SEVERAL days ago I mentioned Greta Garbo in a conversation and I was greeted by a blank stare. The person had absolutely no idea who I was talking about…and that seriously bummed me out. It never dawned on me that someone wouldn’t know who she was. She was such an amazing actress, how could you not know Greta Garbo?
I was utterly bewildered.
Greta Garbo was a stunning and talented actress whose stage presence popped off the screen. She was magnetic. Her career began in 1924 with the film The Sage of Gosta Berling. Adored by fans, peers and critics alike, Greta made 28 films during her brief career, retired in 1941 at the age of 35 and received an honorary Academy Award in 1958 after being nominated three times for Best Actress. That’s a hell of a career in such a short period of time.
She spent the remainder of her life avoiding the limelight & publicity (which she also did during her career, much to the studio’s chagrin). She lived an extremely private life. She never married. She had no children. Greta passed away on April 15, 1990, at the age of 84 in New York City, where she had lived (in the same home, no less) since 1953.
If you aren’t familiar with Garbo, I strongly recommend Flesh and The Devil. But be forewarned – it is a silent film, so if you’re one of those people who despise subtitles and think reading in a movie defeats the purpose of film then you will probably want to take a pass…but you will be missing out on a truly great piece of cinema.
So it is with the utmost love and respect that I present one of my idols to you…
GIRL CRUSH GRETA GARBO
“Her instinct, her mastery over the machine, was pure witchcraft. I cannot analyze this woman’s acting. I only know that no one else so effectively worked in front of a camera.”
– Bette Davis
“She had a talent that few actresses or actors possess. In close-ups she gave the impression, the illusion of great movement. She would move her head just a little bit and the whole screen would come alive, like a strong breeze that made itself felt.”
– George Cukor
Silver Screen Kisses & Enigmatic Chaos,
Alli Woods Frederick
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