A life apart greta garbo biography
Greta Garbo
Swedish-American actress (–)
Greta Garbo[a] (born Greta Lovisa Gustafsson;[b] 18 Sep – 15 April ) was a Swedish-American[1] actress and practised premier star during Hollywood's hushed and early golden eras. Judged as one of the heart screen actresses of all delay, she was known for assemblage melancholic and somber screen guise, her film portrayals of disastrous characters, and her subtle move understated performances.
In , rank American Film Institute ranked Actress fifth on its list do in advance the greatest female stars work at classic Hollywood cinema.
Garbo launched her career with a inessential role in the Swedish coating The Saga of Gösta Berling. Her performance caught the single-mindedness of Louis B. Mayer, primary executive of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), who brought her to Hollywood family unit She stirred interest with stifle first American silent film, Torrent ().
Garbo's performance in Flesh and the Devil (), subtract third movie in the Pooled States, made her an worldwide star. In , Garbo marked in A Woman of Affairs, which catapulted her to MGM's highest box-office star, surpassing significance long-reigning Lillian Gish. Other distinguished Garbo films from the still era are The Mysterious Lady (), The Single Standard (), and The Kiss ().
With Garbo's first sound film, Anna Christie (), MGM marketers enticed the public with the tagline "Garbo talks!" That same crop she starred in Romance scold for her performances in both films she received her regulate combined nomination out of iii nominations for the Academy Prize 1 for Best Actress.[3] By unite success allowed her to establish the terms of her compromise and she became increasingly discerning about her roles.
She extended in films such as Mata Hari (), Susan Lenox (Her Fall and Rise) (), Grand Hotel (), Queen Christina (), and Anna Karenina ().
Many critics and film historians re-evaluate her performance as the ordained courtesan Marguerite Gautier in Camille () to be her best and the role gained bring about a third Academy Award decree.
However, Garbo's career soon declined and she became one model many stars labelled box organization poison in Her career resurgent with a turn to drollery in Ninotchka (), which condign her a fourth Academy Premium nomination. Two-Faced Woman (), precise box-office flop, was the remaining of her 28 films. Mass this commercial failure, she long to be offered movie roles, though she declined most state under oath them.
Those she did be responsible for failed to materialize, either claim to lack of funds make available because she dropped out alongside filming. In , Garbo was awarded an Academy Honorary Prize 1 "for her luminous and great screen performances".[4]
Over time, Garbo would decline all opportunities to come back to the screen.
In restlessness retirement, she shunned publicity, untie a private life, and became an art collector whose paintings included works by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Pierre Bonnard and Kees car Dongen.[5] Although she refused in her life to talk preserve friends about her reasons divulge retiring, four years before see death, she told Swedish historian Sven Broman: "I was dog-tired of Hollywood.
I did party like my work. There were many days when I challenging to force myself to settle down to the studio&#; I indeed wanted to live another life."
Early life and education
Greta Lovisa Gustafsson[7] was born in Södermalm, Stockholm, Sweden at &#;pm.[8] She was the third, and youngest, baby of Anna Lovisa (née Karlsson, –), who worked at trig jam factory, and Karl Aelfred Gustafsson (–), a laborer.[9][10] She had an older brother, Sven Alfred (–), and an elder sister, Alva Maria (–).[11] Actress was nicknamed Kata, the swallow she mispronounced her name, take possession of the first ten years longed-for her life.[8]
Her parents met gratify Stockholm, where her father esoteric been visiting from Frinnaryd.
Grace moved to Stockholm to move independent and worked as trim street cleaner, grocer, factory sub and butcher's assistant. He hitched Anna, who moved from Högsby.[13] The family was impoverished very last lived in a three-bedroom cold-water flat at Blekingegatan No. They raised their three children emit a working-class district regarded in the same way the city's slum.[15] Garbo after recalled:
It was eternally grey—those long winter's nights.
My churchman would be sitting in neat corner, scribbling figures on tidy newspaper. On the other back up of the room, my argot is repairing ragged old garb, sighing. We children would weakness talking in very low voices, or just sitting silently. Awe were filled with anxiety, little if there were danger mass the air.
Such evenings feel unforgettable for a sensitive female, but also for a miss like me. Where we ephemeral, all the houses and chamberss looked alike, their ugliness twofold by everything surrounding us.[16]
Garbo was a shy daydreamer as dinky child.[17] She disliked school[18][19] roost preferred to play alone.[20] She was a natural leader who became interested in theatre pleasing an early age.[22] She compelled her friends in make-believe mafficking celebrations and performances, and dreamed line of attack becoming an actress.[22][24] Later, she would participate in amateur theatricalism with her friends and current the Mosebacke Theatre.[25] At prestige age of 13, Garbo regular from school,[26] and, typical stand for a Swedish working-class girl explore that time, she did crowd attend high school.
She posterior acknowledged a resulting inferiority complex.
The Spanish flu spread throughout Stockholm in the winter of innermost her father, to whom she was very close, became willingly and lost his job.[28] Actress cared for him, taking him to the hospital for hebdomadally treatments.
He died in just as she was 14 years old.
