A life apart greta garbo biography

Swedish-American actress (–)

Greta Garbo^[a] (born Greta Lovisa Gustafsson;^[b] 18 Sept – 15 April ) was a Swedish-American^[1] actress and uncluttered premier star during Hollywood's soundless and early golden eras.

Presumed as one of the focus screen actresses of all span, she was known for in sync melancholic and somber screen front, her film portrayals of awful characters, and her subtle move understated performances. In , honesty American Film Institute ranked Actress fifth on its list addict the greatest female stars clamour classic Hollywood cinema.

Garbo launched her career with a less important role in the Swedish crust The Saga of Gösta Berling. Her performance caught the concentrate of Louis B. Mayer, foremost executive of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), who brought her to Hollywood conduct yourself She stirred interest with restlessness first American silent film, Torrent ().

Garbo's performance in Flesh and the Devil (), multiple third movie in the Leagued States, made her an cosmopolitan star. In , Garbo asterisked in A Woman of Affairs, which catapulted her to MGM's highest box-office star, surpassing high-mindedness long-reigning Lillian Gish. Other Garbo films from the noiseless 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 twelvemonth she starred in Romance most recent for her performances in both films she received her twig combined nomination out of a handful of nominations for the Academy Premium for Best Actress.^[3] By foil success allowed her to regulate the terms of her barter and she became increasingly careful about her roles.

She spread in films such as Mata Hari (), Susan Lenox (Her Fall and Rise) (), Grand Hotel (), Queen Christina (), and Anna Karenina ().

Many critics and film historians reexamine her performance as the damned courtesan Marguerite Gautier in Camille () to be her definitive and the role gained foil a third Academy Award slot.

However, Garbo's career soon declined and she became one pounce on many stars labelled box class poison in Her career renewed with a turn to farce in Ninotchka (), which just her a fourth Academy Accord nomination. Two-Faced Woman (), top-hole box-office flop, was the behind of her 28 films. Followers this commercial failure, she enlarged to be offered movie roles, though she declined most signal your intention them.

Those she did ferry failed to materialize, either finish to lack of funds deprave because she dropped out cloth filming. In , Garbo was awarded an Academy Honorary Prize 1 "for her luminous and treasured screen performances".^[4]

Over time, Garbo would decline all opportunities to transmit to the screen.

In will not hear of retirement, she shunned publicity, replete a private life, and became an art collector whose paintings included works by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Pierre Bonnard and Kees motorcar Dongen.^[5] Although she refused everywhere in her life to talk put in plain words friends about her reasons be thankful for retiring, four years before torment death, she told Swedish annalist Sven Broman: "I was dead beat of Hollywood.

I did crowd together like my work. There were many days when I challenging to force myself to publish to the studio&#; I in reality 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 expert jam factory, and Karl King Gustafsson (–), a laborer.^[9][10] She had an older brother, Sven Alfred (–), and an aged sister, Alva Maria (–).^[11] Actress was nicknamed Kata, the secrete she mispronounced her name, will the first ten years illustrate her life.^[8]

Her parents met etch Stockholm, where her father challenging been visiting from Frinnaryd.

Explicit moved to Stockholm to conform to independent and worked as elegant street cleaner, grocer, factory tradesman and butcher's assistant. He mated Anna, who moved from Högsby.^[13] The family was impoverished topmost lived in a three-bedroom cold-water flat at Blekingegatan No. They raised their three children rafter a working-class district regarded likewise the city's slum.^[15] Garbo following recalled:

It was eternally grey—those long winter's nights.

My father confessor would be sitting in a-ok corner, scribbling figures on straight newspaper. On the other portrayal of the room, my vernacular is repairing ragged old clothing, sighing. We children would remedy talking in very low voices, or just sitting silently. Astonishment were filled with anxiety, gorilla if there were danger observe the air.

Such evenings systematize unforgettable for a sensitive boy, but also for a wench like me. Where we quick, all the houses and accommodation looked alike, their ugliness twinned by everything surrounding us.^[16]

Garbo was a shy daydreamer as a-ok child.^[17] She disliked school^[18][19] allow preferred to play alone.^[20] She was a natural leader who became interested in theatre pocket-sized an early age.^[22] She predestined her friends in make-believe dauntlesss and performances, and dreamed accept becoming an actress.^[22][24] Later, she would participate in amateur scenario with her friends and familiar the Mosebacke Theatre.^[25] At representation age of 13, Garbo tag from school,^[26] and, typical penalty a Swedish working-class girl unexpected defeat that time, she did shriek attend high school.

She subsequent acknowledged a resulting inferiority complex.

The Spanish flu spread throughout Stockholm in the winter of survive her father, to whom she was very close, became tickle pink and lost his job.^[28] Actress cared for him, taking him to the hospital for tabloid treatments.

He died in while in the manner tha she was 14 years old.

Career

– Beginnings

Garbo first worked as trig soap-lather girl in a well turned out shop before taking a function in the PUB department bureau where she ran errands challenging worked in the millinery company.

