Customer Reviews

The Flesh and the Devil ~ starring Greta Garbo and John Gilbert [Import, All-region] (Dvd)

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The lovable and unforgettable Greta Garbo never acted with major passion and visible eroticism in any other film in my memory.

The bold and hot script must have been for those ages, sinful and scandalous for many people. But the great director and the great actress knew to impregnate the film of audaciousness and luxuriant scenes that became immediately a cult film.

Don't miss this genuine masterwork.

"Flesh and the Devil" is a seminal film from the mid 20s. It launched many careers and was a box office and critical success.

John Gilbert (1989-1936) stars. He was at the peak of his career when the film was made, coming off successes in "His Hour" (1924), "The Merry Widow" (1925) and "The Big Parade" (1925). Only Valentino rivaled his popularity as a romantic star. Gilbert's career declined in the 30s, partially due to his soured relationship with MGM head Louie Mayer, and Gilbert never managed to make the transition to talkies complete.

Garbo's (1905-90) name appears "below the line" along with Lars Hanson. Prior to this Garbo had been in 9 silent films, starting as early as 1920, and mostly in Europe. This was her third American film, for which MGM paid her $450 a week. She followed it with "Love" (1927) in which she co-starred with John Gilbert. She was nominated 3 times for an Oscar ("Anna Christie", "Camille", and "Ninotchka") but never won. She is listed as #5 on the AFI's list of Greatest Actresses.

Garbo does not appear until 30 minutes into the 2 hour film. Up until this time it is a rather poor comedy, and comedic elements remain even when the heavy melodrama takes over.

Lars Hanson (1886-1965) was a Swedish actor active in the silent era. He made 35 films, most of them foreign. Apart from this film his most notable U.S. film was "The Scarlett Letter" (1926) opposite Lillian Gish. His heavy accent meant that he had to return to Europe once films talked.

Barbara Kent (1906) does a great job as the woman child who adores Gilbert, and George Fawcett (1860-1939)performs memorably as the Pastor. Kent appeared in more than 30 films, mostly silent, and is best remembered for her role in this film and as Rose in "Oliver Twist" (1933). Fawcett's stern but malleable face was seen in more than 100 films, mostly silent, with featured roles in such classics as "Intolerance" (1916), "Silas Marner" (1922), "Tess of the D'Urbervilles" (1924) and "The Merry Widow" (1925).

Clarence Brown (1890 - 1987) directs. Brown was a well known silent film director ("Last of the Mohicans", "The Eagle"). He was nominated for an Oscar 5 times ("Anna Christie", "A Free Soul", "The Human Comedy", "National Velvet", and "The Yearling") but never won. His films earned 38 Oscar nominations and 9 wins, but never for Director. This was his first film with Garbo and they worked together on 5 more films. He loved working with actresses, and also worked with Joan Crawford 6 times.

Williams Daniels (1901-70) is the cinematographer. Garbo insisted he shoot all her films, which he did, except for 2 ("Conquest", "Two-faced Woman") which turned out to be flops at the box office. When not working with Garbo, Daniels was a favorite of Erich von Stroheim, who was Garbo's favorite director (even though she made 6 films with Brown). Daniels lensed more than 150 films. He was nominated 3 times ("Anna Christie", "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof", "How the West was Won") and won once ("Naked City" in 1948).

Irving Thalberg (1899 - 1936) produced. Known as "The Boy Wonder", Thalberg transformed MGM into the powerhouse it became. He sponsored the Marx Brothers as well as films such as "The Big Parade" (1925), "Grand Hotel" (1932), "Mutiny on the Bounty" (1935), "San Francisco" (1936), and "Romeo and Juliet" (1936).

The sets and costumes are lavish, but otherwise the production values are slim. Most of the shots are done in the studio. The special effects of blending painted backdrops with stage action are pretty good

The film opened to critical and commercial success. It propelled the careers of Gilbert and Garbo as well as Brown, Daniels, and Thalberg. Made at a cost of $373,000 the film earned more than $1,000,000.

Known as one of the great romantic films of the silent era, the film is filled with homoerotic imagery which apparently passed for masculine friendship in those days. Nowadays the melodrama appears comical, but for the mid 20s this was common place.

