Released - December, 1933 

Directed By - Rouben Mamoulian

Starring - Greta Garbo (Queen Christina), John Gilbert (Antonio), Ian Keith (Magnus), Lewis Stone (Oxenstierna).

Description – A biographical drama loosely based on the life of Queen Christina of Sweden. Christina was thrust into the role of Queen at the young age of 6 after the battlefield death of her father.

With her maturity came so devoted an effort to educate herself and govern her people well that she has found no time for romance and marriage. Under pressure from her court to produce an heir they suggest to Christina that she marry her cousin Karl.

In an effort go get away, if only temporarily, she rides away disguised as a man. Finding herself snowbound at an inn she meets and falls in love with Antonio, a Spanish envoy. They spend a few idyllic days together before Christina is obligated to return to her throne. She vows to Antonio that they will meet again.

Meet again they do, when Antonio presents his embassy to the Queen. However, Count Magnus, who has his own interest in Christina, uses his influence to turn the people of Sweden against Spain.

As a result, Christina abdicates the throne wanting to leave Sweden to be with Antonio. A happy ending to a love story? That would be too simple….tragedy is just around the corner.

NOTABLE: This film was Greta Garbo’s return to the screen after an 18-month hiatus.

Laurence Olivier was originally to play the role of Antonio; however, after rehearsal’s began it became apparent that there was just not enough chemistry between Olivier and Garbo and the role was given to John Gilbert.

Queen Christina

Greta Garbo – The Signature Collection (Anna Christie / Mata Hari / Grand Hotel / Queen Christina / Anna Karenina / Camille / Ninotchka / Garbo Silents)

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Released - November, 1933 

Directed By- George Cukor

Starring- Katharine Hepburn (Jo), Joan Bennett (Amy), Paul Lukas (Prof. Bhaer), Edna May Oliver (Aunt March), Jean Parker (Beth), Frances Dee (Meg).

Description – Based on the classic novel by Louisa May Alcott this is a “coming of age” drama about four sisters during and after the American Civil War.

Jo, a spirited tomboy who dreams of becoming a famous author and writes plays for her sisters to perform for local schoolchildren; Amy, considered the most attractive and definitely the most selfish; Beth, sensitive and always practicing her aging and badly out of tune clavichord; and Meg ha hard-working seamstress.

The sisters have the opportunity to meet wealthy neighbor Mr. Laurences’ grandson Laurie and are invited to a lavish party. At the party, Meg meets Laurie’s tutor John Brooke and over the next several months the two are courting. Jo has her first short story published, and Beth enjoys the chance to practice on the Laurence piano.

Upon learning that their father has been wounded in the Civil War, their mother leaves the girls in order to be with him while he recuperates in Washington, D.C. While away, daughter Beth comes down with scarlet fever and although she appears to have recovered she remains in a weakened state.

Upon the return of their parents Meg marries John and Laurie reveals his love for Jo only to be refused. Jo has decided to move to New York City and pursue her writing career. In New York, Jo meet Professor Bhaer who is attracted to her. Jo, however, may still have unresolved feelings toward Laurie.

At home, Beth has taken a turn for the worse and it appears death is immenent. Jo returns home to be with her sister and learns that her sister Amy has wed Laurie.

This is a timeless story of a family’s love and devotion to one another.

NOTABLE: Little Women won the Academy Award for Best Writing, Adaptation, and was nominated for Best Picture and Best Director.

This film was released with perfect timing. Depression audiences were looking for story’s of a simpler and more innocent life. The motion picture industry had gone through some harsh criticism for producing an abundance of violent films. The warmth of this story was so well received that it became required reading in schools.

Joan Bennett was pregnant during the making of this film, a fact she kept secret from Director Cukor. Several of her costumes were redesigned to help conceal this fact.

In her biography Katharine Hepburn has stated that “This picture was heaven to do – George Cukor perfect. He really caught the atmosphere. It was to me my youth!”

Little Women (1933)

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Released – April, 1932 

Directed By – Edmund Goulding

Starring – Greta Garbo (Grusinskaya-the Dancer), John Barrymore (Baron Felix von Gaigern), Joan Crawford (Flaemmchen-the Stenographer), Wallace Beery (General Director Preysing), Lionel Barrymore (Otto Kringelein), Lewis Stone (Doctor Otternschlag), Jean Hersholt (Senf-the Porter).

