Based on “La Dame aux Camelias” by Alexander Dumas which had also been the basis for the Verdi opera “La Traviata” (The Fallen Woman), “Camille” is without a doubt one of the great triumphs of the early Hollywood studio system. A masterpiece in all respects headed by one of Hollywood’s great directors, George Cukor (“A Star is Born” 1954, “My Fair Lady” 1964), a prestige cast of Hollywood royalty and a production mounted with the finest artists and designers of the period including artistic director Cedric Gibbons and costumier Adrian.
Set in Paris in the late 1840’s “Camille” tells the story of the beautiful courtesan Marguerite Gautier (Greta Garbo) who is loved and pursued by every man in town. A woman known for her extravagance and generosity; her life is over shadowed by a mountain of debt. Her confidante and sometimes friend, Prudence (Laura Hope Crews), insists she court the wealthy Baron de Varville (Henry Daniell) in order to pay off her debts and arranges a meeting. At the theater a young and handsome man called Armand Duval (Robert Taylor) sees Marguerite in her box over the stage and decides to introduce himself after having followed her and loved her in secret for weeks. Marguerite, believing he is the Baron, is instantly attracted to Armand and is greatly disappointed when she is introduced to the real Baron. After six months Marguerite becomes the Baron’s mistress and wildly indulges all of her material fancies to the great detriment of her credit.
Marguerite and Armand’s path cross once again and it is revealed that Armand had come everyday to question the maid about Marguerite, who had been struggling with poor health. While the Baron is away in Russia, the two decide to act on their love and leave for the country to enjoy the summer and to improve Marguerite’s health. Over the summer Marguerite realizes that she will never be able to have the happiness she truly wants, that is a life with Armand. Armand’s father (Lionel Barrymore) discovers his son’s love affair and confronts Marguerite to put an end to it because it will mean nothing but ruin and disgrace. Marguerite realizing her dilemma chooses it is best she fool Armand into believing that she is no longer in love with him and thus reluctantly returns to the Baron, who receives her on stern terms and out of jealousy for Armand. Marguerite realizing she has become trapped by debt, her tumultuous relationship with the Baron and the rapid decline of her health... (I won’t say anymore, but you can imagine that this isn't going to end well. The result is one of the great film romances of all time and one of the greatest film tragedies).
The film is considered to be Garbo’s greatest triumph on the screen by loyal fans in the 30’s, by many viewers and critics of today who know her body of work and by the great actress herself! This vehicle suited the legendary actress’s talents perfectly and appealed to the audience’s idolatry of her as a ‘glamazon’. Movies like this would continue to fuel the flaming perceptions of Garbo as a mysterious and complex figure, which she was and still is. Garbo delivers one of the most beautiful and masterful performances of the decade; infused with poise, extreme subtlety, understated beauty and heart breaking tragedy. Garbo does very little in this movie to create a brilliant performance. Garbo said more with her eyes and the turn of her head in this film than scores of actresses who were her contemporaries parading across the screen and displaying the extremes of their emotional range. Garbo on the other hand is very internalized and it is what she does not say as opposed to what she does that is the key to her unforgettable performance. Her style of acting and even her beauty were ahead of her time in many ways.
What I find very interesting is that the studio often put Garbo in films that had very weak plot points or partnered her with male leads who didn't match her is stature and ability. It was through her natural screen presence, her aura and mystique and her ability to give flimsy plots remarkable dimensions, which were never there in the first place, that problems with bad scripts and bad productions were overcome.
In addition to this it helped immensely that the public was completely obsessed and enamored with her from the beginning, after she quit films and for a great period after she past away. As a result her movies were all very profitable through the 20's and 30's aside from 3 out of the 35. These included "Inspiration" (1931) with matinee idol Robert Montgomery, "Susan Lennox (Her Rise and Fall)" (1931) (which has been released by the wonderful people at the Warner Archive Collection) with future "Gone with the Wind" (1939) star Clark Gable and the film that would eventually destroy her career and affirm her decision to leave Hollywood forever, "Two Faced Woman" (1941).
Her co - star on the other hand, Taylor, who was so ridiculously good looking had been criticized at the time of the film's release and over the passage of years as being the weak link in the chain that is otherwise a very strong movie. Taylor lacks some emotional depth to his performance and the slight tinge of an American accent that creeps in now and then is a little disappointing. Yet he looks the part and all his character was required to do anyway was to be handsome, good - natured and to be screwed over by Garbo's Marguerite. He does all these things and more. Besides, you still get the feeling that you'd be very lucky if he was madly in love with you, the way he is madly in love with Garbo in this movie. I certainly felt it!
Garbo's performance in “Camille” would garner an Oscar nomination for best actress in 1937, although the Oscar for that year went to another legendary actress (who is still with us, hallelujah!) Luise Rainer for her portrayal of the simple servant girl, O – Lan, in “The Good Earth”. What I find remarkable is that one of the greatest actresses that ever lived never received an Academy award for her work... Oh well, such is Hollywood! Whilst Rainer's performance in "The Good Earth" is simple, touching and empathetic, Garbo's performance is in a completely different realm and I believed deserved the Oscar more.
(Luise Rainer as O - Lan in "The Good Earth")
Just on a little tangent… The film is one I have seen and did not completely like because it involved Western actors donning make up to look Asian. In the films defense, Irving Thalberg the legendary wonder producer of Metro Goldwyn Mayer at the time, had wanted Chinese actors to play all of the lead roles but had to relent as he felt American audiences unfortunately weren't ready for that sort of movie. In addition to this strict production codes had come into place in 1935 which included clauses on anti – miscegenation. Thus preventing the movie's star, Paul Muni, to play next to an Asian actress.
(Paul Muni and Luise Rainer in "The Good Earth")
Aside from these issues, it’s inferior to the delights and drama that “Camille” offers; but I’ll let you readers be the judge of that! Sadly, Thalberg, who had been instrumental in MGM’s rise as one of the great studios before the end of the studio system and in grooming some of the most unforgettable careers of the Golden Age of Hollywood would never see the fruits of his labors on “Camille”, “The Good Earth” and a number of other important films of the 30’s as he would die of a heart attack in 1936, aged 37.
Thalberg, who had promoted the the transformation of great literary works and 'art' into movies can be felt everywhere in this film. His artistic choices and his decisions over script contribute a great deal to the success of the film. No expense was spared with the production, Cedric Gibbons sets are stunning and transport the viewer back to Paris in the middle of the 19th century in a complete excess of detail. Adrian's costume's are so deliciously over the top, almost gaudy. Surely women from this period didn't wear that much decoration and jewelry! Garbo is swamped with an excess of furs, diamonds, frills, ruffles, bracelets and appliqué amongst other things, yet she is never over powered by them. She never once lets the splendor and the grandeur of the production devour her performance. What could have been a hackneyed revival of a sad little story with over the top sentiment and romanticism, if Garbo had played it her part with extremes in mind, is something ultimately of great poignancy and haunting beauty.
This is one of the great treasures of the early Hollywood studio system. A beautiful production, mounted with a great cast, headed by Garbo, who was essentially still Garbo in this film. Whilst she is completely sympathetic with the character and plays it, she plays it as if, she, Garbo, had somehow been Marguerite Gautier in her life time (If that makes sense). Garbo's heartfelt and understated performance is so remarkable and trust me, it's no surprise if you find yourself in tears at the end of it all; I certainly was! Please check it out!
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