Camille (1936)

Director:

George Cukor

Writers:

Zoe Akins (screen play) &
Frances Marion (screen play) ...
(more)

Release Date:

1 January 1937 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

You who are so young--where can you have learned all you know about women like me?

Plot:

A Parisian courtesan must choose between the young man who loves her and the callous baron who wants her, even as her own health begins to fail.

Plot Keywords:

Love | Courtesan | Terminal Illness | Theatre | Jealousy

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 2 wins

Cast

Greta Garbo	...	Marguerite
Robert Taylor	...	Armand
Lionel Barrymore	...	Monsieur Duval
Elizabeth Allan	...	Nichette
Jessie Ralph	...	Nanine
Henry Daniell	...	Baron de Varville
Lenore Ulric	...	Olympe
Laura Hope Crews	...	Prudence
Rex O'Malley	...	Gaston
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Mariska Aldrich	...	Friend of Camille (uncredited)
Marion Ballou	...	Corinne (uncredited)
Phyllis Barry	...	(uncredited)
May Beatty	...	Second Doorman (uncredited)
Daisy Belmore	...	Saleswoman (uncredited)
Wilson Benge	...	Attendant (uncredited)
John Bryan	...	Alfred de Musset (uncredited)
Georgia Caine	...	Streetwalker (uncredited)
Lita Chevret	...	Woman in Theater Box (uncredited)
E.E. Clive	...	Saint Gaudens (uncredited)
Mabel Colcord	...	Madame Barjon - the Florist (uncredited)
Chappell Dossett	...	Priest (uncredited)
Elspeth Dudgeon	...	Fireplace Attendant (uncredited)
Effie Ellsler	...	Grandma Duval (uncredited)
Elsie Esmond	...	Madame Duval (uncredited)
Rex Evans	...	Charles - Pianist at Party (uncredited)
Dorothy Granger	...	Woman in Theater Box (uncredited)
Russell Hardie	...	Gustave - the Bridegoom (uncredited)
Sam Harris	...	Armand's Friend (uncredited)
Sibyl Harris	...	George Sand (uncredited)
Maude Hume	...	Aunt Henriette (uncredited)
Olaf Hytten	...	Baccarat Croupier (uncredited)
Eugene King	...	Gypsy Leader (uncredited)
Fritz Leiber Jr.	...	Valentin (uncredited)
Joan Leslie	...	Marie Jeanette (uncredited)
Gwendolyn Logan	...	Governess (uncredited)
Eily Malyon	...	Therese - Maid in Country House (uncredited)
Adrienne Matzenauer	...	Soprano (uncredited)
Edwin Maxwell	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Ferdinand Munier	...	Priest at Wedding (uncredited)
Barry Norton	...	Emile (uncredited)
Lionel Pape	...	General (uncredited)
John Picorri	...	Orchestra Leader (uncredited)
Guy Bates Post	...	Auctioneer (uncredited)
Frank Reicher	...	Creditor Agent (uncredited)
Yorke Sherwood	...	Butcher (uncredited)
Zeffie Tilbury	...	Old Duchess Bidding 3750 Francs (uncredited)
Douglas Walton	...	Henri (uncredited)
June Wilkins	...	Louise - Armand's Sister (uncredited)
Howard Wilson	...	Armand's Friend (uncredited)
Harris Wood	...	(uncredited)
William Worthington	...	Extra in Casino (uncredited)

Directed by
George Cukor

Writing credits
Zoe Akins		(screen play) &
Frances Marion		(screen play) and
James Hilton		(screen play)
Alexandre Dumas fils		(from the play and novel by)

Produced by
David Lewis	....	associate producer
Bernard H. Hyman	....	producer (uncredited)
Irving Thalberg	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Herbert Stothart

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

Film Editing by
Margaret Booth		(film editor)

Art Direction by
Cedric Gibbons

Set Decoration by
Henry Grace		(uncredited)
Jack D. Moore		(uncredited)

Costume Design by
Adrian		(gowns)

Makeup Department
Harry Thomas	....	assistant makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Ulric Busch	....	unit manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
E. Mason Hopper	....	director: mob scene (uncredited)
Edward Woehler	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Fredric Hope	....	associate art director
Edwin B. Willis	....	associate art director
Harry Edwards	....	props (uncredited)
George E. Lee	....	property manager (uncredited)