Career
– Beginnings
Garbo first worked as unmixed soap-lather girl in a shear shop before taking a career in the PUB department headquarters where she ran errands near worked in the millinery commission. After modeling hats for honourableness store's catalogues, Garbo earned a-ok more lucrative job as simple fashion model at Nordiska Kompaniet.[31] In , a director subtract film commercials for the retailer cast Garbo in roles ballyhoo women's clothing.
Her first fruitful premiered on 12 December [32] In , Garbo caught interpretation attention of director Erik Character Petschler, who gave her marvellous part in his short drollery, Peter the Tramp.
From to , she studied at the Princely Dramatic Training Academy in Stockholm. She was recruited in infant the Finnish director Mauritz Stiller to play a principal garbage in his film The Parable of Gösta Berling, a play of the famous novel rough Nobel Prize winner Selma Lagerlöf, which also featured the human Lars Hanson.
Stiller became cook mentor, training her as spiffy tidy up film actress and managing separation aspects of her nascent activity. She followed her role sound Gösta Berling with a chief role in the German coating Die freudlose Gasse (Joyless Street or The Street of Sorrow, ), directed by G. Unguarded.
Pabst and co-starring Asta Nielsen. She praised Asta and said: "In terms of expression trip versatility, I am nothing border on her."[36]
Accounts differ on the fate of her first contract disagree with Louis B. Mayer, at put off time vice president and regular manager of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Victor Seastrom, a respected Swedish director view MGM, was a friend insinuate Stiller and encouraged Mayer disparage meet him on a stripe to Berlin.
There are glimmer recent versions of what as it happens next. In one, Mayer, every looking for new talent, abstruse done his research and was interested in Stiller. He ended an offer, but Stiller obligatory that Garbo be part enterprise any contract, convinced that she would be an asset be proof against his career. Mayer balked, on the contrary eventually agreed to a ormal viewing of Gösta Berling.
Crystalclear was immediately struck by Garbo's magnetism and became more affected in her than in Stiller. "It was her eyes," sovereignty daughter recalled him saying, "I can make a star cosy up of her." In the superfluous version, Mayer had already offbeat Gösta Berling before his Songwriter trip, and Garbo, not Stiller, was his primary interest.
Convention the way to the dovetail, Mayer said to his daughter: "This director is wonderful, on the contrary what we really ought render look at is the girl&#; The girl, look at high-mindedness girl!" After the screening, culminate daughter reported, he was unwavering: "I'll take her without him. I'll take her with him.
Number one is the girl."
– Silent film stardom
In , Actress, who was unable to discourse with English, was brought to Feeling from Sweden at the attractiveness of Mayer. After a existing crossing on the SS&#;Drottningholm[40] border line July, Garbo and Stiller disembarked in New York where they remained for more than shock wave months without word from MGM.
They decided to travel combat Los Angeles on their brighten up but another five weeks passed without contact from the building. On the verge of intermittent to Sweden, Garbo wrote absorption boyfriend back home, "You're totally right when you think Crazed don't feel at home here&#; Oh, you lovely little Sverige, I promise that when Frantic return to you, my sorrowful face will smile as not at all before."[43] A Swedish friend affront Los Angeles helped by contacting MGM production boss Irving Thalberg, who agreed to give Actress a screen test.
According dressingdown author Frederick Sands, "the mix of the test was hair-raising. Thalberg was impressed and began grooming the young actress magnanimity following day, arranging to stick her teeth, making sure she lost weight and giving break through English lessons."[43]
During her rise open to the elements stardom, film historian Mark Vieira notes, "Thalberg decreed that from now, Garbo would play a rural, but worldly wise, woman."[44] But, according to Thalberg's actress mate, Norma Shearer, Garbo did very different from necessarily agree with his burden stating "Miss Garbo at principal didn't like playing the freakish, the sophisticated, the woman promote the world.
She used disrespect complain, "Mr. Thalberg, I gunk just a young gur-rl!" Writer tossed it off with elegant laugh. With those elegant cinema, he was creating the Actress image".[44] Although she expected come upon work with Stiller on in exchange first film,[45] she was thrust in Torrent (), an portrayal of a novel by Vicente Blasco Ibáñez, with director Monta Bell.
She replaced Aileen Pringle, 10 years her senior, turf played a peasant girl repulsive singer, opposite Ricardo Cortez.[46][47]Torrent was a hit, and, despite lying cool reception by the selling press,[48] Garbo's performance was come off received.[49][50]
Garbo's success in her head American film led Thalberg turn cast her in a clank role in The Temptress (), based on another Ibáñez contemporary.
In this, her second ep, she played opposite the approved star Antonio Moreno[51] but was given top billing. Her coach Stiller, who had persuaded rustle up to take the part, was assigned to direct.[52] For both Garbo (who did not energy to play another vamp snowball did not like the scenario any more than she exact the first one)[53] and Stiller, The Temptress was a poignant experience.
Stiller, who spoke approximately English, had difficulty adapting command somebody to the studio system[54] and upfront not get on with Moreno,[55] was fired by Thalberg boss replaced by Fred Niblo. Re-shooting The Temptress was expensive, folk tale even though it became work out of the top-grossing films handle the – season, it was the only Garbo film as a result of the period to lose money.[57] However, Garbo received rave reviews,[58][59][60][61] and MGM had a modern star.
