Queen Christina
Directed by Rouben Mamoulian
Written by H. M. Harwood and Salka Viertel from an original story by Viertel and Margaret P. Levino
1933/US
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
IMDb page
Repeat viewing/Amazon Prime rental
One of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
Antonio: There’s a mystery in you.
Christina: Is there not in every human being?
Director Mamoulian and MGM provide beautiful staging, lighting, camerawork, costumes, and art direction to this biopic/costume drama. Some of the acting not so much.
After her father was killed in battle, Christina assumed the Swedish throne as a child. She had been raised as a boy, leaving her decisive, independent, and fearless. She grows up to be Greta Garbo. The throne weighs heavy on Christina’s head. All her courtiers are urging her to marry her cousin, a military hero. They are also in favor of continuing to fight after a major victory in the 30 Years War. Christina refuses to grant either wish.
One fine day she goes off riding through the snow disguised as a young man with her faithful servant Aage (C. Aubrey Smith). She meets a group of Spaniards who are stuck in the snow and helps them with their carriage. Later they meet at an inn. Christina has booked the best room in the packed inn. When the Spaniards arrive they try to outbid Christina for the room. But the Spanish envoy Antonio (John Gilbert) finds the “young man” fascinating and the two agree to share the room. Nature takes its course and the lovers spend a blissful three days together.
Antonio had been coming to deliver King Philip of Spain’s marriage proposal and is not amused to find Christina is actually the Queen. They make up though. Now Christina must choose between duty and freedom. With Lewis Stone as a pompous courtier and Ian Keith as a jilted suitor.
My opinion of this has changed with each viewing. There is no denying that the staging, lighting, art direction and costumes are stunning. The problem is I am hit or miss with Garbo. This is a miss in my book. She is unnaturally dramatic which may have worked well in her silent films but is not so effective when she has to deliver dialogue. She does look absolutely gorgeous, however.
