Some legendary notes on the woman almost nobody knows
The Beautiful Myth–
Garbo
Condensed from Collier's
Nathaniel Benchley
GRETA GARBO, who hasn't made a motion picture in over ten years, is still rated by many as Hollywood's most beautiful, glamorous and provocative star. Her passion for privacy is undoubtedly sincere, gut its effect has been a press agent's dream, and her appearance at any party, restaurant or public gathering is guaranteed to stop all conversation. Her activities, no matter how trivial, are considered legitimate news by the European and American press. Her films are the biggest draw among the motion-picture classics shown at New York's Museum of Modern Art.
The following notes were gathered in an attempt to find out what Garbo is like as a person, what is behind her legendary shyness. Since Garbo herself was uninterviewable, they had to be collected from people who know her, who have had dealings with her, or who simply have met her. The material, presented here in its original from, begins with:
Webster's Biographical Dictionary – Garbo (gär'bô) Greta. Real surname Gustaffson (gus'täf-sôn). Motion-picture actress, b. Stockholm, Sweden, 1906; after success in Swedish film Gösta Berling , came to U.S. and starred in Anna Christie , Mata Hari , Camille , Ninotchka , etc.
Nils Asther (actor who knew Garbo in Sweden and was in several of her early pictures here): “She's always been shy.” Asther remembers her when she was a student at the Royal Dramatic Academy in Stockholm; she watched the professional actors from the cloakroom but didn't dare go into the theater.
Mauritz Stiller, director, discovered her at the Academy, gave her the name Garbo, and out her in pictures,. As a stage actress, her motions and gestures seemed ungainly and crude, but when seen on film they were marvelous.
Stiller brought her to the United States. She was then about 19. M-G-M gave her contract (1925) but wasn't crazy about using her. Finally, with her first two pictures grossing heavily, they okayed her as a star.
When she first came to this country, she knew no English. Asther thinks her reticence (aside from fact she's naturally shy) got its foothold with her inability to speak the language. Then it caught on, and snowballed.
Example of shyness: She and Asther were driving down Sunset Boulevard. Woman driving the car ahead looked in the mirror, recognized Garbo, jammed on brakes, and Asther's car piled into hers. Garbo vaulted out of car and hid in underbrush until things quieted down.
Example of nonshyness: Thinking she couldn't be seen from house, she would occasionally swim without a bathing suit in her Beverly Hills swimming pool. Swedish servants found a top window that looked on pool, and sold tickets for one dollar a head to friends. Asther found out about it and told Garbo, who just laughed.
In this particular house (she changes houses often, in search of privacy – she used only one room – combination sitting-and-bedroom – way of at one end. When people came in, she'd call, “Garbo's in here,” and add: “Here one sits and sits and sits,” in a gloomy voice. Curtains were usually drawn, to keep out the light. Most of rest of house not decorated.
When with friends, she can relax and enjoy herself. Has a pixy sense of humor, is a good audience. When she laughs, it's a silent, breathless kind of laugh that shakes her whole person but makes very little noise.
Once when she was depressed, Asther asked her what the trouble was. “I had an awful row with God this morning,” she replied.
Barbara Barondess MacLean (actor, writer, decorator and dress designer) – In 1930's, MacLean, under contract as actress to M-G-M, got call to do bit part in Queen Christina , starring Garbo and John Gilbert. MacLean “froze” in rehearsals, because Garbo was so beautiful – “frightened gazelle spirituals quality,” she calls it. Garbo put her at ease by telling stories about herself.
One Story: Garbo went into shoe store, asked for some moccasins. Clerk came back with sizes 8 and 9. When moccasins rattled around on her feet, clerk looked disappointed, and said, “I thought you were Greta Garbo.” (She canard about big feet started because Garbo was one of first women to wear low-heeled shoes. When she had to take off shoes in As You Desire Me , Erich von Stroheim looked at her feet and said, “I don't think they're as ugly as everyone else does.” Garbo considered this a great compliment, and loved the remark.) MacLeans says actually Garbo wore about 6AA.
Dorothy Kilgallen (New York Journal-American columnist) – Garbo's closest friends include British photographer-stage designer Cecil Beaton and author John Gunther and wife; is also seen with George Schlee and wife, Valentina ( couturière from whom Garbo gets many of her clothes), Allen Porter (assistant secretary of New York's Museum of Modern Art) and Gayelord ( Look Younger, Live Longer ) Hauser.