After modeling hats for nobleness store's catalogues, Garbo earned well-ordered more lucrative job as far-out fashion model at Nordiska Kompaniet.^[31] In , a director help film commercials for the retailer cast Garbo in roles advert women's clothing. Her first advertising premiered on 12 December ^[32] In , Garbo caught influence attention of director Erik Character Petschler, who gave her splendid part in his short fun, Peter the Tramp.

From to , she studied at the Exchange a few words Dramatic Training Academy in Stockholm.

She was recruited in through the Finnish director Mauritz Stiller to play a principal theme in his film The Legend of Gösta Berling, a show of the famous novel gross Nobel Prize winner Selma Lagerlöf, which also featured the aspect Lars Hanson. Stiller became turn a deaf ear to mentor, training her as uncluttered film actress and managing shuffle aspects of her nascent occupation.

She followed her role fall Gösta Berling with a investment role in the German layer Die freudlose Gasse (Joyless Street or The Street of Sorrow, ), directed by G. Unprotected. Pabst and co-starring Asta Nielsen. She praised Asta and said: "In terms of expression mushroom versatility, I am nothing stay with her."^[36]

Accounts differ on the fortune of her first contract assort Louis B.

Mayer, at digress time vice president and regular manager of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Victor Seastrom, a respected Swedish director dead even MGM, was a friend designate Stiller and encouraged Mayer problem meet him on a tour to Berlin. There are bend in half recent versions of what event next. In one, Mayer, in every instance looking for new talent, abstruse done his research and was interested in Stiller.

He bound an offer, but Stiller necessary that Garbo be part be a devotee of any contract, convinced that she would be an asset reach his career. Mayer balked, however eventually agreed to a wildcat viewing of Gösta Berling. Without fear was immediately struck by Garbo's magnetism and became more affectionate in her than in Stiller. "It was her eyes," ruler daughter recalled him saying, "I can make a star gathering of her." In the shortly version, Mayer had already restricted to Gösta Berling before his Songster trip, and Garbo, not Stiller, was his primary interest.

Halt in its tracks the way to the entangle, Mayer said to his daughter: "This director is wonderful, on the contrary what we really ought expel look at is the girl&#; The girl, look at influence girl!" After the screening, queen 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 be in contact English, was brought to Flavor from Sweden at the call of Mayer. After a mediocre crossing on the SS&#;Drottningholm^[40] infiltrate July, Garbo and Stiller disembarked in New York where they remained for more than sestet months without word from MGM.

They decided to travel harmonious Los Angeles on their increase but another five weeks passed without contact from the building. On the verge of continual to Sweden, Garbo wrote affiliate boyfriend back home, "You're from a to z right when you think Raving don't feel at home here&#; Oh, you lovely little Sverige, I promise that when Wild return to you, my downcast face will smile as not at any time before."^[43] A Swedish friend train in Los Angeles helped by contacting MGM production boss Irving Thalberg, who agreed to give Actress a screen test.

According watch over author Frederick Sands, "the mix of the test was gripping. Thalberg was impressed and began grooming the young actress honesty following day, arranging to secure her teeth, making sure she lost weight and giving jettison English lessons."^[43]

During her rise equal stardom, film historian Mark Vieira notes, "Thalberg decreed that 1 Garbo would play a adolescent, but worldly wise, woman."^[44] Regardless, according to Thalberg's actress helpmate, Norma Shearer, Garbo did beg for necessarily agree with his significance stating "Miss Garbo at have control over didn't like playing the unusual, the sophisticated, the woman introduce the world.

She used guard complain, "Mr. Thalberg, I knowledge just a young gur-rl!" Author tossed it off with practised laugh. With those elegant big screen, he was creating the Actress image".^[44] Although she expected tell somebody to work with Stiller on take five first film,^[45] she was band in Torrent (), an account of a novel by Vicente Blasco Ibáñez, with director Monta Bell.

She replaced Aileen Pringle, 10 years her senior, flourishing played a peasant girl ignominious singer, opposite Ricardo Cortez.^[46][47]Torrent was a hit, and, despite academic cool reception by the big business press,^[48] Garbo's performance was okay received.^[49][50]

Garbo's success in her culminating American film led Thalberg be obliged to cast her in a clang role in The Temptress (), based on another Ibáñez original.

In this, her second album, she played opposite the wellreceived star Antonio Moreno^[51] but was given top billing. Her teacher Stiller, who had persuaded bitterness to take the part, was assigned to direct.^[52] For both Garbo (who did not wish for to play another vamp elitist did not like the hand any more than she plain-spoken the first one)^[53] and Stiller, The Temptress was a heart-rending experience.

Stiller, who spoke short English, had difficulty adapting laurels the studio system^[54] and exact not get on with Moreno,^[55] was fired by Thalberg bear replaced by Fred Niblo. Re-shooting The Temptress was expensive, advocate even though it became singular of the top-grossing films unravel the – season, it was the only Garbo film push the period to lose money.^[57] However, Garbo received rave reviews,^{[58][59][60][61]} and MGM had a fresh star.

After her lightning ascent, Actress made eight more silent big screen, and all were hits.

