Queen Christina (1933)

Popularity:

Up 2% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.

Director:

Rouben Mamoulian

Writers:

H.M. Harwood (screen play) and
Salka Viertel (screen play) ...
(more)

Release Date:

24 October 1934 (Germany)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | History | Romance

Plot:

Queen Christina of Sweden is a popular monarch who is loyal to her country. However, when she falls in love with a Spanish envoy, she must choose between the throne and the man she loves.

Plot Keywords:

Love | Queen | Sweden | Queen Christina Of Sweden | Throne

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Greta Garbo	...	Christina
John Gilbert	...	Antonio
Ian Keith	...	Magnus
Lewis Stone	...	Oxenstierna
Elizabeth Young	...	Ebba
C. Aubrey Smith	...	Aage
Reginald Owen	...	Charles
Georges Renavent	...	French Ambassador
David Torrence	...	Archbishop
Gustav von Seyffertitz	...	General (as Gustav Von Seyffertitz)
Ferdinand Munier	...	Innkeeper
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Richard Alexander	...	Peasant in Crowd (uncredited)
Hooper Atchley	...	Antonio's Companion in Coach (uncredited)
Barbara Barondess	...	Elsa (uncredited)
Wade Boteler	...	Magnus' Rabble Rouser (uncredited)
James Burke	...	Blacksmith - 4th Rabble Rouser (uncredited)
Cora Sue Collins	...	Christina as a Child (uncredited)
Carrie Daumery	...	Woman at Court when Antonio arrive at Christines Throne (uncredited)
Muriel Evans	...	Barmaid at Inn (uncredited)
Edward Gargan	...	Drinker Betting on 9 (uncredited)
Lawrence Grant	...	Bit part (uncredited)
Sam Harris	...	Nobleman (uncredited)
Paul Hurst	...	Swedish Soldier Betting on 6 (uncredited)
Gladden James	...	3rd Rabble Rouser (uncredited)
Fred Kohler	...	Member of the Court at Abdication (uncredited)
Frank McGlynn Jr.	...	2nd Rabble Rouser (uncredited)
Edward Norris	...	Count Jacob (uncredited)
Bodil Rosing	...	Innkeeper's Wife (uncredited)
Tiny Sandford	...	Cook at the Inn (uncredited)
C. Montague Shaw	...	King Gustavus Adolphus (uncredited)
Akim Tamiroff	...	Pedro (uncredited)

Directed by
Rouben Mamoulian

Writing credits
H.M. Harwood		(screen play) and
Salka Viertel		(screen play)
Salka Viertel		(from the original story by) and
Margaret P. Levino		(from the original story by)
S.N. Behrman		(dialogue)
Harvey Gates		uncredited
Ben Hecht		uncredited
Rouben Mamoulian		uncredited
Ernest Vajda		uncredited
Claudine West		uncredited

Produced by
Walter Wanger	....	producer

Original Music by
Herbert Stothart		(musical score)

Cinematography by
William H. Daniels		(photographed by) (as William Daniels)

Film Editing by
Blanche Sewell		(film editor)

Production Design by
Edgar G. Ulmer		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
Alexander Toluboff

Set Decoration by
Edwin B. Willis		(interior decoration)

Costume Design by
Adrian		(gowns)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Charles Dorian	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Douglas Shearer	....	recording director
Art Wilson	....	sound mixer (uncredited)

Stunts
Harry Froboess	....	stunts (uncredited)
Audrey Scott	....	riding double: Greta Garbo (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Milton Brown	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Eugene Joseff	....	costume jeweller (uncredited)

Music Department
Maurice De Packh	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Herbert Stothart	....	conductor (uncredited)

Other crew
Fred Cavens	....	stager: sword fight (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (presents) (controlled by Loew's Incorporated) (A Rouben Mamoulian Production)

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1933) (USA) (theatrical) (controlled by Loew's Incorporated)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1934) (UK) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1934) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical) (35mm print)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1934) (France) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (1952) (Austria) (theatrical)
• Continental Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• MGM/UA (1993) (Germany) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• United Costumers Inc.  costumes supplied by (uncredited)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

99 min | 99 min (Turner library print)

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:PG | Australia:G (TV rating) | Netherlands:18 (original rating) (1934) | Sweden:15 | Sweden:11 (re-rating) (1964) | UK:U (re-rating) (2005) | UK:U (re-rating) (2005) (uncut) | USA:Approved | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | USA:TV-G (TV rating) | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

The scene where Christina goes around the room at the inn, remember the night she spent with her lover, was choreographed so meticulously that Greta Garbo performed the scene to a metronome.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Numerous historical liberties were taken for dramatic effect, especially the romance between Christina and Antonio, which never happened. The real Antonio Pimentel brought his wife and children with him to Sweden from Spain after he was appointed ambassador.

Quotes:

University Representative:Your majesty, our University Uppsala is the oldest in Sweden. One of the oldest in Europe. To admit professors from Spain and Italy might corrupt the purity of of our teaching.
Queen Christina:The danger is not so much of corruption, my lord, as of staleness. We need new wine in the old bottles.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Garbo Talks (1984)

Garbo at her peak

I'm in the middle of "Wednesday Night is Greta Garbo Night" on TCM, and I am as happy as the proverbial pig. A whole month of Garbo -- 27 films! 1927-1941!!! Needless to say, I rushed right off to Target to stock up on blank videocassettes! I'm the King of the World! The dream of a lifetime fulfilled!

"Queen Christina" is merely one of Garbo's greatest performances, but it's second to none. She imbues the role of the conflicted Swedish monarch with majesty and vulnerability, and also embodies the clarity, determination, assurance, and style of a great ruler. This Christina is no silly Mary Queen of Scots, thoughtlessly throwing everything away for love, and sowing the seeds of her own destruction. Garbo's queen sacrifices power for a man, true, but only because she understands that she can't have both and must have love, that Sweden will still flourish without her, and that to fulfill her deepest needs as a human being she must accept the inevitable cost. She is a lover of the arts, a reader of great books, curious about the entire world and thirsty to drink at the well of experience. She is a bohemian, and there's little satisfaction for her in wielding great power while being denied the opportunity to live fully.

Whether this is an accurate portayal of the historical person is really beside the point. "Queen Christina" is an MGM costume spectacular with MGM's biggest star. And Lord, is she gorgeous!

Watching John Gilbert as Antonio makes me wonder why he didn't last for long in talking pictures. His hairstyle here makes him look a bit goofy, but he's a handsome guy and his speaking voice is perfectly adequate. He doesn't come close to Garbo in charisma -- who does? He handles the role quite well, and the mutual affection of the pair is palpable.

At least one poster has questioned whether the implied homoeroticism of several scenes in this film really exists -- the kiss between the queen and her lady-in-waiting, the "No Chancellor...I shall die a bachelor" line, the reaction of Antonio's servant about him staying in bed all day with "the other gentleman." S/he is wrong -- it's definitely there. But I think Ruben Mamoulian was just having a little fun with Christina's "masculine" eccentricity to add some spice to the story. She was hailed as a "king" at her coronation, and a king she endeavored to be.

Some viewers might find "Queen Christina" dated. It's terribly romantic in the style of the 1930s, and if you can't buy into that you might have problems. Also, there's the characteristic cliche of all the old MGM period films dealing with royalty -- the ceremonial entrance of nobles into the court, accompanied by fanfares and stately music. I counted four of those in this movie -- oh, well, it goes with the genre.

And that final scene? It really is unforgettable!