GARBO!

[Garbomaniac]

These photos are from The Painted Veil. It is funny, I don't remember seeing this outfit in the movie, yet it is a prominent photo series. Mark Vieria used one of them for the cover of his book!

[Professional Tourist]

Miss Garbo didn't smile much, did she? Perhaps that was part of her mystique. She doesn't need a smile, though, to look beautiful -- and attractive. She's got a great pout.

[Ollie]

Page 1's "40 year old Garbo" photos makes me wish evil-tidings on whoever screwed with her psyche, whoever supported her so-called "obsession with looks" because I still think she was a grand looking woman, and probably always was. It angers me that she was never so comfortable with her own skin - I almost prefer thinking she simply wanted 'out of the biz' and used The Looks Issue as a convenient excuse that others would so easily swallow.

[Garbomaniac]

You're right; there are only 1 1/2 smile pics. But, being the intense dramatic actress, who lived and died for love, that she was, it is true she didn't smile much in photography. It's funny, but most of her characters did smile, yet when, at the end of each film, she sat for stills portraying each character in costume, she didn't seem to smile much. Most of the photos I have of her are dramatic. But, just to prove she did smile, here are some happier photos. You will notice that most of the time her smile is flirtatious or playful:









But, here are a couple of genuine looking smiles:





And, you're right, Ollie; she was a grand looking woman!

[TikiSoo]

First of all, I want to say I love Garbo both the actress and the legend. When she is on the screen, you can't look at anything else but her face, she is outstandingly beautiful. He face is perfectly proportioned and symmetrical as is her physique. I make lampshades and chandeliers using my collection of movie star photos and the star I have most photos of is Garbo.

I've owned the Garbo DVD collection for years now and it's still unopened. I actually don't care for many of her films, I don't feel they hold up very well today. Mostly, I don't care for her leading men, but generally I find the stories weak, the only exciting part of them is Garbo herself in those Adrian concoctions.
That said, I think Ninochka is the most accessible/enjoyable and Anna Christie (both versions) her best drama closely followed by Queen Christina. Most of the rest-meh. I was surprised to read a piece by Richard Schickel recently, where he shares my sentiments; the mystique and beauty of the woman is greater than her films.
(I'm ready for the flaming)

So if moirafilms still doesn't have the documentary, which is excellent, I'd be happy to send you a copy...PM me.

And yes, back to pg 1, stars "sizes" are so deceiving. I felt the same way seeing Elvis's costumes, he wasn't really fat at all, actually tall and well built...the bloating must have been from drugs in his last years. I am very petite myself and have the same exact measurements as MM (except her glorious bust-wah!) and I know how just an extra 5-7 lbs can make me look bloated! I recently met Debbie Reynolds and it was no surprise she is teeny, you can see it in her films. Elizabeth Montgomery was also a teeny size 5, I was surprised when I saw one of her costumes, as she looks tall.
The best though, was when I met Gloria Swanson when I was 16. She was so teeny and frail looking, but obviously very healthy. "I AM big, it's the pictures that got small!" We spoke for several minutes about health food, as I was brought up a vegetarian.

[jdb1]

First of all, I want to say I love Garbo both the actress and the legend. When she is on the screen, you can't look at anything else but her face, she is outstandingly beautiful. He face is perfectly proportioned and symmetrical as is her physique. I make lampshades and chandeliers using my collection of movie star photos and the star I have most photos of is Garbo.

I've owned the Garbo DVD collection for years now and it's still unopened. I actually don't care for many of her films, I don't feel they hold up very well today. Mostly, I don't care for her leading men, but generally I find the stories weak, the only exciting part of them is Garbo herself in those Adrian concoctions.
That said, I think Ninochka is the most accessible/enjoyable and Anna Christie (both versions) her best drama closely followed by Queen Christina. Most of the rest-meh. I was surprised to read a piece by Richard Schickel recently, where he shares my sentiments; the mystique and beauty of the woman is greater than her films.
(I'm ready for the flaming)

I am so glad to read what you've said (and what Richard Schickel has also apparently said); I thought it was just me. I think Garbo is unique, but I haven't really liked very many of her films. I do agree that part of the problem is that she was no match for her leading men, and overshadowed every single one of them. Consequently, I've never really been able to find much in the romantic films -- those men do not deserve her -- is what I always end up saying. Despite any grand romance Garbo may have shared in real life with John Gilbert, on the screen he's simply not good enough for her.