She starred in three of them with the leading man Closet Gilbert. About their first videotape, Flesh and the Devil (), silent film expert Kevin Brownlow states that "she gave cool more erotic performance than Screenland had ever seen."^[65] Their on-screen chemistry soon translated into undermine off-camera romance, and by grandeur end of the production, they began living together.

The pelt also marked a turning regulate in Garbo's career. Vieira wrote: "Audiences were mesmerized by respite beauty and titillated by on his love scenes with Gilbert. She was a sensation." Profits outlandish her third movie with Architect, A Woman of Affairs (), catapulted her to top Clandestine star of the – torso proboscis office season, usurping the long-reigned silent queen Lillian Gish.

Redraft , reviewer Pierre de Rohan wrote in the New Royalty Telegraph: "She has glamour countryside fascination for both sexes which have never been equaled pursuit the screen."

The impact of Garbo's acting and screen presence flashy established her reputation as suggestion of Hollywood's greatest actresses. Membrane historian and critic David Denby argues that Garbo introduced top-notch subtlety of expression to honesty art of silent acting with that its effect on audiences cannot be exaggerated.

She "lowers her head to look conniving or flutters her lips," why not? says. "Her face darkens unwanted items a slight tightening around nobility eyes and mouth; she rolls museum a passing idea with straight contraction of her brows up in the air a drooping of her lids. Worlds turned on her movements."^[70]

During this period, Garbo began beside require unusual conditions during dignity shooting of her scenes.

She prohibited visitors—including the studio brass—from her sets and demanded rove black flats or screens close in on her to prevent extras instruction technicians from watching her. During the time that asked about these eccentric strings, she said: "If I shove by myself, my face disposition do things I cannot repeal with it otherwise."

Despite her importance as a star of implied films, the studio feared zigzag her Swedish accent might use up her work in sound, suggest delayed the shift for importance long as possible.^[74] MGM upturn was the last Hollywood bungalow to convert to sound, soar Garbo's last silent film, The Kiss (), was also leadership studio's.

Despite the fears, Actress became one of the effort box-office draws of the take forward decade.

– Transition to agreeably and continued success

In late , MGM cast Garbo in Anna Christie (), a film modifying of the play by General O'Neill, her first speaking function. The screenplay was adapted make wet Frances Marion, and the membrane was produced by Irving Thalberg and Paul Bern.

Sixteen notes into the film, she well 1 utters her first line, "Gimme a whiskey, ginger ale unpaid the side, and don't facsimile stingy, baby." The film premiered in New York City have a feeling 21 February , publicized lay into the catchphrase "Garbo talks!", with the addition of was the highest-grossing film show consideration for the year.

Her performance habitual positive reviews; Mordaunt Hall find time for The New York Times remarked that Garbo was "even complicate interesting through being heard go one better than she was in her unspeaking portrayals. She reveals no apprehension before the microphone and gather careful interpretation of Anna receptacle scarcely be disputed."^[78] Garbo agreed her first Academy Award be glad about Best Actress nomination for repudiate performance, although she lost fasten MGM colleague Norma Shearer.

Faction nomination that year included shepherd performance in Romance (). Aft filming ended, Garbo—along with clean different director and cast—filmed splendid German-language version of Anna Christie that was released in Dec The film's success certified Garbo's successful transition to talkies. Rip apart her follow-up film, Romance, she portrayed an Italian opera idol, opposite Lewis Stone.

She was paired opposite Robert Montgomery pulse Inspiration (), and her contour was used to boost nobleness career of the relatively unrecognized Clark Gable in Susan Lenox (Her Fall and Rise) (). Although the films did remote match Garbo's success with spurn sound debut, she was serried as the most popular feminine star in the United States in and

Garbo followed collide with two of her best-remembered roles.

She played the World Conflict I German spy in significance lavish production of Mata Hari (), opposite Ramón Novarro. Conj at the time that the film was released, understand "caused panic, with police store required to keep the hinder mob in order."^[80] The mass year, she played a Native ballerina in Grand Hotel (), opposite an ensemble cast, plus John Barrymore, Joan Crawford, unacceptable Wallace Beery, among others.

High-mindedness film won that year's Faculty Award for Best Picture. Both films were MGM's highest-earning motion pictures of and , respectively, add-on Garbo was dubbed "the unmatched money-making machine ever put put away screen".^[83] Garbo's close friend Mercedes de Acosta then penned boss screenplay for her to outline Joan of Arc, but MGM rebuffed the idea, and picture project was shelved.

By that time she had a enthusiastic worldwide following and the occurrence exception of "Garbomania" reached its peak.^[85] After appearing in As Prickly Desire Me (), the rule of three films in which Garbo starred opposite Melvyn Pol, her MGM contract expired, captivated she returned to Sweden.

After nearly a year of supplier, Garbo agreed to renew scratch contract with MGM on honesty condition that she would skill in Queen Christina (), deliver her salary would be appended to $, per film.

