MATA HARI: Garbo goes undercover

This is my entry in the World War One in Classic Film Blogathon hosted by Movies Silently and Silent-ology. Click HERE for more war to end all wars brilliance.

MATA HARI

Rhianna and JLo got nothing on this fashionista

"Mata Hari. She makes love for the papers."

Alicia Huberman, Notorious

Prostituting oneself for patriotism is apparently a virtue. Just ask 2 Hitchcock heroines Eve Kendall (North by Northwest) and Alicia Huberman (Notorious). Of course, they both ended with up with Cary Grant, so maybe it was worth it? But, I digress. Both of these ladies made fine spies, but they could never hold a candle to the original female spy, the woman whose name is synonymous with espionage and seduction, Mata Hari. And who better to portray the mystery, the sex, the cool that was Mata Hari than the mysterious, sexy and uber-cool Greta Garbo? That's what MGM thought in 1931. The result is an entertaining film of the Garbo formula: you know - an all-knowing woman of the world who is brought to her knees by the love of an innocent man/boy. Oh wait, is that Camille? The Kiss? Well, you get the picture....

And oh what a picture she is. Vamping around World War I Paris in costumes to die for, Garbo wears some of Adrian's most outrageous designs with panache and a much-admired seriousness. If anyone doubts Garbo was a great actress, just think of the great acting it took for her to wear some of these things with a straight and smoldering face. In fact, she never looked more beautiful.

Garbo really didn't need a hair dresser on this film

I like this colorization, as it is how I imagined the costume

But, back to the war. Garbo's Mata (I love that her lovers call her by her fake first name - Mata) is an exotic dancer/courtesan who is spying for the Germans. She's got French General Shubin (Lionel Barrymore) under her spell and spilling his guts and reports to her spymaster, Adriani (Lewis Stone). All is going well for Ms. Hari,as she is the toast of the town and no one can make the spy allegations stick. A fly enters the ointment in the person of Russian officer Rosanoff (Ramon Novarro). Well, I think he's Russian, but when he pronounces "mother" as "mow-ther" I think the family got sidetracked from Kiev to Juarez. Anyway, Rosanoff is hot and young and stupid and brave.  In other words, meat for Mata. 

Garbo looked incredibly uncomfortable during her cooch
dance, which one reviewer described as "polite"

But, because Mata is Garbo, love enters the picture and, as we all know, there is no room for love in the spy game. She shoots the jealous Shubin as he threatens to expose her and goes into hiding. But the Russian lover boy crashes his plane and loses his sight. Mata comes out of hiding to comfort her boy-toy and is arrested. Rosanoff remains blind in so many ways and Mata faces the firing squad like a man.

Basic black is always right for a firing squad

The film has lots of pre-code fun, and I must say that Ms. Garbo is quite a delight when she is pulling the wool over everyone's eyes. Her smile and laugh are adorable. I'm not so enamored of Mr. Novarro here. He is way too boyish to be of interest to such a worldly and glamorous creature. He acts as though he wants to carry her books rather than snuggle between the sheets. But, their scenes, thanks to Garbo, have some heat and the after-code release had some steamy moments cut out.

Was this film a dress rehearsal for Garbo?

The reclusive Garbo never tooted her own horn. While other stars publicly made contributions to the WWII effort (entertaining or fighting), secretive Greta, it seems, was actually in the employ of the British intelligence (MI6) Beginning in 1939, Garbo frequently left Hollywood for New York for "medical treatment." It turns out that "medical treatment" was her code word for a little espionage for the British.

Working with Alexander Korda (himself recruited by MI6), Garbo gathered information on Swedish millionaire Axel Wenner-Gren, a friend of Hermann Goering. This spying went on for several years and her missions resulted in great success (you can read more about Greta's spying days here).  Seems just playing Mata Hari was not enough for the great Garbo.

The real Mata Hari

As you can see, the real Mata Hari made Garbo, MGM, Adrian and the Pre-Code Hollywood look tame.

Mata Hari was a Dutch haus frau whose lousy marriage led her to Paris where she went from circus horse rider, artist model, exotic dancer and courtesan. In between it looks as though she did spy for the Germans and maybe even for the French. She did have a love affair with a Russian aviator and did end up on the wrong side of a firing squad. Whatever the truth, her name became synonymous with intrigue and seduction and dangerous women.