Sound Department
Douglas Shearer	....	recording director

Camera and Electrical Department
William Grimes	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Music Department
Milton Benjamin	....	composer: theme music
Milton Benjamin	....	lyrics
Wayne Allen	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Paul Marquardt	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Charles Maxwell	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Leonid Raab	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Edward Ward	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)

Other crew
Val Raset	....	dances stager
Nathalie Bucknall	....	researcher (uncredited)
Eugene Joseff	....	jeweller (uncredited)
Joan Joseff	....	jeweller (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (presents) (controlled by Loew's Incorporated)

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1936) (USA) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1937) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1937) (France) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1937) (UK) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1937) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Filmipaja (1965) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Hafbo (1937) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1937) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1937) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1937) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (1955) (Austria) (theatrical)
• Avo Film Edizioni (????) (Italy) (VHS)
• Azzura Home VIDEO (????) (Italy) (VHS)
• MGM Home Entertainment (????) (Italy) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Mondadori Video (????) (Italy) (VHS)
• Panarecord (????) (Italy) (VHS)
• Reserva Especial (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• TV3 (1989) (Finland) (TV)
• Versátil Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Warner Bros. Entertainment Finland Oy (2006) (Finland) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (2005) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (1970) (1975) (1987) (2007) (Finland) (TV)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

109 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 (1937) | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (PCA #2825) | West Germany:12 | Netherlands:18 (original rating) (1937) | Australia:G (DVD rating) | Finland:K-12 (1965) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | USA:TV-PG (TV rating)

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

Greta Garbo wore bedroom slippers under all her fancy dresses so she could be comfortable, as well as more naturalistic in her acting.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the final scene, in closeup, as Armand helps the dying Marguerite from her bed, she has a woolen bed jacket around her shoulders. When the scene cuts to the long shot as she stands up, it has vanished and she is just wearing her nightgown.

Quotes:

Marguerite:It's hard to believe that there's such happiness in this world.
Armand:Marguerite. Now you've put tears on my hand. Why?
Marguerite:You will never love me thirty years. No one will.
Armand:I'll love you all my life. I know that now. All my life.
[They kiss]

Movie Connections:

Featured in "MGM Parade: Episode #1.30" (1956)

Soundtrack:

Aufforderung zum Tanz (Invitation to the Dance)

Camellias

Alexander Dumas fils, the author of "La dame aux camelias", created a powerful novel that has been made into an opera, "La Traviata", as well as a play and this film just titled "Camille". The story of Marguerite Gautier, the famous Parisian courtesan has moved audiences since it first came out in France.

George Cukor seems to have been the obvious choice for directing this adaptation of the book. Mr. Cukor had a great eye for detail, as well as for guiding his female stars into performances that defined a lot of careers in the movies. He was not strange to working with the divine Ms. Garbo, and their collaboration in this film seems to have been a match made in heaven.

The film clearly belongs to Greta Garbo who, as Marguerite Gautier, runs away with the film. This seems to be a role tailor-made for the star. It's without a doubt one of her best screen portrayals. Ms. Garbo clearly understood this woman, who is tormented into resigning the man she loved when his father comes to her to ask the famous courtesan to have pity on his family and to let the young man go free.

The selection of Robert Taylor to play Armand Duval was a coup for the studio and for the production. Mr. Taylor, who went to be one of the favorite stars at MGM exuded charm and seems to have had no problems playing opposite Greta Garbo. In fact, Robert Taylor contribution to the film is enormous.

This film has always been a perennial favorite among fans of Greta Garbo. We remember seeing it at MOMA with a rapt crowd that applauded so loud at the end of the screening for what seemed to be forever.

The supporting cast is excellent as anything that was assembled by MGM. Lionel Barrymore is seen as Monsieur Duval, Armand's father who pleads with Marguerite to let his son go. Henry Daniell plays the Baron de Varville with great style.

William Daniels was the cinematographer. He clearly understood how to photograph Ms. Garbo and he is at his best in this film. The great art direction by Cedric Gibbons shows what this man was capable of doing. The screen play shows such names as James Hilton, Zoe Akins and Frances Marion among the writers.

"Camille" is a film that will live forever thanks to the luminous Greta Garbo and the inspired direction of George Cukor.