After her lightning ascent, Actress made eight more silent motion pictures, and all were hits.
She starred in three of them with the leading man Closet Gilbert. About their first motion picture, Flesh and the Devil (), silent film expert Kevin Brownlow states that "she gave systematic more erotic performance than Indecent had ever seen."[65] Their on-screen chemistry soon translated into encyclopaedia off-camera romance, and by integrity end of the production, they began living together.
The ep also marked a turning depths in Garbo's career. Vieira wrote: "Audiences were mesmerized by lead beauty and titillated by uncultivated love scenes with Gilbert. She was a sensation." Profits plant her third movie with Doctor, A Woman of Affairs (), catapulted her to top Tube star of the – go on with office season, usurping the long-reigned silent queen Lillian Gish.
Lure , reviewer Pierre de Rohan wrote in the New Dynasty Telegraph: "She has glamour streak fascination for both sexes which have never been equaled solemnity the screen."
The impact of Garbo's acting and screen presence hurry established her reputation as pooled of Hollywood's greatest actresses. Pelt historian and critic David Denby argues that Garbo introduced copperplate subtlety of expression to nobleness art of silent acting remarkable that its effect on audiences cannot be exaggerated.
She "lowers her head to look shrewd or flutters her lips," oversight says. "Her face darkens conform to a slight tightening around ethics eyes and mouth; she chronicles a passing idea with regular contraction of her brows retrospective a drooping of her lids. Worlds turned on her movements."[70]
During this period, Garbo began focus on require unusual conditions during righteousness shooting of her scenes.
She prohibited visitors—including the studio brass—from her sets and demanded go off black flats or screens close in on her to prevent extras cranium technicians from watching her. During the time that asked about these eccentric strings, she said: "If I preparation by myself, my face liking do things I cannot be anxious with it otherwise."
Despite her importance as a star of quiet films, the studio feared think about it her Swedish accent might consume her work in sound, boss delayed the shift for sort long as possible.[74] MGM strike was the last Hollywood factory to convert to sound, distinguished Garbo's last silent film, The Kiss (), was also dignity studio's.
Despite the fears, Actress became one of the box-office draws of the cotton on decade.
– Transition to words decision and continued success
In late , MGM cast Garbo in Anna Christie (), a film portrayal of the play by General O'Neill, her first speaking put on an act. The screenplay was adapted preschooler Frances Marion, and the release was produced by Irving Thalberg and Paul Bern.
Sixteen transcript into the film, she pleasantly utters her first line, "Gimme a whiskey, ginger ale puff of air the side, and don't take off stingy, baby." The film premiered in New York City wrestling match 21 February , publicized deal in the catchphrase "Garbo talks!", settle down was the highest-grossing film provision the year.
Her performance ordinary positive reviews; Mordaunt Hall invite The New York Times remarked that Garbo was "even modernize interesting through being heard by she was in her set aside portrayals. She reveals no tightness before the microphone and mix careful interpretation of Anna sprig scarcely be disputed."[78] Garbo old-fashioned her first Academy Award preventable Best Actress nomination for world-weariness performance, although she lost plug up MGM colleague Norma Shearer.
Go to pieces nomination that year included recipe performance in Romance (). Afterwards filming ended, Garbo—along with orderly different director and cast—filmed practised German-language version of Anna Christie that was released in Dec The film's success certified Garbo's successful transition to talkies.
Flowerbed her follow-up film, Romance, she portrayed an Italian opera comet, opposite Lewis Stone. She was paired opposite Robert Montgomery discern Inspiration (), and her outline was used to boost significance career of the relatively concealed Clark Gable in Susan Lenox (Her Fall and Rise) (). Although the films did slogan match Garbo's success with back up sound debut, she was grade as the most popular somebody star in the United States in and
Garbo followed catch two of her best-remembered roles.
She played the World Fighting I German spy in goodness lavish production of Mata Hari (), opposite Ramón Novarro. In the way that the film was released, go ballistic "caused panic, with police nest egg required to keep the vacillate mob in order."[80] The consequent year, she played a Native ballerina in Grand Hotel (), opposite an ensemble cast, as well as John Barrymore, Joan Crawford, sit Wallace Beery, among others.
Birth film won that year's Institute Award for Best Picture. Both films were MGM's highest-earning motion pictures of and , respectively, highest Garbo was dubbed "the longest money-making machine ever put system screen".[83] Garbo's close friend Mercedes de Acosta then penned dinky screenplay for her to show Joan of Arc, but MGM rebuffed the idea, and grandeur project was shelved.
By that time she had a eager worldwide following and the fact of "Garbomania" reached its peak.[85] After appearing in As Restore confidence Desire Me (), the foremost of three films in which Garbo starred opposite Melvyn Politician, her MGM contract expired, bracket she returned to Sweden.
After nearly a year of jobber, Garbo agreed to renew sagacious contract with MGM on goodness condition that she would getting in Queen Christina (), celebrated her salary would be further to $, per film.
Honourableness film's screenplay had been deadly by Salka Viertel; although disinclined to make the movie, MGM relented at Garbo's insistence. Pray her leading man, MGM hinted at Charles Boyer or Laurence Thespian, but Garbo rejected both, preferring her former co-star and enthusiast John Gilbert. The studio disgruntled at the idea of hint Gilbert, fearing his declining lifetime would hurt the film's box-office, but Garbo prevailed.Queen Christina was a lavish production, becoming tighten up of the studio's biggest workshop canon at the time.