John Gilbert: The Last of the Silent Film Stars by Eve Golden

John Gilbert's ex-wife Leatrice Joy compared him to mercury, but he was never swift enough to outrun his demons. In "John Gilbert: Last of the Silent Film Stars," Eve Golden gives us story of a great star whose fall was legendary.

The story of John Gilbert, in some form or another, has always been with us. Is he Don Lockwood in "Singin' in the Rain"? Is he George Valentin in "The Artist"? Rumors and conspiracy theories have never been laid to rest. Was his romance with Garbo manufactured by MGM? Did MGM sabotage his career? Eve Golden takes on the mercurial "Great Lover" of the silent screen and paints a detailed portrait of a man whose worst enemy was himself.

1923- Gilbert without his signature mustache when
he was known as Jack Gilbert (with Bebe Daniels in "St. Elmo")

Gilbert's story is well-known - or is it? He peppered his own history with many half-truths not, as some actors do to make their pasts prettier, but to make it even uglier. His mother was a stock company actress. They lived an itinerant life, moving from place to place. While his mother may not have won any awards as mother of the year, Golden claims she was not the abusive whore Gilbert claims that she was. Nevertheless, poor John Gilbert grew up with a sense that the world had robbed him of his just due, a feeling that never left him no matter how much fame was heaped upon him.

Gilbert paid his dues, starting as an extra with the Ince Studios in 1915. He served a long apprenticeship before signing with MGM and reaching stardom in 1924 with a string of hits that began with "His Hour," "He Who Gets Slapped," "The Merry Widow," and, most importantly, "The Big Parade."

Gilbert and Mae Murray in "The Merry Widow," a big hit for MGM and Gilbert

The tales of the making of "The Merry Widow" never fail to amuse. Gilbert actually comes off as Mr. Cool compared to the volatile personalities of Mae Murray and director Erich Von Stroheim, but he did have his moments, at one point stalking off the set and claiming to have quit the film.  Mae's account of running naked after him through the MGM parking lot (in only her tiny size 4 slippers) grew over they years. it seems that would have been a memorable sight, but no one but Mae seemed to remember it that way. Well, Mae was never one to let the facts stand in the way of a good story!

Gilbert and frequent co-star Renee Adoree in "The Big Parade"

These films cemented Gilbert's fame, not only as a romantic leading man, but as an actor of substance. He was MGM's biggest star. Yet, he was unhappy with his scripts, the quality of the filming and his treatment by his employer. Worse, he continuously groused to the press, raising the ire of studio boss Louis B. Mayer. He was perceived as an ingrate and Mayer was not entirely wrong. It is amazing to see how perpetually dissatisfied Gilbert was when he had achieved so much. His public moaning is hard to sympathize with and he tweaked the noses of many studio big wigs while he was riding high. This arrogance would come back to haunt him later.

Garbo and Gilbert set the screen on fire in "Flesh and the Devil"

1926 found Gilbert paired with MGM newcomer Greta Garbo in "Flesh and the Devil." He was top billed, but Garbo's star was rising. Their chemistry ignited the screen and spilled over into their private lives, as well. There has always been much speculation about the Garbo-Gilbert romance. Was it real or was it cooked up by the studio? Louise Brooks (who never met a conspiracy she didn't agree with when it came to Hollywood) thought it was manufactured to cover up Garbo's lesbianism, but it seems unlikely that the very private and shy Garbo would have gone along with such a sham. On the other hand, the stories of a planned wedding and the flowery love prose propagated by the purple press (mainly by Adela Rogers St. John), seems not to have been true, either. Instead, Golden gives us a story of 2 people who were in love for a time, one a little more than the other. Garbo and Gilbert made 3 silents together, all tremendous hits for both stars and their studio.

A rare outing for the lovebirds

Throughout the silent era, Gilbert was unstoppable. And then it all came to a crashing halt. He had signed a tremendous contact with MGM (which rankled Mayer) before the advent of sound and suddenly, he became an albatross around the studio's neck. Sound revealed his voice to be adequate, if a little thin and affected, but certainly not the high squeak of legend. However, his film persona, the great lover, became ridiculous overnight. Just as Chaplin knew his Little Tramp could never speak, the great lover needed to be silent. Dialogue like "I love you, I love you, I love you" repeated over and over again made Gilbert a figure of ridicule. One can only wonder what would have happened to Valentino had he lived.

