I knew that the film was going to be an ego picture for Greta Garbo when the opening credits came on and she was billed merely as "GARBO". Having read the Somerset Maugham short story- which differs from the plot of this one in that Kitty's husband dies in the end, and she finds out that she is pregnant. The story is also much more spiritual and plausible than this movie. The Hays code (obviously) required these facts to be changed.
In this movie, naturally, the main character's name is changed from Kitty to Katrin (understandable- I think I'd cringe my way though the film if her character was called Kitty). What did make me cringe, though, was the fact that Garbo was playing a spinster-ish character, as well as a simpering, impulsive woman who marries Herbert Marshall on impulse- what? Garbo wasn't a spinster (well, she was, but she wasn't.) And her sudden virtuous turn at the end sadly made the movie that much more pathetic, as well as showing the powerful influence the Hays code suddenly had.
Herbert Marshall is unfortunately bland and colourless, but that's mostly his character. Why was he always cast in these paitent-husband roles? He could do so much more. George Brent is almost as bland as Marshall- but this film is clearly a Garbo vehicle and not much more. She looks nice here, though. Less masculine than usual, more like her silent film days where she appeared almost girlish.
The sets are nice, but they're obviously sets, too polished and M-G-M -like to be realistic. Garbo's costumes are nice. The Chinese stereotypes are everywhere, so more sensitive viewers may want to not watch this film. What bothered me the most was the abhorrent moralistic ending. Garbo in a nun habit is a funny sight that must be seen to be believed.
The story is lacking the bleakness that the short story had- but I'll be perfectly honest with ya: I liked the Garbo movie more. That's right. And I'm not even a Garbo fan. But she IS the movie. And the main reason why the film is better than the book.
It's a good popcorn flick, not mentally challenging and nice too look at, but not much more than that. Far from Garbo's worst- it's better than Anna Karenina or Camille.
In this movie, naturally, the main character's name is changed from Kitty to Katrin (understandable- I think I'd cringe my way though the film if her character was called Kitty). What did make me cringe, though, was the fact that Garbo was playing a spinster-ish character, as well as a simpering, impulsive woman who marries Herbert Marshall on impulse- what? Garbo wasn't a spinster (well, she was, but she wasn't.) And her sudden virtuous turn at the end sadly made the movie that much more pathetic, as well as showing the powerful influence the Hays code suddenly had.
Herbert Marshall is unfortunately bland and colourless, but that's mostly his character. Why was he always cast in these paitent-husband roles? He could do so much more. George Brent is almost as bland as Marshall- but this film is clearly a Garbo vehicle and not much more. She looks nice here, though. Less masculine than usual, more like her silent film days where she appeared almost girlish.
The sets are nice, but they're obviously sets, too polished and M-G-M -like to be realistic. Garbo's costumes are nice. The Chinese stereotypes are everywhere, so more sensitive viewers may want to not watch this film. What bothered me the most was the abhorrent moralistic ending. Garbo in a nun habit is a funny sight that must be seen to be believed.
The story is lacking the bleakness that the short story had- but I'll be perfectly honest with ya: I liked the Garbo movie more. That's right. And I'm not even a Garbo fan. But she IS the movie. And the main reason why the film is better than the book.
It's a good popcorn flick, not mentally challenging and nice too look at, but not much more than that. Far from Garbo's worst- it's better than Anna Karenina or Camille.