Review of Inspiration

Any Garbo film deserves 10 stars - just because she's in it. She is what makes this otherwise not believable story worth seeing. Unlike Crawford or Shearer, only Garbo could turn this dross into gold. The major weakness is the object of her love - Robert Montgomery. I've read that Montgomery in interviews refuses to talk about this film, his only co-starring role with Garbo. And having now seen the film, the reason for his reticence is plain. How he must have squirmed in his seat at the film's premiere, for both the role and his performance are mediocre. The young Clark Gable - an MGM contract player like Montgomery - would have been better cast and would have explained why Yvonne was smitten with him.

My favorite scene is where at the beginning of their affair Andre is finishing breakfast in the hotel's romantic and idyllic park-like setting when Yvonne arrives with a gift of flowers for him. Yvonne is no longer bored by life and the men in her life. She is in love! Yvonne has inspired love in all the male artists who have been her former lovers (established in the early party scene) but none have inspired love in her. Nor, ironically, does she inspire true love in Andre. How is that possible? Regardless of her past lifestyle - which does not seem so unrespectable to today's audience - in the end, Yvonne makes the right choice and does what's best for the both of them.