Did MGM sabotage his career? Golden thinks not, but his past behavior made many loathe to help him. Clearly, the studio did not know what to do with John Gilbert once sound took over Hollywood. He belonged to an era of screen gods and goddesses. More down to earth stars like Cagney and Harlow and Gable were making the grade. Plus, Gilbert's salary was so large that it prohibited the studio from giving him a leading lady of real stature in any of his early sound films. After a string of fair to lousy films, he finally parted company with MGM in 1933. It was a bitter parting, as he had burned all bridges and alienated most friends.

Queen Christina: only Garbo's name above the title

But, he didn't stay away long. Garbo, who had survived the transition from silents to sound, requested him for her co-star in "Queen Christina." A young Laurence Olivier had originally been signed for the part of Christina's Spanish lover, but he proved inadequate. In a backward looking gesture to an old love and a glorious time, Garbo requested Gilbert and MGM agreed. The picture was a hit, but did little for Gilbert. He made one more forgettable film for Columbia.

During this period of decline, Gilbert systematically continued to drink himself to death. His marriages to Olivia Burwell, Leatrice Joy, Ina Claire and Virginia Bruce all ended in divorce. At the end, Marlene Dietrich attempted to help him both personally and professionally, but it was too late. At age 38 (in 1936), the bright star of John Gilbert burned and crashed when he died of a heart attack.

Eve Golden's "John Gilbert: The Last of the Silent Film Stars," is available at Amazon.

Gilbert's daughter, Leatrice Gilbert Fountain, has also written a loving tribute to her father, called "Dark Star." It, too, is available at Amazon.

It is my good luck that Turner Classic Movies is running a John Gilbert marathon this Wednesday, July 10th (his birthday). My DVR is set. Please take some time to get to know this important and tragic star.

6:30 AM	BARDELYS THE MAGNIFICENT (1926)
	A notorious womanizer falls for the woman he has bet he can trick into marriage. Dir: King Vidor Cast:  John Gilbert , Eleanor Boardman , Roy D'Arcy . BW-90 mins, TV-PG,
8:15 AM	SHOW, THE (1927)
	In this silent film, a sideshow dancer secretly loves the show's amoral barker. Dir: Tod Browning Cast:  John Gilbert , Renée Adorée , Lionel Barrymore . BW-76 mins, TV-14,
9:45 AM	WOMAN OF AFFAIRS, A (1928)
	Prejudice keeps a free spirit from the man she loves, triggering a series of tragedies. Dir: Clarence Brown Cast:  Greta Garbo , John Gilbert , Lewis Stone . BW-91 mins, TV-PG,
11:30 AM	DESERT NIGHTS (1929)
	In this silent film, diamond robbers get caught in a violent sandstorm. Dir: William Nigh Cast:  John Gilbert , Ernest Torrence , Mary Nolan . BW-62 mins, TV-G,
12:45 PM	REDEMPTION (1930)
	A man thought dead returns to find his wife has built a new life. Dir: Fred Niblo Cast:  John Gilbert , Renée Adorée , Conrad Nagel . BW-65 mins, TV-G,
2:00 PM	WAY FOR A SAILOR (1930)
	A devoted sailor jeopardizes his love life for love of the sea. Dir: Sam Wood Cast:  John Gilbert , Wallace Beery , Jim Tully . BW-85 mins, TV-G,
3:30 PM	PHANTOM OF PARIS, THE (1931)
	A magician is charged with killing his fiancee's father. Dir: John S. Robertson Cast:  John Gilbert , Leila Hyams , Lewis Stone . BW-74 mins, TV-PG,
5:00 PM	WEST OF BROADWAY (1931)
	A millionaire doesn't remember getting married but can't forget how much he hates his new wife. Dir: Harry Beaumont Cast:  John Gilbert , El Brendel , Lois Moran . BW-67 mins, TV-G, CC,
6:30 PM	CAPTAIN HATES THE SEA, THE (1934)
	A bond thief, a private eye and a drunken reporter wreak havoc on an ocean voyage. Dir: Lewis Milestone Cast:  Victor McLaglen , Wynne Gibson , Alison Skipworth . BW-85 mins, TV-G, CC,

Gilbert heats it up with newcomer Joan Crawford in 1927's "Twelve Miles Out."

