Product Details

• Actors: Greta Garbo, Charles Bickford, George F. Marion, Marie Dressler, James T. Mack
• Directors: Clarence Brown, Jacques Feyder
• Writers: Eugene O'Neill, Frances Marion, Frank Reicher, Walter Hasenclever
• Producers: Clarence Brown, Irving Thalberg
• Format: Black & White, Closed-captioned, DVD, Full Screen, Subtitled, NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)
• Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Warner Home Video
• DVD Release Date: September 6, 2005
• Run Time: 174 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0009S4IK6
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #88,474 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "Anna Christie" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Studio: Warner Home Video Release Date: 09/06/2005 Run time: 175 minutes Rating: Nr

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars German with English subtitles version is better!, December 20, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Anna Christie [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Of the two versions I saw, I preferred the German version with English subtitles. Garbo's performance as well as that of the supporting cast was more inspired. I will keep looking for that version before I buy!

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A GARBO MILESTONE., November 11, 2001

By 

"scotsladdie" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Anna Christie [VHS] (VHS Tape)

The once highly esteemed script-writer, Frances Marion, faithfully followed the text of the famous Eugene O'Neil play which starred Blanche Sweet on Broadway in the early twenties. Bette Davis, who was a devout "Garbomaniac" (as Garbo fans were called in the thirties), once stated about Garbo's acting: "What Garbo did on the screen was sheer witchcraft... I cannot analyze this woman's acting". In her first sound film, after what seems an eternity, Garbo finally comes into view, weary and cynical, she says to the bartender: "Gif me a viskey - chinger ale on the side. And don't be stingy, baby!". Her voice was blissfully right on target! This 1930 antique is very talky and reminds one of a silent movie with dialogue. If it were not so well-acted, it would be very tiresome indeed. Garbo's voice was noted as being in strange and beautiful accord with the Garbo personality of the silent pictures. Garbo had, more than than any other actress on the screen in the early thirties, the ability to emit the power of suggestion, and, in infinite degrees, expose the isolated mysteriousness of the human soul. Charles Bickford does quite well as the Irish seaman, and as the the old waterfront hag, Marthy Owens, Marie Dressler put an infinite amount of detail in her excellent (albeit a bit hammy) characterization; Garbo was so impressed by Dressler's performance that she personally brought a bouquet of chrysanthemums to Dressler's home in appreciation. On both the stage and screen, George Marion seemed destined to be old Chris; his remarks about "Dat old davil sea" has made audiences laugh for over 70 years.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Garbo speaks....and speaks.......and speaks!, July 6, 2007

By 

Douglas M - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Anna Christie (DVD)

"Anna Christie" is most famous as the film which released Greta Garbo from the silent era, the last major star to make the transition. The marketing of the film ensured that this was a major cinematic event and the film was a box office smash but it does not really stand the test of time.

Based on a depressing Eugene O'Neill play, this is an unusual piece for Garbo because she plays a contemporary figure surrounded by 3 character actors in demanding parts. She suffers by comparison. George Marion as her father and Marie Dressler as his mistress create incredibly real people. The scenes with Dressler are wonderful; Garbo, the mistress of underacting, with Dressler, the mistress of overacting, and meeting in the middle with genuine rapport. Charles Bickford as the boorish Irish lover is good too but he has no charisma, no screen magnetism. It is just not convincing that Garbo could fall for him. The film has endless talk, little action, a static camera and a soundtrack which is often hard to understand. Garbo's unease with American slang is obvious with some of her line readings emphasising the wrong words. The story has a poor ending, moving from hysteria to rationalisation in the flick of an eye and with what has gone on before, it is easy to speculate that this motley group have got lots of bad times ahead.

The print of the film is surprisingly good and far superior to other Garbo DVDs of later talkies. The package includes the German version of the film too. It is shorter and darker. Garbo looks more seedy and it is obvious that she is more comfortable with the German language.

The DVD is best purchased as part of one of the Garbo collections because only then will you obtain any extras which will tell you more about the star and the film.