Anna Christie (1930 film)

• Greta Garbo: Anna Christie
• Charles Bickford: Matt Burke
• George F. Marion: Chris Christopherson
• Marie Dressler: Marthy

Anna Christie is an American film directed by Clarence Brown with Greta Garbo. He was taken to the rental on March 14, 1930 and was the talkie debut of actress. The film is based on the play by Eugene O'Neill.

Action

In the harbor district of New York, the young Anna Christie visits her father Chris, who left her as a small child to continue to go to sea. While waiting for him, she meets her father's lover, the old prostitute Marthy. Both have a lively conversation in which it is clear that Anna himself for a time in St. Pauli in Hamburg has looked into this industry. Later Anna meets her father and is stirred by the ebullient welcome by the old man. Since Chris is convinced of the virtue of his daughter, Anna does not dare to tell him about her past as a prostitute. Chris takes Anna on board his ship carbon. After she has become accustomed to life at sea, the painful memories of her seem to drop. However, when the sailor in distress Matt gets on the ship, threatening his impetuous passion for Anna to not only destroy the new relationship with her father, but also to bring her dark secret to light. Only after a fierce debate both men are willing to forgive Anna and finally find Anna and Matt their common happiness.

Background

Anna Christie was expected with a lot of tension sound film debut of Greta Garbo. Since 1926, the actress came to fame as a performer of exotic lovers and become one of the most important stars of MGM. Since mid-1928, the end of the silent film was predictable and the studio worked intensively with the future of Garbo. For many of the numerous foreign stars of the time the change meant the talking film, the more or less abrupt end of her career. Pola Negri, Vilma Banky and Emil Jannings were among the prominent victims of technological innovation. The main problem was the one of the strong accent of the actors, coupled with the very primitive recording technology, the distorted and well modulated voices strong. MGM took unlike most other studios a lot of time with the conversion and used the interim to give the contract actors very targeted instruction. It was not until mid- 1929, the top stars in front of the microphone began to kick and mastered the change, all without problems. Ramon Novarro self, who spoke with a heavy Mexican- Spanish accent, made ​​the leap into the new medium.

In the case of Garbo came along with the problems with the English diction and contractual ambiguities added. My current contract was ambiguous on the point whether the actress ever had to make a sound film, or whether the obligation relates only to the Contribute in silent films. After the kiss with not only the last silent film Garbo but also the last silent film of one of the major studios had come about in the cinemas in September 1929 that all parties finally agreed on a try in the new profession. However, the selection of the appropriate subject matter was much more difficult. Some time played Irving Thalberg with the idea of ​​the play Saint Joan by George Bernard Shaw to film. Garbo was enthusiastic about the idea and was even more in the late autumn of 1929 during one of her last interviews at all meaning that they hope to be able to play the role of Saint Joan, directed by Erich von Stroheim.

At the end, the participants agreed on Anna Christie. The play by Eugene O'Neill on a bitter Swedish prostitute meant a radical departure from the previous image of the actress as a glamorous star in romantic melodramas. Just to be sure, Thalberg Garbo was with Marie Dressler, an experienced actress aside. Their scenes together are among the best of the film. Otherwise, the strip is staged static and acts over long distances like a filmed stage performance. The studio took advantage of the growing tension among the fans to start one of the biggest publicity campaigns. Under the slogan Garbo Talks! The film has already been advertised months in advance. After the opening titles, it takes another 16 minutes until Greta Garbo enters the scene. She sits in a pub, takes a deep breath and finally spoke her first sentence:

"Gimme a whiskey, ginger ale on the side, and do not be stingy, boy. "

Greta Garbo turned under the direction of Jacques Feyder a German version of Anna Christie.

Theatrical Release

The production costs for the English version were 376,000 U.S. dollars, which the film was slightly below the MGM average effort. He was very successful at the box office and played in the U.S. 1,013,000 U.S. dollars and abroad 486,000 U.S. dollars. The overall result was 1,499,000 U.S. dollars. MGM was able to record a profit of 576,000 U.S. dollars. This was the most successful film of the strip of Greta Garbo.

Criticism

Critics were generally enthusiastic about Garbo's talkie debut. Of course, the most reviewers were concerned with the sound and the modulation of the Swedish actress.

In the New York Times, Mordaunt Hall wrote on 15 March 1930 true hymn of praise:

" The immensely popular Greta Garbo in her first sound film, an adaptation of Eugene O'Neill's" Anna Christe " even more interesting than its silent films. It shows no nervousness before the microphone and her portrayal of Anna is above criticism. [ ... ] Your voice is deep, even deeper than in real life. [ ... ] Unlike most other actresses in their talkie debut Miss Garbo fits their game in the dialogues. She thinks about what she says and accompanied each sentence with the appropriate gesture and the perfect expression of her face. There is no hesitation in their dialogues, since it has its rows noticed very accurate. Quite contrary to the appearances of most of their male and female colleagues, they have to think not once, as the next line of dialogue might mean. "

Awards

The film went with three nominations in the Academy Awards in 1930 (November):

• Best Actress - Greta Garbo (with romance )
• Best Director - Clarence Brown
• Best Cinematography - William H. Daniels