Description – After the end of World War I, life at the plush Grand Hotel in Berlin has returned to normal for its oppulent residents and guests. Resident Doctor Otternschlag observation that “People come and go. Nothing ever happens” couldn’t be further from the truth.

Lonely ballerina Grusinskaya is being set up by her lover Baron von Gaigern to steal her jewels, but will he really steal her heart? And is this the only heart he steals?

Powerful German businessman Preysing is at the hotel to close a big deal. His continual mistreatment of terminally ill accountant Kringelein may turn out to be quite regrettable.

Preysing hires ambitious stenographer Flaemmchen to work for him. Flaemmchen, an aspiring actress, hopes to use Preysing to help start her acting career and makes it clear that she is willing to do more than be a stenographer if it will help.

There is truly more than meets the eye going on at the Grand Hotel.

NOTABLE: This motion picture won the Academy Award for Best Picture.

In 2007 Grand Hotel was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry.

Greta Garbo’s famous line “I want to be alone” was delivered in this film.

If you notice, there are no scenes in the film shared by Greta Garbo and Joan Crawford. This was intentional as it was feared that each would only try to upstage the other. In fact, when passing on the set Crawford would say hello only to be ignored by Garbo.

John Barrymore also had concerns about working with the temperamental Garbo, but the two actually got along well together.

At the time production studios, including MGM, were hesitant to put more than two of their top stars in a film together. Their thinking was this would help to keep costs down and maximize profits. In Grand Hotel the top five stars were paired resulting in one of the highest grossing pictures in studio history.

Grand Hotel

Greta Garbo – The Signature Collection (Anna Christie / Mata Hari / Grand Hotel / Queen Christina / Anna Karenina / Camille / Ninotchka / Garbo Silents)

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Released – November, 1931 

Directed By - King Vidor

Starring – Wallace Beery (Champ), Jackie Cooper (Dink), Irene Rich (Linda), Roscoe Ates (Sponge).

Description – Wallace Beery plays the role of washed up, ex-heavyweight champion Andy ‘Champ’ Purcell an alcoholic and gambler trying to put his life together for the sake of his son Dink.

After winning a race horse, Champ and son take the horse to race at a track in Tijuana, Mexico. While there, young Dink, meets fellow race horse owner Linda Carleton and the two immediately hit it off. Linda’s husband realizes that Dink is Linda’s son, given up after her divorce from Champ.

Champ loses the race horse gambling, and in a drunken tirade is arrested. This latest incident forces Champ to realize that his son is better off with his mother than with him. However, Dink does not want to leave his father, and sneaks off the first chance he gets.

NOTABLE:  This motion picture was nominated for four Oscar’s, winning two. Best Actor in a Leading Role (Wallace Beery, shared with Fredric March), and Best Writing Original Story. The film was also nominated for Best Picture and Best Director.

Personal Note:  This film is emotionally very touching, and would be described today as a real tear-jerker. A sentimental classic motion picture.

The Champ

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Released - April, 1930 

Directed By - Robert Z. Leonard

Starring – Norma Shearer (Jerry Bernard Martin), Chester Morris (Theodore “Ted” Martin), Conrad Nagel (Paul), Robert Montgomery (Don).
The Divorcee

Description - Newspaperman Ted Martin is an unfaithful husband to his wife Jerry. On their third anniversary Jerry learns of her husbands ongoing affair with another woman.

Ted tells his wife that his fling does not mean a thing and that before their marriage they had agreed on a liberal attitude.  Angry and hurt, Jerry sets out to even the score by having her own affair with Ted’s best friend.

This double infidelity can only create a lose, lose situation for the both of them and they soon end up divorced. However, the infidelities may teach them both a lesson.

NOTABLE: Four Oscar nominations in all, with Norma Shearer winning for best actress. The other nominations include Best Director, Best Picture, and Best Writing.

Norma Shearer, normally playing very ladylike roles, wanted this role to help change her too proper image.  To convince the MGM producers that she could play a more “sexy” role she posed for suggestive photographs wearing lingerie.  After viewing the pictures, producer Irving Thalberg gave her the role for which she won an Oscar.

Included In TCM Archives Forbidden Hollywood Collection 2
 

The Divorcee [Blu-ray]

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