Goes in for simple navy-blue dresses and large chin-strap-type hats. Needs a man to tell her what to do and wear. Is a faddist, and will try anything anyone recommends, including spiritualists, handwriting experts, masseuses. Is a great shopper for antiques, although seldom buys anything. She does her own hair.
Howard Dietz (M-G-M vice-president in charge of publicity) – After a few unfavorable (for M-G-M) interviews with the press, M-G-M said a press agent would have to be present at all interviews to see she said the right thing – or not interviews. She said okay, no interviews.
Arthur Hornblow, Jr. (motion-picture producer and friend) – Garbo is amused by people and things, but doesn't do or say funny things herself. Will literally run from people, but when she likes or trusts someone, will become a member of the family. May take a liking to cook, and spend hours in kitchen, chatting.
Clarence Brown (who directed Garbo in seven of the 24 pictures she made in Hollywood) – Screens, called “flats,” are placed around the set when she acts, because if people look at her she gets flustered. Sight of electrician or carpenter watching her work would put her of balance. (Doing a scene for Grand Hotel , she was alone with the cameraman, surrounded by 16-foot flats, when John Barrymore, Arthur Brisbane and Louis B. Mayer peeked through the window of the motion room. She couldn't possibly have seen them, but after a couple of minutes she said, “I think I go home,” and she did. Cost the company $5000 in shooting time.) “I was not afraid of her and she was not afraid of me,” says Brown. “She was the best in the world to handle as an actress. I love to work with her.”
William Daniels (cameraman, who photographed all of Garbo's Hollywood pictures) – Most beautiful actress he ever photographed. Eyes great for close-ups; bone structure good for portrait lighting; fine figure for long shots; walks gracefully, like an animal. Made a test couple of years ago and she still looked good.
James Wong Howe (another cameraman): “When the camera started to roll, she started to come to life. You could see her personality come out, her mood change; and she became more beautiful.”
Friends, directors, producers, etc. – Once a star, Garbo often disagreed with producers about merits of pictures, usually won. She's been offered lots of money recently to do another picture, but can't find script she likes, and places integrity above money. On subject of integrity, Louis B. Mayer once said he'd rather have Garbo's word than the signatures of many stars he could think of. At peak earning she got $250,000 a picture, more if shooting went over schedule. Liked to wear carpet slippers on the set for comfort, no matter what the rest of her costume. Before shooting, to be sure they wouldn't show in camera, would always ask, “Is the feet in?” This became favorite expression of camera crew, who loved her.
She doesn't think she's beautiful, or a great actress, and only now beginning to believe she did a good job in Camille.
She's always groping for something, but not sure what it is, Asked once what she did in New York, she replied: “Sometimes I put on my coat at 10 a.m. and follow people. I just go where they are going – I mill around.” This way, she's with people and not alone, but doesn't have to do anything about it. Now spends most of her time in New York or abroad.
Harry Evans (editorial director of Family Circle magazine) – Evans danced with her last year at Sherry-Netherland, first time she'd danced in public in 15 years. Says she was nervous at first, but then relaxed and danced beautifully. She is, Evans says, excellent audience; eyes never leave your face, and is obviously sincere in what she says. He wrote: “Her voice has the quality of a muted cello. … When she speaks, her eyes reflect her words. And when she's listening, they reflect her thoughts. … When she lowers her long, sweeping lashes, it's like dropping a curtain. … Her hands are large, strong, beautiful formed, and, like every other feature of this rare creature, seem to have a separate vibrant life of their own. … If while talking she reaches out, touches your arm lightly, you feel you've been compromised. I'm kidding – but not much.”
FROM the foregoing evidence a few facts seem to emerge fairly clearly. Garbo is at the mercy of a legend – a legend that she strengthens in spite of herself. She does not want to be alone, but she cannot stand the people who, out of celebrity-seeking or simple curiosity, try to intrude on her privacy. Her natural shyness and her unusual beauty have conspired to hedge her off from a normally happy existence. Her friends are encouraged by her increasingly frequent public appearances. They hope that she may learn to accept the public.
But nobody is willing to bet on it.
