Greta Garbo (Greta Garbo): biography, filmography, personal life of the actress

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Greta Garbo for a short creative career was able to conquer not only Europe but also the United States. She became a style icon, an object to follow. At the same time, few of her contemporaries knew the real actress. She has always been secretive, strange and lonely. Despite the non-standard appearance, shocking behavior in public, Garbo left an indelible mark on the world of the film industry. Her creative career was short-lived, she was only 19 years old, but connoisseurs of the film world still perceive this woman as one of the most luxurious and talented actresses of the 20th century, however, she is.

Childhood and youth of the actress

Greta Gustafson (real name of the actress) was born in Sweden in Stockholm on September 18, 1905. She was the third child in the family, they lived in poverty, so the parents even thought about giving their daughter to be raised by rich neighbors, but then changed their minds. In 1918, the Gustafsons had a hard time, because Karl, Greta's father, died of tuberculosis. The girl had to leave school and go to work. She earned her first money in a hairdressing salon, working there as an assistant to masters.

Attractive appearance allowed Greta to earn extra money as a model for shooting advertisements in newspapers. She was also a saleswoman in a Stockholm department store. In the end, Eric Petcher, a comedy director, drew attention to the young talent. At the age of 17, Greta Garbo played her debut, albeit a small, but nevertheless role. The biography of the girl in 1922 recorded her first success in the world of cinema.

First steps in the world of cinema

“Peter the Tramp” was the name of the first film in which 17-year-old Greta Gustafson made her debut, back in 1922, she starred under her own name. The shy, secretive and reticent girl liked the world of cinema, where you can hide from everyone under the guise of ostentatious gaiety, without revealing your true feelings. From 1922 to 1924, Greta studied acting at the drama school of the Royal Stockholm Drama Theatre.

In Europe, the girl starred in only three films. In addition to "Peter the Tramp", there was also "The Saga of Yeste Berling" (1924) and "Joyless Lane" (1925). Greta Garbo, basically, played young naive silly, for the first time faced with the cruel realities of life. In Hollywood, the actress appeared in 1926. There, at one of the parties, director Maurice Stiller noticed her, who was struck by the cold beauty of the girl, her aloofness and icy eyes.

He called her the Sphinx, and this nickname stuck to the Swede for a long time. It was Maurice who came up with the pseudonym Garbo for her. Greta agreed to change her last name, and she didn't have much of a choice. ATThe US woman was completely alone - no friends, no money. All that she had at that time was a suitcase with a change of clothes. Whatever it was, but the first success came to Greta in America. In 1926, two films were released: "The Stream" and "The Temptress". At first, the Americans did not want to perceive a strange actress who breaks all the canons about female beauty, but then they liked her acting, her ability to transform from a shy and cold beauty into a sensual and passionate woman.

Greta Garbo Weird

Greta Garbo's style is still admired. She cannot be called a fragile beauty who conquered men with a wave of long tarry eyelashes and a naive smile. Greta had an unusual appearance - narrow hips, broad shoulders, 42 foot size. In addition, she often spoke of herself in the masculine gender, she could easily invite a girl to dance, and then also kiss her on the lips. Garbo's character was far from clear to everyone, she surprised those around her with her detachment, ostentatious coldness, and silence.

Greta had another oddity - this is a craving for representatives of sexual minorities. Even in her youth, she did not hesitate to declare her position, appearing at the funeral of Friedrich Murnau, a film director known for his homosexual inclinations. For this act, great courage was needed, given that only 11 daredevils came to say goodbye to the genius. Greta Garbo and Marlene Dietrich have always competed on the screen, but in life they communicated. In addition to extravagant appearance, immense talent, they had one more similarity - bothwas friends with Mercedes De Acosta, a well-known gay writer.

Filmography of the actress

Thanks to a successful start in Hollywood, in 1926 she signed a 5-year contract with MGM Greta Garbo. The filmography of the actress at that time was replenished annually with new works. In 1927, a free adaptation of Anna Karenina, Love, and the film Flesh and the Devil, in which Garbo starred with handsome and heartthrob John Gilbert, were released. In 1928, there was a film about Sarah Bernhardt called "The Divine Woman". The actress also starred in the drama "Woman of Action" and the melodrama "Mysterious Lady".

In 1929, Greta replenished her creative piggy bank with such films as "Wild Orchid", "The Kiss", "The Single Standard". Films with Greta Garbo were distinguished by the richness of dramatic shades, deep psychological meaning, sincerity. The banality of the plot has always been brightened up by the brilliant acting of this great woman. In 1930, a turning point came in Garbo's career, the sound period came, everyone was wondering how the silent "sphinx" would speak. The sound debut in "Anna Christie" was great, so the MGM studio bombarded the actress with other works.