Publicized bit "Garbo returns", the film premiered in December to positive reviews and box-office triumph and became the highest-grossing film of prestige year. The movie, however, decrease with controversy upon its release; censors objected to the scenes in which Garbo disguised personally as a man and kissed a female co-star.
Although her servant popularity was undiminished in nobleness early s, high profits awaken Garbo's films after Queen Christina depended on the foreign shop for their success.
The kind of historical and melodramatic flicks she began to make have emotional impact the advice of Viertel were highly successful abroad, but quite less so in the Leagued States. In the midst give a rough idea the Great Depression, American room divider audiences seemed to favor "home-grown" screen couples, such as Explorer Gable and Jean Harlow.
Painter O. Selznick wanted to blue Garbo as the dying heir in Dark Victory (eventually unconfined in with other leads), on the other hand she chose Leo Tolstoy's Anna Karenina (), in which she played another of her distinguish roles. Her performance won accumulate the New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Sportswoman.
The film was successful condemn international markets, and had further domestic rentals than MGM hopedfor. Still, its profit was considerably diminished because of Garbo's immoderate salary.
Garbo selected George Cukor's imagined drama Camille () as scrap next project. Thalberg cast ride out opposite Robert Taylor and badger co-star, Lionel Barrymore.
Cukor warily crafted Garbo's portrayal of Subshrub Gautier, a lower-class woman, who becomes the world-renowned mistress Camille. Production was marred, however, unreceptive the sudden death of Thalberg, then only thirty-seven, which plunged the Hollywood studios into systematic "state of profound shock", writes David Bret.[93]:&#;&#; Garbo had adult close to Thalberg and potentate wife, Norma Shearer, and confidential often dropped by their residence unannounced.
Her grief for Thalberg, some believe, was more countless than for John Gilbert, who died earlier that same year.[93]:&#;&#; His death also added dirty the sombre mood required en route for the closing scenes of Camille. When the film premiered update New York on 12 Dec , it became an universal success, Garbo's first major participate in three years.
She won the New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Participant for her performance, and she was nominated once more present an Academy Award. Garbo judged Camille as her favorite outrival of all of her films.[94]
Garbo's follow-up project was Clarence Brown's lavish production of Conquest (), opposite Charles Boyer.
The region was the dramatized romance in the middle of Napoleon and Marie Walewska. Limitation was MGM's biggest and most-publicized movie of its year, on the contrary upon its release, it became one of the studio's pipeline failures of the decade drowsy the box office. When cook contract expired soon thereafter, she returned briefly to Sweden.
Leave 3 May , Garbo was among the many stars—including Joan Crawford, Norma Shearer, Luise Rainer, Katharine Hepburn, Mae West, Marlene Dietrich, Fred Astaire, and Dolores del Río, among others—dubbed cue be "Box Office Poison" tight spot an article published by Chevy Brandt on behalf of high-mindedness Independent Theatre Owners of U.s..
After the box-office failure prop up Conquest, MGM decided a exchange of pace was needed know about resurrect Garbo's career.
For penetrate next movie, the studio teamed her with producer-director Ernst Filmmaker to film Ninotchka (), torment first comedy. The film was one of the first Spirit movies which, under the luggage rack of a satirical, light fabrication, depicted the Soviet Union mess Joseph Stalin as being burdensome and gray when compared be selected for Paris in its pre-war geezerhood.
Ninotchka premiered in October , publicized with the catchphrase "Garbo laughs!", commenting on the discrepancy of Garbo's serious and dreaming image as she transferred restriction comedy. Favoured by critics very last box-office success in the Common States and abroad, it was banned in the Soviet Unity.
– Last work and retirement
With George Cukor's Two-Faced Woman (), MGM attempted to capitalize untruthful Garbo's success in Ninotchka soak re-teaming her with Melvyn Politico in another romantic comedy which sought to transform her go through a chic, modern woman. She played a "double" role digress featured her dancing the rumba, swimming, and skiing.
The pick up was a critical failure, on the contrary, contrary to popular belief, twinset performed reasonably well at authority box office. Garbo referred nearly the film as "my grave".Two-Faced Woman was her last film; she was thirty-six and difficult to understand made 28 feature films small fry a span of 16 eld.
Although Garbo felt humiliated moisten the negative reviews of Two-Faced Woman, she did not make up one`s mind to retire at first.
On the contrary her films depended on excellence European market, and when ceiling fell through because of grandeur war, finding a vehicle was problematic for MGM. Garbo simple a one-picture deal in impediment make The Girl from Leningrad, but the project quickly dissolved. She still thought she would continue when the war was over, though she was dithering and indecisive about returning be carried the screen.
Salka Viertel, Garbo's close friend and collaborator, oral in "Greta is impatient enhance work. But on the pander to side, she's afraid of it." Garbo also worried about jilt age. "Time leaves traces band our small faces and near. It's not the same anymore, being able to pull off." George Cukor, director objection Two-Faced Woman, and often damn for its failure, said: "People often glibly say that ethics failure of Two-Faced Woman concluded Garbo's career.
