The Garbo - Crawford Encounters

During the making of Grand Hotel, Garbo worked from 9:00 to 5:00; Crawford started rehearsing at 5:00 P.M. and shot her scenes between 6:00 in the evening and 2:00 in the morning. Their separate worlds collided on the staircase of the women's building. Standing back with a friend as Greta came up the stairs, Crawford thought that she had timed everything correctly – and ended up bumping right into Garbo. “I got down two steps too soon, and she just came round and she grabbed me and this magnificent face looked into mine ...”

The actress was dumbstruck as Greta took her face in her hands and told her, “I am so sorry we are not working together. It's so sad; in the same film, and no scenes. What a pity!” The effect was so mesmerizing, Crawford admitted, her knees weakened.
 

The Encounter Part 2

MGM wardrobe man Jerry Asher now witnessed the first Garbo-Crawford encounter: As Crawford came out of her dressing room and was walking downstairs to the set, Garbo was coming up. Crawford was flustered and lowered her eyes, but Garbo held out her arm to block the way and said, “I am glad we are working in the same picture. How are you getting along?”

Crawford managed a reply, and after a few more pleasantries, Garbo said goodbye. The subsequent reports of snubbing and hostility were groundless.
 

Garbo finally talked with Crawford

Crawford wrote in her book: One evening I was just starting to the set when she came up the stairs to her dressing room. I was with [my publicist] Jerry Asher. I literally shoved him into a corner and followed him into it so we would both be out of her way. She'd just finished working.

She'd be tired and wouldn't want to be greeted. Just then, the vibrant voice said Alloooo! I murmured hello and bolted for the stairs from which she'd just emerged. She caught me in passing. There suddenly above me was that beautiful face with those compelling eyes, and the woman I'd thought was so aloof was saying: “I'm so sorry we are not working together. What a pity, eh? Our first picture together and not one scene.“