Lady of the Boulevards (1934)
"Nana" (original title)

Directors:

Dorothy Arzner, George Fitzmaurice

Writers:

Harry Wagstaff Gribble, Willard Mack,

Stars:

Anna Sten, Lionel Atwill, Richard Bennett

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Anna Sten	...	Nana
Lionel Atwill	...	Colonel André Muffat
Richard Bennett	...	Gaston Greiner
Mae Clarke	...	Satin
Phillips Holmes	...	Lieutenant George Muffat
Muriel Kirkland	...	Mimi
Reginald Owen	...	Bordenave
Helen Freeman	...	Sabine Muffat
Lawrence Grant	...	Grand Duke Alexis
Jessie Ralph	...	Zoe
Ferdinand Gottschalk	...	Finot

Storyline

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Plot Keywords:

foreign language adaptation | title directed by female | one word title | based on novel | character name in title

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1934 (Turkey)

Also Known As:

Naná

Filming Locations:

Samuel Goldwyn Studios - 7200 Santa Monica Boulevard, West Hollywood, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Samuel Goldwyn Company, The

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Producer Samuel Goldwyn hoped that this film would launch actress Anna Sten as "the next Greta Garbo." In spite of the doubling of the film's budget, however, it was a flop.

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Connections

Version of Take Me, Love Me (1970)

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Soundtracks

"That's Love"
Music by Richard Rodgers
Lyrics by Lorenz Hart
Sung by Anna Sten

User Reviews

Anna

In 1860s Paris, beautiful escort Anna Sten (as Nana) falls in love with handsome lieutenant Phillips Holmes (as George Muffat). When Mr. Holmes' colonel brother Lionel Atwill (as Andre) finds out Ms. Sten is the mistress of elderly Richard Bennett (as Gaston Greiner), he forbids little brother marry the beautiful Sten, then falls for her himself. This watered-down adaptation of Emile Zola's naughty novel "Nana" was producer Samuel Goldwyn's attempt to create a new Greta Garbo - with a Marlene Dietrich song imitation thrown in for good measure. Alas, lightning did not strike up much action in theater cashiers...

Her MGM contract up, the elusive Garbo had "retired" to Sweden for several months during 1932-1933, creating the gap filled by various attempts to find a "New Garbo". Sten, who had already proved herself an accomplished and versatile actress, comes across as unable to handle the lead role. A good supporting cast, fine photography from Gregg Toland, and capable direction by Dorothy Arzner failed to create anything approaching Garbo or Dietrich. Ironically, Garbo's own "Camille" (1936) would later cover much of the territory attempted in "Nana", with Jessie Ralph (as Zoe) uttering almost identical lines.

***** Nana (2/1/34) Dorothy Arzner ~ Anna Sten, Phillips Holmes, Lionel Atwill, Richard Bennett