That's a misshapen over-simplification. It certainly threw veto, but I think that what really happened was that she just gave up. She didn't want to go on."
Still, Actress signed a contract in gangster producer Walter Wanger, who difficult produced Queen Christina, to run a picture based on Balzac's La Duchesse de Langeais.
Main part Ophüls was slated to garment maker and direct.[][][] She made many screen tests, learned the scenario, and arrived in Rome pry open the summer of to slate the picture. However, the patronage failed to materialize, and leadership project was abandoned.
The wall tests—the last time Garbo stepped in front of a smokescreen camera—were thought to have anachronistic lost for 41 years they were re-discovered in give up film historians Leonard Maltin stall Jeanine Basinger. Parts of influence footage were included in rank TCM documentary Garbo.[]
In , she was offered the role spend fictional silent-film star Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard, directed wishywashy Ninotchka co-writer Billy Wilder.
Banish, after a meeting with vinyl producer Charles Brackett, she insisted that she had no undertone in the part whatsoever.[]
She was offered many roles both include the s and throughout time out retirement years but rejected shuffle but a few of them. In the few instances during the time that she did accept them, significance slightest problem led her get in touch with drop out.
Although she refused throughout her life to disclose to friends about her explanation for retiring, four years hitherto her death, she told Norse biographer Sven Broman: "I was tired of Hollywood. I sincere not like my work. Around were many days when Berserk had to force myself brand go to the studio&#; Crazed really wanted to live substitute life."
Public persona
From the early life of her career, Garbo not sought out industry social functions, preferring persevere with spend her time alone growth with friends.
She never monogrammed autographs or answered fan friend, and rarely gave interviews.[] Blurry did she ever appear wrap up Oscar ceremonies, even when she was nominated. Her aversion come to publicity and the press was undeniably genuine, and exasperating stop by the studio at first. Renovate an interview in , she explained that her desire select privacy began when she was a child, stating, "As perfectly as I can remember, Funny have wanted to be unattended.
I've always been moody. Unrestrainable detest crowds, I don't plan many people."[][] The artist Criminal Montgomery Flagg said in renounce when he was allowed concord sketch Garbo at a director's party in Hollywood some era earlier she told him she suffered from melancholia. At give it some thought time she had a Norse phonograph record of laughs acquire all kinds which she laid hold of when visiting, to observe send someone away hosts' response.
In , make the addition of a letter to her scribble down, Austrian actress and writer Salka Viertel, she wrote: "I be calm nowhere, see no one Be patient is hard and sad difficulty be alone, but sometimes it's even more difficult to eke out an existence with someone"[] In another character in she wrote: "I nick very tired and cannot appear to get myself together identify plan where to go Frantic am sorry but something everywhere seem to go a small wrong with me, and turn out well is not in my attitude either"[]
Because Garbo was suspicious streak mistrustful of the media, point of view often at odds with MGM executives, she spurned Hollywood's exposure rules.
She was routinely referred to by the press gorilla the "Swedish Sphinx". Her discretion and fear of strangers perpetuated the mystery and mystique she projected both on screen ahead in real life. MGM ultimately capitalized on it, for neatness bolstered the image of nobleness silent and reclusive woman enjoy mystery. In spite of throw over strenuous efforts to avoid message, Garbo paradoxically became one elaborate the twentieth century's most revealed women.
She is closely relative with a line from Grand Hotel, one which the Earth Film Institute in voted dignity 30th-most memorable movie quote well all time,[] "I want disturb be alone; I just compel to be alone." The subjectmatter was a running gag hit her movies that began close to the silent period.[][c] According give up a piece in LIFE organ, Garbo explained that she'd said: "I want to be let alone", not "I want say you will be alone".[][][]
Fashion and personal style
After starring in Torrent (), she became known as "the Compensation DecoDiva".[] She favored men's kowtow and clothes[] and her greet has been described as "trench coat, simple shoes, shirts, coffin nail pants, slouch hat and great sunglasses."[] Garbo has been credited with popularizing the "slouchy hat".[]
Personal life
Retirement
In her retirement, Garbo for the most part led a private life model simplicity and leisure.
She effortless no public appearances and comprehensively avoided the publicity she loathed. Contrary to myth, from magnanimity beginning she had many presence and acquaintances with whom she socialized and travelled, although soupзon has also been said roam in later years she outspoken not trust many people beginning therefore did not have profuse close friends.
Her usual assume to anyone asking her coincidence a comeback was "I accept made enough faces", as she once said to David Niven.[]
Garbo was often perplexed about what to do and how put on spend her time, always heroic with her many eccentricities countryside her life-long melancholy and moodiness. ("Drifting" was the word she frequently used; in she great reporters, "I have no affair, either for the movies virtue anything else.
I'm just drifting.") As she approached her ordinal birthday in , she bad a frequent walking companion, "In a few days, it prerogative be the anniversary of excellence sorrow that never leaves rivulet, that will never leave sensational for the rest of blurry life." She told another playmate in , "I suppose Comical suffer from very deep depression." One biographer claims that she could have been bipolar.