This is Hollywood and this is Garbo. The only reason to watch the movie is to see her in action: The still close ups of her incredible face, the dramatic poses, the romance of her and Gilbert lighting a cigarette and the tremendous, passionate waltz they dance together which is unforgettable.The plot is a simple love story set in Germany, which is a perfect excuse for her to be Countess Felicitas von Rhaden, and her love interest Leo von Harden to wear fabulous uniforms, and the story to have a gay sub-plot.
In reality there are two love triangles: The first is Felicitas-the Count-Leo, the second is Leo-Felicitas-Ulrich. When Leo returns from being away for a few years after he has dueled with the Count (Marc McDermot) he finds out she has married his best friend since childhood, Ulrich Von Eltz (Lars Hanson), at the train station, they did not have the heart to tell him before. It is not too long before Felicitas drags Leo into a revived fatal attraction and starts making all of their lives a complete mess.
She is always well dressed though, and whether wearing a widow's hat with a veil, or a simple dress and a fox she is always the living image of glamour. The two men had an ongoing relationship even before she arrives on the scene, as their whole relationship in military school very much points in that direction. It should have its own entry under "Closet relationships and celluloid censorship in America" which is the ongoing encyclopedia of repression of sexuality in Holywood, with several volumes of gay material disguised, twisted, hidden and implied in Holywood productions since the silents till today. They after all, have been 'blood brothers' since childhood when they swore eternal friendship at a Grecian pavillion in the middle of this lovely island of Friendship, in front of the gayest statue I have ever seen on film, featuring two half nude male athletes, in a semi embracing position, which is the stamp on the gay passport.
Although the story is hard to follow (there were two writers involved), the director, Clarence Brown makes an effort at making it all look good. There are great angle shots aplenty. In a close up of Felicitas and Leo lying together she is wearing a top that looks like material from a Klimt painting, the lighting of her face at the train station is a great moment, as also when she looks happily at herself with a black veil in a mirror after her husband's demise and we understand that she is appreciating him so much more now that he has become a fashion accessory. The scene of the duel is another great highlight totally shot in silhouette, which is beautifully effective and magical.
A must see for all those interested in Garbo's career as this is one of her finest performances. Had she done this movie with Valentino it would have broken all records in profits and would have remained the classic romance forever.

I DON"T MIND THE CRITICISM--but instead of JUST piling up "unhelpful" votes for this review--why don't you write one of your own? Very few people read the comments, compared to the number of those who read reviews. This review fairly DRIPS with sarcasm (my take on the movie); tell people how wonderful it is, if that's the way you feel!

The only reason to watch this movie are some fairly sizzling scenes between Gilbert and Garbo. But this is a movie about...friendship. Otherwise: Garbo keeps looking out of the top of her eyes, and the man she marries constantly looks as if his eyes were propped open with toothpicks. In spite of the fact that the friendship between the to men is RAMMED down your throat (for instance, the vaguely Greek statue on Friendship Island where the two boys become "blood brothers," and where the movie ends), perhaps because of the overkill, I didn't believe it, and I didn't care, either. At the end of the film, after the Garbo character has proven herself to be thoroughly reprehensible--and then falls through the ice and drowns (unlike Liza in Uncle Tom's Cabin), the two men, instead of shooting eachother in a duel (yeah), fall into eachothers' arms (gingerly).

You don't believe a word of this, and I imagine the alternate ending (someone thought the movie seemed to imply a same-sex romantic relationship...lots of luck) in which one of the men goes home and marries the other's sister, is probably no better than the original.

I've seen enough silent movies to know that they don't have to be ridiculous. Suggestions: "Wings" (1927), "Sunrise" (1927), "The Last Laugh," "Nosferatu," "Berlin: Symphony of the Big City," "The Passion of Joan of Arc," and leave us not forget "Birth of a Nation," and "The Battleship Potemkin," "Nightmail" (a documentary on the mailtrain run between London and Edenborough--with poetry by Auden!--oh, sorry: that's not silent!) But if you really want love and/or friendship--the first two I mentioned.

Sorry, but I really found this movie pretty appalling.