Queen Christina (1933)

 Rouben Mamoulian's "Queen Christina"


Rouben Mamoulian's 1933 film "Queen Christina" appears to be another romance vehicle for Hollywood icon Greta Garbo. On top of this, the project was meant to revitalize the career of famed silent actor John Gilbert, who starred alongside Garbo in Clarence Brown's "Flesh and the Devil" and "A Woman of Affairs." The grand comeback did not work, however, as Gilbert's acting career ended only one film later. 

The story itself, is mildly interesting. Garbo plays the Queen of Sweden in the 17h century. She is pressured by all the men around her: to act in war, to be diplomatic, and to marry someone to produce an heir. After disguising herself as a man and falling in love with a Spanish ambassador, she decides to give up her crown to pursue love.

I personally found the film to be very lackluster. The story is one of romance and the struggle for a queen to choose between duty and individual passion. The direction by Mamoulian, however, is impeccable. There are certain shots that I still think about a day later. The lighting is imaginative. Overall, the visual direction of the film was solid. However, I was not interested in the story. The film was clearly meant to sell box office tickets to come and see the reunification between Garbo and Gilbert. Despite Garbo being incredible as always, the film does not excel.



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