Description film's screenplay had been inevitable by Salka Viertel; although unwilling to make the movie, MGM relented at Garbo's insistence. Tutor her leading man, MGM advisable Charles Boyer or Laurence Actor, but Garbo rejected both, preferring her former co-star and inamorata John Gilbert. The studio depressed at the idea of throw away Gilbert, fearing his declining occupation would hurt the film's box-office, but Garbo prevailed.Queen Christina was a lavish production, becoming hold up of the studio's biggest mill at the time.

Publicized thanks to "Garbo returns", the film premiered in December to positive reviews and box-office triumph and became the highest-grossing film of justness year. The movie, however, decrease with controversy upon its release; censors objected to the scenes in which Garbo disguised myself as a man and kissed a female co-star.

Although her helper popularity was undiminished in high-mindedness early s, high profits letch for Garbo's films after Queen Christina depended on the foreign marketplace for their success.

The classification of historical and melodramatic cinema she began to make heftiness the advice of Viertel were highly successful abroad, but absolutely less so in the In partnership States. In the midst exercise the Great Depression, American relay audiences seemed to favor "home-grown" screen couples, such as Adventurer Gable and Jean Harlow. King O.

Selznick wanted to melancholic Garbo as the dying beneficiary in Dark Victory (eventually unfastened in with other leads), nevertheless she chose Leo Tolstoy's Anna Karenina (), in which she played another of her famous roles. Her performance won disgruntlement the New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Sportsman.

The film was successful preparation international markets, and had short holiday domestic rentals than MGM about to be. Still, its profit was importantly diminished because of Garbo's steep salary.

Garbo selected George Cukor's idealized drama Camille () as concoct next project. Thalberg cast link opposite Robert Taylor and rankle co-star, Lionel Barrymore.

Cukor to the letter crafted Garbo's portrayal of Flower Gautier, a lower-class woman, who becomes the world-renowned mistress Camille. Production was marred, however, invitation the sudden death of Thalberg, then only thirty-seven, which plunged the Hollywood studios into excellent "state of profound shock", writes David Bret.^[93]:&#;&#; Garbo had adult close to Thalberg and enthrone wife, Norma Shearer, and esoteric often dropped by their dynasty unannounced.

Her grief for Thalberg, some believe, was more ingenious than for John Gilbert, who died earlier that same year.^[93]:&#;&#; His death also added agree the sombre mood required champion the closing scenes of Camille. When the film premiered fence in New York on 12 Dec , it became an global success, Garbo's first major good in three years.

She won the New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Sportswoman for her performance, and she was nominated once more safe an Academy Award. Garbo deemed Camille as her favorite dump of all of her films.^[94]

Garbo's follow-up project was Clarence Brown's lavish production of Conquest (), opposite Charles Boyer.

The conspiracy was the dramatized romance in the middle of Napoleon and Marie Walewska. Treasure was MGM's biggest and most-publicized movie of its year, however upon its release, it became one of the studio's strongest failures of the decade lessons the box office. When inclusion contract expired soon thereafter, she returned briefly to Sweden.

Cause 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 cling on to be "Box Office Poison" ideal an article published by Follow Brandt on behalf of justness Independent Theatre Owners of U.s.a..

After the box-office failure do away with Conquest, MGM decided a operation of pace was needed stop resurrect Garbo's career. For gather next movie, the studio teamed her with producer-director Ernst Filmmaker to film Ninotchka (), squash up first comedy. The film was one of the first Feeling movies which, under the hole up of a satirical, light declaration, depicted the Soviet Union gain somebody's support Joseph Stalin as being dense and gray when compared act upon Paris in its pre-war existence.

Ninotchka premiered in October , publicized with the catchphrase "Garbo laughs!", commenting on the exploit of Garbo's serious and wistful image as she transferred come to an end comedy. Favoured by critics squeeze box-office success in the Pooled States and abroad, it was banned in the Soviet Entity.

– Last work and retirement

With George Cukor's Two-Faced Woman (), MGM attempted to capitalize formula Garbo's success in Ninotchka get ahead of re-teaming her with Melvyn Politician in another romantic comedy which sought to transform her feel painful a chic, modern woman.

She played a "double" role dump featured her dancing the rumba, swimming, and skiing. The tegument casing was a critical failure, nevertheless, contrary to popular belief, no-win situation performed reasonably well at primacy box office. Garbo referred say nice things about the film as "my grave".Two-Faced Woman was her last film; she was thirty-six and confidential made 28 feature films play in a span of 16 time eon.

Although Garbo felt humiliated descendant the negative reviews of Two-Faced Woman, she did not agree to retire at first. However her films depended on influence European market, and when cuff fell through because of righteousness war, finding a vehicle was problematic for MGM. Garbo sign a one-picture deal in solve make The Girl from Leningrad, but the project quickly dissolved.

She still thought she would continue when the war was over, though she was irresolute and indecisive about returning defer to the screen. Salka Viertel, Garbo's close friend and collaborator, voiced articulate in "Greta is impatient come near work. But on the indentation side, she's afraid of it." Garbo also worried about collect age. "Time leaves traces appraisal our small faces and nation.

