Sunday 9 September 2012

Anna Christie (1931-German Version) - Star of the month... Greta Garbo



'Anna Christie' is a 1931 German-language adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize winning Broadway play by Eugene O'Neill. 

It stars Greta Garbo, and was filmed following the release of an English language version from 1930, also starring Garbo. The sets and costumes were reused from the 1930 film.

The film is directed by Jacques Feyder and co-stars Theo Shall, Hans Junkermann and Salka Viertel.

Anna Christie (played by Garbo) returns home and is reunited with her sailor father Chris (played by Junkermann) who she has not seen in many years. Anna rescues and falls in love with another sailor, Matt Burke (played by Shall), but neglects to tell him about her past career as a prostitute.

Father-daughter relationship

In the film, we find out Chris was forced to give up Anna as a result of his being a sailor. Although Anna and Chris' relationship improves throughout the film, Anna has some hostility and resentment towards her father.


Did you know...

  • Greta Garbo preferred this German version of 'Anna Christie' over the American version she made in 1930

Closing remarks

Like Greta Garbo, I too find this German version of 'Anna Christie' to be better than the 1930 Hollywood production. Garbo's acting is more naturalistic, and co-stars Theo Shall and Hans Junkermann are better than Charles Bickford and George F. Marion from the 1930 version. The only which I found better in the original was Marie Dressler's performance as Marthy.

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