In my opinion, Garbo deserved an AA for her playing of the doomed courtesan Marguerite Gautier in this 1936 masterpiece which was brilliantly directed by George Cukor. Few "classic" films can hold up to their reputation after 65+ years: this one does. The period detail is nigh flawless, Cukor's direction is carefully inspired and Garbo gives a magically eloquent performance which is only rivalled by her playing of QUEEN CHRISTINA. 25 year-old Robert Taylor plays the ridiculously handsome & naive Armand with surprising restraint: certainly his portrayal isn't guilty of callowness. As Marguerite's fair weather friend, the greedy, well-dressed bawd Prudence Duvernoy, Laura Hope Crews is amusing, while the rarely-seen-in-films stage star Lenore Ulric, playing the rather eclectic role of Olympe, comes off brilliantly. Henry Danielle is sauve perfection as the wealthy but cynical & middle-aged Baron de Varville. Unfortunately, Lionel Barrymore is somewhat miscast as Monsieur Duvall: too histrionically American. No matter. CAMILLE is a timeless romantic film of the highest order, the final reel containing some of the most unforgettable scenes in the history of film, solely due to Garbo's magnetic and believable performance as the tragic "Lady of the Camellias".
Review of Camille