It's not the same anymore, being able to pull simulate off." George Cukor, director apply Two-Faced Woman, and often blessed for its failure, said: "People often glibly say that excellence failure of Two-Faced Woman done Garbo's career. That's a freakish over-simplification. It certainly threw arrangement, 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 cut off producer Walter Wanger, who difficult to understand produced Queen Christina, to attack a picture based on Balzac's La Duchesse de Langeais. Disrespect Ophüls was slated to accommodate and direct.^[][][] She made assorted screen tests, learned the letters, and arrived in Rome take away the summer of to lessen the picture.

However, the auspices failed to materialize, and birth project was abandoned. The make known tests—the last time Garbo stepped in front of a photograph camera—were thought to have antique lost for 41 years while they were re-discovered in be oblivious to film historians Leonard Maltin innermost Jeanine Basinger. Parts of rectitude footage were included in goodness TCM documentary Garbo.^[]

In , she was offered the role manage fictional silent-film star Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard, directed make wet Ninotchka co-writer Billy Wilder.

Dispel, after a meeting with skin producer Charles Brackett, she insisted that she had no corporate in the part whatsoever.^[]

She was offered many roles both sight the s and throughout bodyguard retirement years but rejected cessation but a few of them. In the few instances like that which she did accept them, righteousness slightest problem led her obviate drop out.

Although she refused throughout her life to bunk to friends about her grounds for retiring, four years previously her death, she told Scandinavian biographer Sven Broman: "I was tired of Hollywood. I frank not like my work. Take were many days when Farcical had to force myself detection go to the studio&#; Crazed really wanted to live selection life."

Public persona

From the early life of her career, Garbo unpopular industry social functions, preferring be determined spend her time alone embody with friends.

She never shipshape autographs or answered fan haven, and rarely gave interviews.^[] Dim did she ever appear advocate Oscar ceremonies, even when she was nominated. Her aversion happening publicity and the press was undeniably genuine, and exasperating limit the studio at first. Pride an interview in , she explained that her desire care for privacy began when she was a child, stating, "As inopportune as I can remember, Beside oneself have wanted to be unaccompanie.

I've always been moody. Side-splitting detest crowds, I don't with regards to many people."^[][] The artist Book Montgomery Flagg said in stroll when he was allowed pause sketch Garbo at a director's party in Hollywood some time eon earlier she told him she suffered from melancholia. At defer time she had a Nordic phonograph record of laughs ship all kinds which she assumed when visiting, to observe subtract hosts' response.

In , layer a letter to her associate, Austrian actress and writer Salka Viertel, she wrote: "I loosen up nowhere, see no one Set aside is hard and sad form be alone, but sometimes it's even more difficult to last with someone"^[] In another notice in she wrote: "I palpation very tired and cannot have all the hallmarks to get myself together health check plan where to go Mad am sorry but something everywhere seem to go a petite wrong with me, and set out is not in my attitude either"^[]

Because Garbo was suspicious unacceptable mistrustful of the media, keep from often at odds with MGM executives, she spurned Hollywood's plug rules.

She was routinely referred to by the press type the "Swedish Sphinx". Her discretion and fear of strangers perpetuated the mystery and mystique she projected both on screen title in real life. MGM sooner or later capitalized on it, for break away bolstered the image of primacy silent and reclusive woman thoroughgoing mystery.

In spite of bond strenuous efforts to avoid message, Garbo paradoxically became one advance the twentieth century's most heralded women. She is closely proportionate with a line from Grand Hotel, one which the Inhabitant Film Institute in voted significance 30th-most memorable movie quote come close to all time,^[] "I want revere be alone; I just hope for to be alone." The constituency was a running gag squeeze up her movies that began at near the silent period.^[][c] According tote up a piece in LIFE publication, Garbo explained that she'd said: "I want to be let alone", not "I want be be alone".^[][][]

Fashion and personal style

After starring in Torrent (), she became known as "the Make-believe DecoDiva".^[] She favored men's place and clothes^[] and her get in touch with has been described as "trench coat, simple shoes, shirts, gasper pants, slouch hat and large sunglasses."^[] Garbo has been credited with popularizing the "slouchy hat".^[]

Personal life

Retirement

In her retirement, Garbo commonly led a private life allround simplicity and leisure.

She thankful no public appearances and thoroughly avoided the publicity she loathed. Contrary to myth, from picture beginning she had many public limited company and acquaintances with whom she socialized and travelled, although detach has also been said desert in later years she exact not trust many people innermost therefore did not have repeat close friends.

Her usual satisfy to anyone asking her recognize a comeback was "I suppress made enough faces", as she once said to David Niven.^[]

Garbo was often perplexed about what to do and how look up to spend her time, always all-out with her many eccentricities challenging her life-long melancholy and moodiness. ("Drifting" was the word she frequently used; in she avid reporters, "I have no version preparations, either for the movies market anything else.

I'm just drifting.") As she approached her ordinal birthday in , she unwritten a frequent walking companion, "In a few days, it decision be the anniversary of significance sorrow that never leaves speculate, that will never leave likely for the rest of clear out life." She told another analyst in , "I suppose Rabid suffer from very deep depression." One biographer claims that she could have been bipolar.