Garbo vs. Gable: The Talkies Have Won

Susan Lenox (Her fall and Rise)....the fall of silence, the rise of sound
Garbo and Gable: what a pair! MGM was notoriously dense when providing Garbo with a suitable leading man, but here they nailed it.

They walk in beauty

In 1931, Greta Garbo was more than a queen of the movies. Like the empress of some remote, exotic land, she retained her air of mystery and wonder as talking pictures smashed, as Norma Desmond said, “the idols of the world.” Garbo survived sound. Her deep, accented growl complimented her image. But sound, combined with the changing tastes of depression-era audiences, also robbed her of some of her power. She moved with authority in the movie-worlds of satins and furs, of heavy sighs and sophisticated shrugs. But by 1931, audiences craved something more realistic, something grittier, something so un-Garbo.

She had proved that she could knock back a viskey with the best of them in her first talkie, Anna Christie (1930). After a few more sophisticated roles, MGM again walked the pre-code tightrope with Garbo in 1931’s Susan Lenox (Her Fall and Rise).

Garbo and Gable play house

Based on a scandalous book of the same name, Garbo plays an illegitimate and abused farm girl who is sold into marriage to a man she finds repugnant and who tries to rape her before their wedding. Determined not to marry the lout, she rushes off into a storm and lands in the nice comfy home of none other than Clark Gable. And here the story become unlike anything Garbo did before or since.

In 1931, the pre-mustache Gable was just beginning his long rein as the king of Hollywood. No matter how ordinary Garbo is made to look in this film, she is never just a regular gal. Can you imagine finding Garbo in your barn in a storm? Gable, however, no matter how gorgeous, always comes across natural and at ease and just an ordinary guy who happens to to look like a movie star. He is modern, she is timeless.

Mustache or no mustache - HOT

Garbo as the farmer's daughter

The story is wild, with Garbo joining a circus, living as the mistress of a crooked politician and finally chasing Gable, who has rejected her,  to the jungles of South America where both (he a drunk and she a not-quite prostitute/dancer) are reconciled. She gets to wear an array of fantastic Adrian designs and is more "regular" than she ever appeared before or since. The scene where Gable teaches her to fish is adorable. Garbo is many things, but she is rarely cute or adorable. It is great fun to see her this way.

Garbo laughs - and fishes!

Hard working circus professional

A celestial vision

So, here is Garbo, giving her usual  fine performance, looking spectacular and having a grand old time and it is Gable who, I think, dominates. He is new, he is bright and, yes, he is the future and there is no turning back.

Passing the torch

While is has been said that Garbo and Gable did not like one another, their chemistry is undeniable. So much so that Garbo was given first crack at re-teaming with Gable in Red Dust. After Garbo declined, the role went to Jean Harlow, another nod to the future. Garbo would go on to give 10 more magical performances before retreating to the realm of the gods - her true home. Gable would continue as a star of the first magnitude for another 30 years.

AIN'T NOTHING LIKE THE REAL THING, BABY

Only the public can make a star. It's the studios who make a system out of it.                  Marilyn Monroe                                        

                                                                                             
Some stars are made by the public and some are the creations of, as Norma Desmond called them, "the masterminds." The Hollywood moguls of old liked to think that they had the power to create a star. Like Professor Henry Higgins, they imagined they could take the most improbable subject and transform him or her into someone the public would embrace.

By George, I really did it!

Once they hit upon a winning formula, their instinct was to mass-produce like a factory. It usually didn't work. Copycat stars rarely step out of the shadows of the originals, but once in a while, one is individual enough to stake a claim of their very own.

Here a just a few of the originals and their imitators:

The Original: Charlie Chaplin

Chaplin's enormous popularity spawned quite a few imitators, including:

The Copies: Billy West

West's greatest fame lied in his uncanny impersonations of Charlie.  Other than that, the rest of his career is merely a footnote.

Harold Lloyd

Yes, even the great Harold Lloyd started out as a copycat as "Lonesome Luke", a clear Chaplin rip-off. This always made Lloyd uncomfortable, and it wasn't until he hit upon his "glasses" character that his own genius was allowed to flourish (thank goodness!).

