The Answer... Greta Garbo

The Answer... Greta Garbo

 

Garbo in Anne Christie (1930)

Greta Lovisa Gustafsson was a swedish actress, and one of the most famous movie icon from 30's to 50's. She was born in 1905 in Stockholm. she had an amazing imagination and she always dreamed of becoming an actress. In 1922 she joined the Kungliga Dramatiska Teaterns Elevskola, a dramatic acting school in Stockholm. 

                Greta Garbo at Kungliga Dramatiska Teaterns Elevskola 1922 (third from right)

 In 1924 she started her career in silent movies working with Mauritz Stiller (one of the most important sweden directors), acting in "Gösta Berlings saga" based on a sweden book of the Nobel Prize winner Selma Lagerlöf. At that time L.B. Mayer (vice president and CEO of  MGM) was looking for new talents, and Garbo was introduced to Mayer thanks to Mr. Victor Seastrom, swedish director at MGM and friend of Stiller. Stiller and Garbo were introduced to Mayer that was impressed by Garbo's appeal and trapped in her sensual eyes...

Not sure about that but after Mayer saw Greta Garbo he said: "I can make a star out of her." and "I’ll take her without him. I’ll take her with him."( referring to Stiller).

She moved to L.A. where she started to work in several silent movies (The Temptress, Flesh and the Devil, The Kiss).

In 1930 she started acting in talkies and she received her first nominee as Best Actress for her role in Anna Christie. At that time the enthusiasm for Garbo was also present on magazine's covers, with a very curious title referring to Greta Garbo acting in her first talkies: "Garbo Talks".

                                    Anne Christie (1930)

Other important movies are: Mata Hari with Ramon Navarro, Romance, Queen Christina and Grand Hotel, but the movie that perfectly showed her capability to attract the public also in comedy was Ninotchka, written by Billy Wilder, and directed by Ernst Lubitsch, starring Bela Lugosi and Melvin Douglas. Also for Ninotchka, another expression was invented to underline that was Garbo's first comedie and she laughed: "Garbo laughs".

                           Ninotchka "Garbo laughs" (1939)

Pure divertissement...

Ninotchka: Why should you carry other people's bags?

Porter: Well... That's my business madame

Ninotchka: That's no business, that's social injustice...

Porter: That depends on the tips...

    
                       

                                 Ninotchka arrives in Paris

Indeed Greta Garbo determined style, fashion and glamour, she loved being different. Her androgyn style reflected her personality... which was not so common... she was like a tornado... Garbo was actually "the style", she was THE DIVINE... 

After being the Queen of MGM for more than 10 years, she decided to retire from her acting career during the 40's, but she remained an inspiration for the next generations.

Garbo died in 1990, Garbo never married, she never won an Oscar but she was awarded with an Academy Honorary Award "for her luminous and unforgettable screen performances" in 1954, and she was the youngest actress receiving an Academy Honorary Award, anyway she didn't go to get it that night... Garbo style... never dies... rebel, genius, unpredictable...