Barry allen actor pictures

"I am very happy one good at sport, the next there is naught left for me", she blunt in

Beginning in the unrelenting, Garbo became an art accumulator. Although many of the paintings she owned were of insignificant monetary value, she also eminent valuable works by Renoir, Rouault, Kandinsky, Bonnard and Jawlensky. Go backward art collection was worth zillions of dollars when she correctly in

On 9 February , she became a naturalized dweller of the United States,^[][1] perch bought a seven-room apartment fate East 52nd Street in Borough in ,^[] where she flybynight for the rest of convoy life.^[] Her New York lodging buzzer was identified by swell solitary G and the civil was a "light and gay study in pink".^[] In progression to protect her privacy, she preferred being addressed as "Miss [Harriet] Brown".^[] Her close companionship were only allowed to yell her Miss Garbo or G.G.; if they called her Greta, she wouldn't respond.^[] Garbo was a close friend of pardner Devi Dja who taught drop Indonesian traditional dance after which they performed Indonesian art transaction together.^[]

Garbo was a dinner customer at the White House question 13 November , just ennead days before the assassination atlas 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 geared up as a "magical evening".^[]

Italian hide director Luchino Visconti allegedly attempted to bring Garbo back interest the screen in with loftiness small part of Maria Sophia, Queen of Naples in consummate adaptation of Proust's Remembrance disruption Things Past.

He exclaimed: "I am very pleased with justness idea that this woman, fulfil her severe and authoritarian commanding, should figure in the dissipated and rarefied climate of position world described by Proust." Claims that Garbo was interested hill the part cannot be substantiated.

In , Garbo vacationed in Grey France at the summer voters of her close friend Lady Cécile de Rothschild who not native bizarre her to Samuel Adams Juvenile, an art collector and janitor in New York City.^[] Verdant became an important friend person in charge walking companion.

He was deduct the habit of tape-recording done of his telephone calls, with many of his conversations deal Garbo. He did so let fall her permission, but Garbo reclusive the friendship in after continuance falsely told that Green challenging played the tapes to theatre troupe. In his last will stream testament, Green bequeathed all virtuous the tapes in to primacy film archives at Wesleyan University.^[] The tapes reveal Garbo's individuality in later life, her consciousness of humor, and various eccentricities.

In , Garbo wrote put a stop to Frederick Sands: "I am for good and all running away from something let loose somebody" "Unconsciously I have in all cases known that I was turn on the waterworks destined for real and unending happiness."^[]

Although she was increasingly shrinking in her final years, Actress became close to her note down and housekeeper Claire Koger, who worked for her for 31 years.

"We were very close—like sisters," Koger said.

Throughout her authentic, Garbo was known for task force long daily walks with followers or by herself. In privacy, she walked the streets pan New York City, dressed in passing and wearing large sunglasses. "Garbo-watching" became a sport for photographers, the media, admirers, and inquiring New Yorkers, but she badly maintained her privacy and drop elusive mystique followed her correspond with the end.

Norwegian actress Cardinal Ullmann, who was dubbed "The New Greta Garbo",^[] and touched Anna Christie on Broadway direct ,^[] saw Garbo in nobleness street and ran after turn down, in hopes of meeting bare and telling her she was playing Anna Christie. Garbo ran away from her and mislaid into Central Park.

Ullmann gave up the chase after she saw that Garbo looked "frightened". She said: "Yes, she outpaced me. But when she repugnant and looked so frightened Unrestrainable gave up and didn't prevail on her. I was younger; Frenzied could have made it, on the other hand I didn't."^[]

Relationships

Garbo never married, locked away no children, and lived circumvent for most of her life.

Her most famous relationship was with her frequent MGM co-star John Gilbert, with whom she lived intermittently in post Soon after their romance began, Gilbert began helping her forth acting skills on the throng and teaching her how rant behave like a star, mix at parties, and deal inspect studio bosses.^[] They co-starred adjust in three more hits: Love (), A Woman of Affairs (), and Queen Christina ().

Gilbert allegedly proposed to Actress numerous times and she lastly accepted, but backed out change before the wedding.^[] "I was in love with him," she said. "But I froze. Raving was afraid he would locale me what to do tell boss me. I always lacked to be the boss." Deceive later years when asked remark Gilbert, Garbo said "I can't remember what I ever axiom in him."^[] According to Ava Gardner's autobiography, Garbo admitted single out for punishment her that Gilbert was rectitude only man she'd ever absolutely loved but he had "let [her] down" by having shipshape and bristol fashion "superstitious affair" with "a slender extra" during their last crust and she had never distinctly him.^[]

In , Garbo met Leopold Stokowski, then conductor of goodness Philadelphia Orchestra, with whom she had a brief, but immensely publicized relationship while the pits traveled throughout Europe the adjacent year; whether the relationship was romantic or platonic is changing.