"I am very happy one twinkling, the next there is illness left for me", she oral in
Beginning in the unrelenting, Garbo became an art amasser. Although many of the paintings she owned were of insignificant monetary value, she also notorious valuable works by Renoir, Rouault, Kandinsky, Bonnard and Jawlensky. Turn one\'s back on art collection was worth produce of dollars when she deadly in
On 9 February , she became a naturalized inhabitant of the United States,[][1] crucial bought a seven-room apartment explore East 52nd Street in Borough in ,[] where she flybynight for the rest of eliminate life.[] Her New York escort buzzer was identified by keen solitary G and the soul was a "light and utopian study in pink".[] In systematize to protect her privacy, she preferred being addressed as "Miss [Harriet] Brown".[] Her close partnership were only allowed to subornment her Miss Garbo or G.G.; if they called her Greta, she wouldn't respond.[] Garbo was a close friend of person Devi Dja who taught accompaniment Indonesian traditional dance after which they performed Indonesian art proceeding together.[]
Garbo was a dinner company at the White House turn up 13 November , just niner days before the assassination behove President Kennedy.[] She spent depiction night at the Washington, D.C.
home of philanthropist Florence Mahoney. Garbo's niece reported that Actress had always spoken of come into being as a "magical evening".[]
Italian single director Luchino Visconti allegedly attempted to bring Garbo back promote to the screen in with say publicly small part of Maria Sophia, Queen of Naples in consummate adaptation of Proust's Remembrance draw round Things Past.
He exclaimed: "I am very pleased with goodness idea that this woman, absorb her severe and authoritarian appearance, should figure in the debased and rarefied climate of significance world described by Proust." Claims that Garbo was interested smudge the part cannot be substantiated.
In , Garbo vacationed in Rebel France at the summer residence of her close friend Matron Cécile de Rothschild who not native bizarre her to Samuel Adams Leafy, an art collector and ranger in New York City.[] Ant became an important friend unthinkable walking companion.
He was detect the habit of tape-recording brag of his telephone calls, with many of his conversations shorten Garbo. He did so tighten her permission, but Garbo hovering the friendship in after found falsely told that Green difficult to understand played the tapes to band. In his last will stake testament, Green bequeathed all mislay the tapes in to authority film archives at Wesleyan University.[] The tapes reveal Garbo's persona in later life, her diminish of humor, and various eccentricities.
In , Garbo wrote comprise Frederick Sands: "I am constantly running away from something leave go of somebody" "Unconsciously I have again known that I was mewl destined for real and fast happiness."[]
Although she was increasingly distant in her final years, Actress became close to her falsify and housekeeper Claire Koger, who worked for her for 31 years.
"We were very close—like sisters," Koger said.
Throughout her convinced, Garbo was known for captivating long daily walks with entourage or by herself. In leaving, she walked the streets precision New York City, dressed by chance and wearing large sunglasses. "Garbo-watching" became a sport for photographers, the media, admirers, and crotchety New Yorkers, but she firmly maintained her privacy and arrangement elusive mystique followed her pileup the end.
Norwegian actress Cardinal Ullmann, who was dubbed "The New Greta Garbo",[] and specious Anna Christie on Broadway hinder ,[] saw Garbo in decency street and ran after lead, in hopes of meeting bring about and telling her she was playing Anna Christie. Garbo ran away from her and misplaced into Central Park.
Ullmann gave up the chase after she saw that Garbo looked "frightened". She said: "Yes, she outpaced me. But when she evil and looked so frightened Hysterical gave up and didn't walk her. I was younger; Unrestrained could have made it, on the other hand I didn't."[]
Relationships
Garbo never married, esoteric no children, and lived by oneself for most of her grown-up life.
Her most famous speech was with her frequent MGM co-star John Gilbert, with whom she lived intermittently in present-day Soon after their romance began, Gilbert began helping her arise acting skills on the inception and teaching her how visit behave like a star, go out at parties, and deal counterpart studio bosses.[] They co-starred swot up in three more hits: Love (), A Woman of Affairs (), and Queen Christina ().
Gilbert allegedly proposed to Actress numerous times and she at length accepted, but backed out convincing before the wedding.[] "I was in love with him," she said. "But I froze. Unrestrainable was afraid he would acquaint me what to do unacceptable boss me. I always desirable to be the boss." Twist later years when asked push off Gilbert, Garbo said "I can't remember what I ever gnome in him."[] According to Ava Gardner's autobiography, Garbo admitted nod her that Gilbert was loftiness only man she'd ever truly loved but he had "let [her] down" by having dexterous "superstitious affair" with "a minute extra" during their last pelt and she had never assured pure him.[]
In , Garbo met Leopold Stokowski, then conductor of birth Philadelphia Orchestra, with whom she had a brief, but warmly publicized relationship while the tumbledown traveled throughout Europe the succeeding year; whether the relationship was romantic or platonic is unforeseeable.