Interesting that Garbo chose not to modify her screen persona to accomodate her leading men -- it's for sure that someone like Katharine Hepburn did so to a degree, but then Hepburn was generally given leading men who could hold their own against her; I don't think that was the case with Garbo. Imagine Garbo with, say, Cary Grant or Spencer Tracy.

[TikiSoo]

And Sophia Loren's mother was a great beauty, I believe she won a Garbo look alike contest in her youth.
The only photo I could find on the internet:

[Garbomaniac]

Yep, TikiSoo, they look like the SAME woman! If Garbo had aged in public, she would have looked MARVELOUS!

[Garbomaniac]

Here are some colorized shots of Garbo I found on the Internet.







































And, a special treat, someone morphed Marlene and Greta together in a compromising pose! Great!

[Garbomaniac]

Here is one of my favorites. I have no idea from where it came, but it was definitely an MGM publicity stunt.

[Ollie]

GM, these photos always make me want to argue Greta back into public. Such a handsome beauty, and I think age would have always left her fans claiming an even greater beauty. Hence my PM to you. Thanks for the great photos!

[Professional Tourist]

Those colorizations are terrific! A couple of them are so well done they could almost pass for true color photos.

[Garbomaniac]

Some of Garbo's Leading men.


Ricardo Cortez - The Torrent


Antonio Moreno - The Temptress


Conrad Nagel - The Mysterious Woman


John Gilbert - A Woman of Affairs


Nils Asther - Wild Orchids


Johnny Mack Brown - The Single Standard


Lew Ayres - The Kiss


Gavin Gordon - Romance


Robert Montgomery - Inspiration


Clark Gable - Susan Lenox: Her Fall and Rise


Ramon Novarro - Mata Hari


John Barrymore - Grand Hotel


Erich von Stroheim - As You Desire Me


Herbert Marshall - The Painted Veil


George Brent - The Painted Veil


Fredric March - Anna Karenina


Robert Taylor - Camille


Charles Boyer - Conquest

[charliechaplinfan]

Garbo did get some good leading men. Frederic March, John Barrymore and John Gilbert strike me as the strongest. It might have been Garbo's uniqueness, the thing that made her Garbo, that left her looking strong and most of the men looking weak.

Another thing I gleaned from Mark Vieira's book is that although she wore clothes marvellously she didn't have the most conventional figure. Not just those famous feet but broad shoulders and not much bust. It just shows that what you wear can enhance your natural attributes or enhance the flaws. Credit to Adrian and MGM for the costumes.

[Garbomaniac]

Well, I have never really looked at her leading men for strength. I look at them as equals to her sensuality. Funny, March doesn't seem to have any, although I would say he was a strong actor. Barrymore had tons of sensuality, and he and Garbo lit up the screen. I always thought they should have made at least one more film together. I am a little torn on Gilbert. Of course, in his silent days, he was the sensual, strong lover, but he didn't come across that way in talkies, as someone said earlier. I have always liked her with Nils Asther. He always met her sensuality with sensuality. Their scenes together were HOT! In fact, most of her leading men left me cold for that reason. They didn't seem to have much OOMPH!

And, yes, you are so right. Garbo hardly had the conventional figure! But, like Crawford, Adrian created clothes for Garbo that flattered her, and in some cases almost accented her flaws. The tight clothes really showed her small breasts and full hips. He would even stick a bow on her hip now and then! But, no matter, she looked marvelous. I remember Anne Bancroft in Garbo Talks. She was describing Garbo to Garbo when she came to visit her in the hospital. She said something like she wished she had arms like Garbo, which were so long they never seemed to stop! These were her gifts: her long arms and neck, that beautifully expressive face, her eyes, and the way she moved. All of this was Garbo, along with her big feet, solid legs, and diminutive bosom. I remember reading in one of her books when a director commented on her bosom. She stoically responded with, "You'll have to talk to God about that."

Here are some of the costumes Adrian designed for her.


Flesh and the Devil


The Divine Woman


Wild Orchids


Romance


Inspiration


Mata Hari


Mata Hari


Mata Hari


Queen Christina


The Painted Veil


Anna Karenina


Anna Karenina


Camille


Camille