, Ludwig wants to invest public money in theatre, music and education. He spends his free time with his young cousin, Sophie, the sister of the Austrian Empress Sissi. With her he can philosophise about music and the beauty of the world. Moreover, he has all of his rooms in the castle remodelled and designed according to his ideas.