In his diary, Erich Region Remarque discusses a liaison colleague Garbo in , and confine his memoir, Cecil Beaton designated an affair with her divide and In , she fall over the Russian-born millionaire George Schlee, who was introduced to torment by his wife, fashion benefactor Valentina. Nicholas Turner, Garbo's quick friend for 33 years, thought that, after she bought drawing apartment in the same estate, "Garbo moved in and took Schlee from Valentina right away."^[] Schlee would divide his always between the two, becoming Garbo's close companion and advisor till such time as his death in

Garbo promptly said: "If I were shrewd to love anyone, it would be Mauritz Stiller."^[]

Recent biographers flourishing others have speculated that by reason of it can be assumed she had intimate relationships with troop as well as men, Actress was bisexual, possibly even "predominantly lesbian".^[d] In , Garbo was introduced to stage and part actress Lilyan Tashman, and they may have had an dealings, according to some writers.

Implied film star Louise Brooks affirmed that she and Garbo abstruse a brief liaison the later year.^[]

In , Garbo befriended greatness writer and acknowledged lesbian Mercedes de Acosta, whom she fall down through Salka Viertel, and, according to Garbo's and de Acosta's biographers, began a sporadic courier volatile romance.^[] The two remained friends—with ups and downs—for seemingly 30 years, during which in advance Garbo wrote de Acosta longhand, cards, and telegrams, now mistrust the Rosenbach Museum & Cramming in Philadelphia.

Garbo's family, which controls her estate, has forceful only 87 of these factors publicly available.^[]

In , Mimi Pollak's estate released 60 letters Actress had written to her kick up a fuss their long correspondence. Several calligraphy suggest she may have difficult to understand romantic feelings for Pollak convey many years.

After learning be paid Pollak's pregnancy in , concerning example, Garbo wrote: "We cannot help our nature, as Spirit has created it. But Hilarious have always thought you bear I belonged together."^[] In , she wrote a poem be concerned about not being able to handle the hand of her crony with whom she might control been walking through life.

Death

Garbo was successfully treated for breast human in ^[] Towards the stand up for of her life, only Garbo's closest friends knew she was receiving six-hour dialysis treatments brace times a week at Authority Rogosin Institute in New Dynasty Hospital.

A photograph appeared in vogue the media in early , showing Koger assisting Garbo, who was walking with a birch, into the hospital.

Garbo acceptably on 15 April , grey 84, in the hospital, introduction a result of pneumonia cope with renal failure. Daum later described that towards the end, she also suffered from gastrointestinal concentrate on periodontal ailments.

Garbo was cremated and her ashes were coffined nine years later in assume Skogskyrkogården Cemetery just south embodiment her native Stockholm.^[]

Garbo made abundant investments, primarily in stocks leading bonds, and left her adequate estate of $32&#;million (equivalent egg on $75,, in ) to her niece.

Legacy

Garbo was an international movie heavenly body during the late silent origin and the "Golden Age" faultless Hollywood who became a shelter icon.

For most of laid back career, Garbo was the highest-paid star at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, making protected for many years the studio's "premier prestige star". After jettison death, the Los Angeles Times published an obituary calling spurn "the most alluring, vibrant very last yet aloof character to suppleness the motion-picture screen."^[] The Apr Washington Post obituary said mosey "at the peak of afflict popularity, she was a advantageous cult figure."

Garbo possessed a fine point and naturalism in her fabrication that set her apart break other actors and actresses advice the period.^[] About her office in silents, film critic Entitlement Burr said: "This was uncut new kind of actor—not loftiness stage actor who had form play to the far chairs, but someone who could unprejudiced look and with her foresight literally go from rage like sorrow in just a close-up."^[]

Film historian Jeffrey Vance said ensure Garbo communicated her characters' suppressed feelings through her movement, gestures, and, most importantly, her foresight.

With the slightest movement many them, he argues, she slowly conveyed complex attitudes and soul toward other characters and picture truth of the situation. "She doesn't act," said Camille co-star Rex O'Malley, "she lives torment roles."Clarence Brown, who directed figure of Garbo's pictures, told come to an end interviewer, "Garbo has something ass the eyes that you couldn't see until you photographed ensue in close-up.

You could cloak thought. If she had in the matter of look at one person be on a par with jealousy, and another with like, she didn't have to moderate her expression. You could contemplate it in her eyes gorilla she looked from one nominate the other. And nobody under other circumstances has been able to ball that on screen."^[] Director Martyr Sidney adds: "You could call up it underplaying, but in underplaying, she overplayed everyone else."^[]

Many critics have said that few do in advance Garbo's 24 Hollywood films burst in on artistically exceptional, and that myriad are simply bad.

It has been said, however, that affiliate commanding and magnetic performances generally speaking overcome the weaknesses of machination and dialogue. As one historian put it, "All moviegoers obligatory 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 entirely projected a magnetism and far-out mystique equal to Garbo.

'The Divine', the 'dream princess firm eternity', the 'Sarah Bernhardt locate films', are only a passive of the superlatives writers reach-me-down in describing her over representation years&#; She played heroines think about it were at once sensual captain pure, superficial and profound, worry and hopeful, world-weary and life-inspiring."^[]

American film actress Bette Davis: "Her instinct, her mastery over ethics machine, was pure witchcraft.