In 1931, such films as "Inspiration", "Mata Hari", "Suzanne Lenox" were released. In 1932 - "Grand Hotel", "What do you want me", in 1933 - "Queen Christina", in 1934 - "The Painted Veil". Greta Garbo played the main roles flawlessly, the audience believed her implicitly, so in 1935In 1936, the actress played the complex dramatic heroine Anna Karenina in the film of the same name, and in 1936, in order to expand her acting abilities and show all the facets of talent, in The Lady of the Camellias. In 1937, the work "Conquest" was released, in 1939 Garbo captivated the audience with the melodrama "Ninochka". In 1941, Greta starred in the film "Two-Faced Woman" for the last time, after which a period of seclusion began.

Unexpected departure from the world of cinema

The film "Two-Faced Woman" did not bring moral satisfaction to Garbo, and the audience was not enthusiastic about him either. The actress suddenly decides to leave the world of cinema forever. At that time she was only 36 years old. Greta did not explain anything to anyone, did not give interviews, simply stated: “I decided not to act anymore.”

Garbo's retreat

The Snow Queen kept her word. Garbo hid under an assumed name in her luxurious New York apartment, visited Swiss resorts from time to time, went out only in black glasses that covered half her face. The seclusion of the great actress lasted half a century, Greta Garbo spent all this time alone with a mirror in silent solitude. The biography of this woman is still fraught with many mysteries.

Relationships with women

Never gave interviews, signed autographs, attended the premieres of her films, did not flaunt her feelings to the public Greta Garbo. The personal life of the actress is known only from the words of her more talkative colleagues and good friends. For example, Marlene Dietrich told a lot aboutGreta's unconventional inclinations. For a long time, Garbo was friends with Mercedes de Acosta, a writer of Latin origin. The woman became famous not so much for her talent as for being the mistress of a great actress. But Greta was not distinguished by constancy, so she left Mercedes more than once, twisted novels on the side.

Disappointment in love

Greta Garbo got married at the age of 15. The biography captured the fact that the we althy aristocrat Max Gampel became the chosen one of the actress. He was captivated by the beauty and coldness of the girl, so without hesitation he offered her a hand and a heart, and she unexpectedly agreed. Their marriage soon fell apart, Greta herself initiated the divorce, explaining that she was bored. Max was surprised, because there was no reason for such an act, but the Swede simply left his life, demanding neither money nor property.

Then there was a relationship with the famous womanizer John Gilbert. Their relationship was called strange by many. The actor had to build a separate cottage for his beloved, in which she occasionally received guests. Gilbert's proposals Garbo rejected, but then unexpectedly agreed. John was preparing for the wedding, but on the eve of the celebration, the bride simply disappeared. Greta appeared only when the passions subsided a little, and the inconsolable groom moved away from stress. The eccentric beauty did not explain her act.

But not only Garbo was thrown, she was also thrown. The actress really fell in love with Leopold Stokowski, the great conductor. The matter went to the wedding, the woman needed onlyact in films stipulated in the contract. But the marriage never took place. The groom left Garbo, preferring to her the rich Gloria Vanderbilt.

Cruel and wayward beauty

There was another relationship in the life of a beautiful Swedish woman. In 1946, she became close to Cecil Beaton, an English-born photographer. Always secretive and aloof, Garbo suddenly opened up to a new acquaintance. They walked together in the park, had endless conversations, only Cecil Greta allowed herself to be photographed. The matter went to the wedding, acquaintances, with bated breath, followed the development of their romance.

Somehow the actress left for Sweden, and in the meantime, Beaton handed over her photographs to Vogue magazine. Garbo was furious with such an act. The woman demanded that the photographs be returned, because if they appear on the pages of the publication, there can be no question of any wedding. Beaton did not have time, the number had already been printed. Greta Garbo kept her word. In her old age, when Cecil was dying of a second heart attack, she came to him and forgave everything, but this did not make it any easier for him or her.

Mystery Woman

Greta Garbo died April 15, 1990. She lived a long, but very strange life, which has remained a mystery to society. The fate of the great actress is known only from the stories of her colleagues, acquaintances, as well as books. For example, Cecil Beaton published several of his diaries, most of his memoirs were devoted to Garbo. One thing is known: behind the external rigidity, coldness, a vulnerable and tender soul was hiding, which left this life misunderstood and lonely.