Queen Christina (1933): Greta Garbo and John Gilbert
Directed by Rouben Mamoulian, Queen Christina (1933) was the fourth and final screen pairing of Greta Garbo and John Gilbert. The two had been a star couple during the Silent Era, and while Garbo's career still flourished, Gilbert had not transitioned well into Talkies... but Garbo still insisted that he be her co-star. The story presents a semi-accurate portrayal of Sweden's 17th Century Queen Christina, with some Hollywood glamour thrown in. There is little reference, beyond the opulent nature of the royal court, as to the widespread continental looting of artwork and antiquities perpetrated by the Swedish Army during The Thirty Years' War. The film was made Pre-Code, so there is a touch of implied eroticism. Greta Garbo and John Gilbert display fine chemistry, and the film is an enjoyable and lavish production overall.