The Original: Rudolph Valentino

Valentino's popularity spawned a slew of exotic lovers, but none could touch the original.

The Copies: Ricardo Cortez

Ricardo (born Jacob Krantz) was totally manufactured star who managed to survive the Valentino craze and go on to have a respectable career in films before ditching them for a lucrative career on Wall Street.

Antonio Moreno

Best remembered as having "it" alongside Clara Bow, Moreno had a long, if unspectacular career. 

Ramon Novarro

A copy with real staying power and star quality, Novarro inherited the mantel of "Latin Lover" after the death of Valentino. He had a long career and a legion of fans.

The Original: Mary Pickford

Mary Pickford was the most popular woman in the world during the peak of her stardom. While many tried to copy her, no one could come close.

The Copy: Mary Miles Minter

Mary Miles Minter gave Pickford a run for her money for a short while, but a lack of fire, real talent and her role in the William Desmond Taylor murder mystery put an end to her career.

The Original: Pola Negri

Pola was the original foreign exotic.

The Copy: Greta Garbo

Although Garbo was originally placed in Pola-like roles, she proved to be too much of an original. Before long, stars and studios were emulating Garbo, but by then she had established herself as beyond duplication.

The Original: Marlene Dietrich

They should have known better - you don't copy this!

The Copy: Anna Sten

Known as "Goldwyn's Folly," the beautiful Miss Sten was brought by Goldwyn to Hollywood as his studio version of the foreign exotic. Unfortunately for both, Miss Sten did not click with the public.

The Original: Ronald Colman

The perfect, cultured and romantic Englishman. This was such a popular "type" that many were needed to fill the role!

The Copy: Brian Aherne

Brian Aherne was a very respectable "second choice" Colman (he was awarded the starring role in "A Tale of Two Cities," but it was taken away from him when his friend Colman became available). 

The Original: Errol Flynn

Looks alone did not define his appeal. Although others tried, Flynn's looks, talent, charisma and charm were a hard package to duplicate.

The Copy: Patric Knowles

Signed because of his resemblance to Errol, Patric never made it into the leading man category. Really, a passing resemblance, at best.

The Original: Freddie Bartholomew

This precocious little British boy was a huge star for a time.

The Copy: Roddy McDowell

Another case where the copy had more staying power than the original. While Freddie was usually an upper-crust kind of  kid, Roddy was blue collar. And when Freddie grew up and went on to other things, Roddy stayed with us forever.

The Originals: Hope & Crosby

This stellar crooner and comic combination was a hit with the public. 

The Copies: Morgan & Carson

Warner Bothers tried to duplicate the success of the "Road" pictures with the "Two Guys" series featuring crooner Morgan and comic Carson ("Two Guys From Texas," "Two Guys From Milwaukee," - you get the picture), but the chemistry between Bob and Bing could not be manufactured.

The Original: Marilyn Monroe

The one, the only. To this day, she is copied endlessly, but never duplicated.

The Copies: Jayne Mansfield

Mamie Van Doren

Sheree North

All three ladies were blonde, beautiful and talented. Some were more successful than others, but none came close to MM.

The Original: Grace Kelly

Cool, blonde, beautiful, talented, but with a warmth that set her apart.

The Copies: Dina Merrill

Talented and beautiful, for sure, but so cool she was chilly.

Tippi Hedren

Cool and lovely, but no Grace (sorry, Hitch).

The Original: Sophia Loren

This Italian sex-goddess inspired many copies, but Sophia had more than sexy going for her.

The Copy: Gina Lollobrigida

Turns out, Gina had more to offer than the Italian sex-bomb roles she was offered and turned to photojournalism for a second and rewarding career.

The Original: Robert Redford

This male blonde beauty look was all the rage in the '60s, but try as they might, Redford had that certain something that could not be duplicated.

The Copy: Nick Nolte

Hard to believe now, isn't it?

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then these originals should be blushing! As for those "masterminds" who think you can mass-produce a star - back to the drawing board. 






For more fun movie facts and fantasy, check out "Flesh and Fantasy" by Penny Stallings and Howard Mandelbaum (I confess to being a bit of a copycat myself!). It's a very fun book!