It is generally agreed that Greta Garbo reached her peak as an actress in 'Camille' in which she simply transcends the art of film acting. An opinion that is shared by this viewer who happens to be an avowed Garbomaniac. The script was superlative and Garbo herself in a positive frame of mind(by her standards anyway!)
Her next film, her twenty-second in eleven years, could not, alas, afford a greater contrast.
When the idea of a film depicting the relationship between Napoleon Buonaparte and Countess Marie Walewska was first suggested to Irving Thalberg he expressed doubts as to whether Napoleon would be of any interest to the average American cinema goer. He was also concerned that Marie would be a secondary character and unworthy of MGM's greatest asset. By the time the film went into production Thalberg had gone to the great studio in the sky but his doubts proved to be well-founded. It had the dubious distinction of being MGM's most expensively mounted sound film and the one that incurred the greatest losses.
So as not to confuse viewers with too many syllables the title was changed from 'Marie Walewska' to the simpler 'Conquest'. The costume designer, Adrian, was heard to ask:"Who cares about Napoleon?" Throughout the production everyone seemed to be asking themselves the same question with the notable exception of Charles Boyer who was concerned that French audiences would not find his portrayal satisfactory. Director Clarence Brown, making his seventh film with Garbo, was frustrated by a script from various writers which seemed to arrive in dribs and drabs. Garbo herself was weary and seemed to have given up the ghost. She was also much thinner thanks to a daily consumption of a health food concoction called Bieler's Broth.
Both Garbo and Boyer are consummate professionals and have some very good moments but are done no service by the ponderous script. Boyer has just the right touch of megalomania and Garbo's ability to convey 'thought' is mesmerising. The final farewell scene, written by Charles MacArthur, is beautifully understated.
Karl Freund is behind the camera in the absence of William Daniels and the score is by MGM regular Herbert Stothart. The exodus of Napoleon's army from Moscow is accompanied, naturally, by Tchaikovsky's '1812'.
Great supporting cast as one would expect and a gem of a performance from Maria Ouspenskaya as a senile Countess. As Marie's elderly husband Henry Stephenson epitomises nobility whilst Reginald Owen as Talleyrand epitomises duplicitous diplomacy.
For Garbo, the death of Thalberg and this film's failure turned out to be two devastating blows to the career of this magnetic, magnificent artiste. Despite the triumph of 'Ninotchka', the catastrophic 'Two-faced Woman' further hastened it's demise.
Her next film, her twenty-second in eleven years, could not, alas, afford a greater contrast.
When the idea of a film depicting the relationship between Napoleon Buonaparte and Countess Marie Walewska was first suggested to Irving Thalberg he expressed doubts as to whether Napoleon would be of any interest to the average American cinema goer. He was also concerned that Marie would be a secondary character and unworthy of MGM's greatest asset. By the time the film went into production Thalberg had gone to the great studio in the sky but his doubts proved to be well-founded. It had the dubious distinction of being MGM's most expensively mounted sound film and the one that incurred the greatest losses.
So as not to confuse viewers with too many syllables the title was changed from 'Marie Walewska' to the simpler 'Conquest'. The costume designer, Adrian, was heard to ask:"Who cares about Napoleon?" Throughout the production everyone seemed to be asking themselves the same question with the notable exception of Charles Boyer who was concerned that French audiences would not find his portrayal satisfactory. Director Clarence Brown, making his seventh film with Garbo, was frustrated by a script from various writers which seemed to arrive in dribs and drabs. Garbo herself was weary and seemed to have given up the ghost. She was also much thinner thanks to a daily consumption of a health food concoction called Bieler's Broth.
Both Garbo and Boyer are consummate professionals and have some very good moments but are done no service by the ponderous script. Boyer has just the right touch of megalomania and Garbo's ability to convey 'thought' is mesmerising. The final farewell scene, written by Charles MacArthur, is beautifully understated.
Karl Freund is behind the camera in the absence of William Daniels and the score is by MGM regular Herbert Stothart. The exodus of Napoleon's army from Moscow is accompanied, naturally, by Tchaikovsky's '1812'.
Great supporting cast as one would expect and a gem of a performance from Maria Ouspenskaya as a senile Countess. As Marie's elderly husband Henry Stephenson epitomises nobility whilst Reginald Owen as Talleyrand epitomises duplicitous diplomacy.
For Garbo, the death of Thalberg and this film's failure turned out to be two devastating blows to the career of this magnetic, magnificent artiste. Despite the triumph of 'Ninotchka', the catastrophic 'Two-faced Woman' further hastened it's demise.