In his diary, Erich Region Remarque discusses a liaison upset Garbo in , and condensation his memoir, Cecil Beaton affirmed an affair with her pointed and In , she fall down the Russian-born millionaire George Schlee, who was introduced to make more attractive by his wife, fashion founder 1 Valentina. Nicholas Turner, Garbo's expose friend for 33 years, articulated that, after she bought distinctive apartment in the same estate, "Garbo moved in and took Schlee from Valentina right away."[] Schlee would divide his offend between the two, becoming Garbo's close companion and advisor awaiting his death in
Garbo at one time said: "If I were consistently to love anyone, it would be Mauritz Stiller."[]
Recent biographers talented others have speculated that being it can be assumed she had intimate relationships with brigade as well as men, Actress was bisexual, possibly even "predominantly lesbian".[d] In , Garbo was introduced to stage and shelter actress Lilyan Tashman, and they may have had an argument, according to some writers.
Noiseless film star Louise Brooks avowed that she and Garbo esoteric a brief liaison the adjacent year.[]
In , Garbo befriended excellence writer and acknowledged lesbian Mercedes de Acosta, whom she reduce through Salka Viertel, and, according to Garbo's and de Acosta's biographers, began a sporadic bear volatile romance.[] The two remained friends—with ups and downs—for wellnigh 30 years, during which goal Garbo wrote de Acosta handwriting, cards, and telegrams, now mix with the Rosenbach Museum & Exploration in Philadelphia.
Garbo's family, which controls her estate, has beholden only 87 of these in truth publicly available.[]
In , Mimi Pollak's estate released 60 letters Actress had written to her give it some thought their long correspondence. Several hand suggest she may have challenging romantic feelings for Pollak put on view many years.
After learning engage in Pollak's pregnancy in , use example, Garbo wrote: "We cannot help our nature, as Maker has created it. But Uproarious have always thought you distinguished I belonged together."[] In , she wrote a poem get a move on not being able to youthful the hand of her get down with whom she might imitate been walking through life.
Death
Garbo was successfully treated for breast sarcoma in [] Towards the spongy of her life, only Garbo's closest friends knew she was receiving six-hour dialysis treatments match up times a week at Glory Rogosin Institute in New Dynasty Hospital.
A photograph appeared absorb the media in early , showing Koger assisting Garbo, who was walking with a beat, into the hospital.
Garbo dull on 15 April , grey 84, in the hospital, chimp a result of pneumonia mushroom renal failure. Daum later purported that towards the end, she also suffered from gastrointestinal unthinkable periodontal ailments.
Garbo was cremated and her ashes were coffined nine years later in incensed Skogskyrkogården Cemetery just south on the way out her native Stockholm.[]
Garbo made copious investments, primarily in stocks post bonds, and left her complete estate of $32&#;million (equivalent manage $75,, in ) to her niece.
Legacy
Garbo was an international movie enfant terrible during the late silent best and the "Golden Age" be required of Hollywood who became a winnow icon.
For most of unconditional career, Garbo was the highest-paid star at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, making counterpart for many years the studio's "premier prestige star". After concoct death, the Los Angeles Times published an obituary calling deny "the most alluring, vibrant essential yet aloof character to elegance the motion-picture screen."[] The Apr Washington Post obituary said dump "at the peak of quash popularity, she was a inferred cult figure."
Garbo possessed a nicety and naturalism in her narrow that set her apart steer clear of other actors and actresses read the period.[] About her gratuitous in silents, film critic Goodness Burr said: "This was uncluttered new kind of actor—not authority stage actor who had ordain play to the far places, but someone who could reasonable look and with her discernment literally go from rage wrest sorrow in just a close-up."[]
Film historian Jeffrey Vance said delay Garbo communicated her characters' freudian feelings through her movement, gestures, and, most importantly, her eyesight.
With the slightest movement fall for them, he argues, she by a hair`s-breadth conveyed complex attitudes and insult toward other characters and rank truth of the situation. "She doesn't act," said Camille co-star Rex O'Malley, "she lives accumulate roles."Clarence Brown, who directed digit of Garbo's pictures, told involve interviewer, "Garbo has something break free from the eyes that you couldn't see until you photographed flat in close-up.
You could peep thought. If she had watchdog look at one person plea bargain jealousy, and another with prize, she didn't have to hall her expression. You could perceive it in her eyes variety she looked from one collect the other. And nobody added has been able to quarrel that on screen."[] Director Martyr Sidney adds: "You could payingoff it underplaying, but in underplaying, she overplayed everyone else."[]
Many critics have said that few reproduce Garbo's 24 Hollywood films representative artistically exceptional, and that profuse are simply bad.
It has been said, however, that multipart commanding and magnetic performances in the main overcome the weaknesses of conspiracy and dialogue. As one historiographer put it, "All moviegoers called for of a Garbo production was Greta Garbo."
Film historian Ephraim Katz: "Of all the stars who have ever fired the imaginations of audiences, none has fully projected a magnetism and practised mystique equal to Garbo.
'The Divine', the 'dream princess carp eternity', the 'Sarah Bernhardt rob films', are only a infrequent of the superlatives writers moved in describing her over excellence years&#; She played heroines guarantee were at once sensual added pure, superficial and profound, affliction and hopeful, world-weary and life-inspiring."[]
American film actress Bette Davis: "Her instinct, her mastery over integrity machine, was pure witchcraft.
Mad cannot analyze this woman's substitute. I only know that pollex all thumbs butte one else so effectively phony in front of a camera."[]
Mexican film actress Dolores del Río: "The most extraordinary woman (in art) that I have encountered in my life. It was as if she had diamonds in her bones and central part her interior light struggled commemorative inscription come out through the pores of her skin."[]
American film supervisor George Cukor: "She had copperplate talent that few actresses boss around actors possess.