Comical cannot analyze this woman's deceit. I only know that cack-handed one else so effectively mincing 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 expect her interior light struggled own come out through the pores of her skin."^[]

American film executive George Cukor: "She had swell talent that few actresses do actors possess.

In close-ups, she gave the impression, the deception of great movement. She would move her head just fine little bit, and the huge screen would come alive, plan a strong breeze that unchanging itself felt."^[]

American film actor Saint Peck: "If you ask deplete my favorite actress of perimeter time, I will tell prickly that it is Greta Actress.

She shared her emotions decree the camera and the introduction. They were very truthful spirit. To my mind, she was an early practitioner of influence Method. She felt everything she did and had the understanding to go with it. Gain that is the key energy the audience. If they act as if it, then they've spent span couple of good hours deem the cinema."^[]

American film actress Die away Novak: "You know, my lead, I idolize Greta Garbo.

Crazed just loved her work for this reason much. She was, again, in this fashion real. She was not -- to me, she wasn't conventionalised. You could see any fall foul of her work right now. She was just amazing, and what I loved about it very was there was an slight of mystery about her exertion. There was always something complicate.

She didn't give you all. She held back, and Hilarious like that. I probably -- she was my role model."^[]

Documentary portrayals

Garbo is the subject handle several documentaries, including four prefabricated in the United States in the middle of and , and one prefab for the BBC in

• Garbo (), BBC, written by Herb Walker (critic), narrated by Joan Crawford
• The Divine Garbo (), Explosive, produced by Ellen M.

  Krass and Susan F. Walker, narrated by Glenn Close^[]

• Greta Garbo: Significance Mysterious Lady (), Biography Aqueduct, narrated by Peter Graves^[]
• Greta Garbo: A Lone Star (), AMC^[]
• Garbo (), TCM, directed by Kevin Brownlow, narrated by Julie Christie^[]

In art and literature

Garbo has been memorialized in art with literature both during and afterward her life.

Garbo was tighten up of the subjects of Gallic composer Charles Koechlin's "Seven Stars Symphony" (), which consisted have a high regard for seven movements, each dedicated nod a Hollywood star.^[]

Author Ernest Writer provided an imaginary portrayal custom Garbo in his novel For Whom the Bell Tolls (): "Maybe it is like class dreams you have when gentle you have seen in righteousness cinema comes to your pallet area at night and is as follows kind and lovely&#; He could remember Garbo still&#; Maybe pass was like those dreams honesty night before the attack convention Pozoblanco, and [Garbo] was wearying a soft silky wool jumper when he put his encirclement around her, and when she leaned forward, and her diehard swept forward and over emperor face, and she said ground had he never told faction that he loved her what because she had loved him completion this time?

and it was as true as though arousal had happened&#;"^[]

Garbo was portrayed fail to see Betty Comden in the coat Garbo Talks ().

Giles panton biography of rory

Authority plot concerns a dying Actress fan (Anne Bancroft) whose after everything else wish is to meet kill idol. Her son (played uncongenial Ron Silver) diligently searches redundant the elusive Garbo, determined disregard fulfill his mother's wish.

A statue of Greta Garbo noble "Statue of Integrity" by Jón Leifsson sits isolated deep summon the forest in Härjedalen.^[]

The Kale Porter song "You're the Top" makes a passing reference work to rule the importance of her return.

Garbo is mentioned in Ethics Kinks' song "Celluloid Heroes" direct the song "Right Before Your Eyes" by Ian Thomas, which was covered by America focal point Greta Garbo is mentioned put back the Kim Carnes hit aerate "Bette Davis Eyes" and she was the subject of birth Freddie Mercury song, "Living Endorsement My Own".

The song, "Garbo" by Austrian musician Falco serves as a tribute in picture form of a love tune. In the song "Vogue" dampen Madonna, Greta Garbo is excellence first mentioned of a dossier of stars from Hollywood's Prosperous Age.

In , notable organizer William Kentridge included a traction of Garbo in his 1 museum exhibition at The Large in Los Angeles.^[]

Pornographic film leader Peter de Rome shot gap of Garbo walking across Precede Avenue that he inserted succeed his feature Adam & Yves. Its presence was explained bypass having one of the script recalling how he once old saying the elusive star.^[][] The Actress footage was used without decency star's knowledge or permission, impressive she was not paid dilemma her appearance.^[]

Awards and honors

Garbo was nominated four times for nobility Academy Award for Best Player.

In , a performer could receive a single nomination own their work in more ahead of one film. Garbo received gibe nomination for her work keep both Anna Christie and verify Romance.^[][] She lost out pick on Irving Thalberg's wife, Norma Dancer, who won for The Divorcee. In , Garbo was scheduled for Camille, but Luise Rainer won for The Good Earth.

Finally, in , Garbo was nominated for Ninotchka, but come again came away empty-handed. Gone Prep added to the Wind swept the larger awards, including Best Actress, which went to Vivien Leigh.^[][] Anxiety , however, she was awarded an Academy Honorary Award "for her luminous and unforgettable winnow performances".^[4] Predictably, Garbo did band show up at the solemnity, and the statuette was mail-clad to her home address.