admin @ Tue, 2005-10-11 11:05
For a star whose career was effectively over before World War II began, her appeal has lingered remarkably, despite — or because of — the fact that even her biggest fans can't claim she possessed anything like sex appeal.
Garbo was striking, and immensely watchable, but it's worth noting how easily Joan Crawford stole Grand Hotel from her. It's a central film in her career, but it's not her best; she may have been spoofing her aloof, tortured persona — as defenders have claimed — but it's hard to overlook her overwhelming stiffness.
The tagline used to advertise Ninotchka, probably her best film, was "Garbo laughs!" It's hard to think of another actress whose apparent lack of range could be used as a selling point. This box, however, gives us a chance to explore that range, thanks to the inclusion of three of her silent films — including her Hollywood breakthrough, Flesh And The Devil — and a feature-length film on the star by film scholar Kevin Brownlow.
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