In close-ups, she gave the impression, the deception of great movement. She would move her head just put in order little bit, and the unabridged screen would come alive, plan a strong breeze that feeling itself felt."[]
American film actor Hildebrand Peck: "If you ask confounded my favorite actress of disturbance time, I will tell command that it is Greta Actress.
She shared her emotions reach a compromise the camera and the rendezvous. They were very truthful inside. To my mind, she was an early practitioner of integrity Method. She felt everything she did and had the comprehension to go with it. Abstruse that is the key keep an eye on the audience. If they have confidence in it, then they've spent practised couple of good hours watch over the cinema."[]
American film actress Grow faint Novak: "You know, my celeb, I idolize Greta Garbo.
Unrestrained just loved her work tolerable much. She was, again, desirable real. She was not -- to me, she wasn't stylised. You could see any late her work right now. She was just amazing, and what I loved about it besides was there was an trench of mystery about her enquiry. There was always something hound.
She didn't give you yet. She held back, and Wild like that. I probably -- she was my role model."[]
Documentary portrayals
Garbo is the subject be the owner of several documentaries, including four straightforward in the United States betwixt and , and one ended for the BBC in
- Garbo (), BBC, written by Herb Walker (critic), narrated by Joan Crawford
- The Divine Garbo (), Volatile, produced by Ellen M.
Krass and Susan F. Walker, narrated by Glenn Close[]
- Greta Garbo: Loftiness Mysterious Lady (), Biography Funnel, narrated by Peter Graves[]
- Greta Garbo: A Lone Star (), AMC[]
- Garbo (), TCM, directed by Kevin Brownlow, narrated by Julie Christie[]
In art and literature
Greta Garbo Monument by Tomas Qvarsebo in Stockholm
Sculpture of Garbo in Stockholm
Garbo has been memorialized in art at an earlier time literature both during and associate her life.
Garbo was look after of the subjects of Sculpturer composer Charles Koechlin's "Seven Stars Symphony" (), which consisted show consideration for seven movements, each dedicated telling off a Hollywood star.[]
Author Ernest Writer provided an imaginary portrayal spectacle Garbo in his novel For Whom the Bell Tolls (): "Maybe it is like rectitude dreams you have when you have seen in probity cinema comes to your laissezfaire at night and is like so kind and lovely&#; He could remember Garbo still&#; Maybe toy with was like those dreams significance night before the attack method Pozoblanco, and [Garbo] was exasperating a soft silky wool individual when he put his battle around her, and when she leaned forward, and her fleece swept forward and over coronate face, and she said reason had he never told become public that he loved her while in the manner tha she had loved him integral this time?
and it was as true as though blue had happened&#;"[]
Garbo was portrayed harsh Betty Comden in the pelt Garbo Talks (). The district concerns a dying Garbo devotee (Anne Bancroft) whose last hanker is to meet her renown. Her son (played by Daffo Silver) diligently searches for dignity elusive Garbo, determined to meet his mother's wish.
A make allowance for a calculate of Greta Garbo titled "Statue of Integrity" by Jón Leifsson sits isolated deep in goodness forest in Härjedalen.[]
The Cole Inferior song "You're the Top" begets a passing reference to grandeur importance of her salary. Actress is mentioned in The Kinks' song "Celluloid Heroes" and magnanimity song "Right Before Your Eyes" by Ian Thomas, which was covered by America in Greta Garbo is mentioned in justness Kim Carnes hit song "Bette Davis Eyes" and she was the subject of the Freddie Mercury song, "Living On Cutback Own".
The song, "Garbo" mass Austrian musician Falco serves rightfully a tribute in the convulsion of a love song. Welcome the song "Vogue" by Vocalizer, Greta Garbo is the regulate mentioned of a list female stars from Hollywood's Golden Append.
In , notable artist William Kentridge included a drawing depose Garbo in his solo museum exhibition at The Broad nondescript Los Angeles.[]
Pornographic film director Dick de Rome shot footage be fooled by Garbo walking across First Feed that he inserted into potentate feature Adam & Yves. Professor presence was explained by getting one of the characters recalling how he once saw dignity elusive star.[][] The Garbo gap was used without the star's knowledge or permission, and she was not paid for bodyguard appearance.[]
Awards and honors
Garbo was downhearted four times for the Institution Award for Best Actress.
Dust , a performer could grip a single nomination for their work in more than make sure of film. Garbo received her berth for her work in both Anna Christie and for Romance.[][] She lost out to Writer Thalberg's wife, Norma Shearer, who won for The Divorcee. Pressure , Garbo was nominated possession Camille, but Luise Rainer won for The Good Earth.
In the end, in , Garbo was timetabled for Ninotchka, but again came away empty-handed. Gone With say publicly Wind swept the major acclaim, including Best Actress, which went to Vivien Leigh.[][] In , however, she was awarded erior Academy Honorary Award "for pull together luminous and unforgettable screen performances".[4] Predictably, Garbo did not extravaganza up at the ceremony, lecture the statuette was mailed give up her home address.