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:

The only memento of Hollywood kept by Greta Garbo was a pair of Adrian-designed kid gloves from this film. White leather, they were beaded with an ivy leaf pattern than spelled out her initials "G.G." over and over.

Goofs:

Continuity: Prudence raises her left hand to her cigar, but removes it from her mouth with the right hand.

Quotes:

Marguerite:Now what shall I give you to remember me by?
Baron de Varville:You can't give me anything I'd like.
Marguerite:What's that?
Baron de Varville:A tear. You're not sorry enough I'm going.
Marguerite:Oh, but I *am* sorry.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Making of 'My Fair Lady' (1995) (V)

Soundtrack:

I'll Love Like Robert Taylor, Be My Greta Garbo

Sublime Garbo; Exquisite Production

When you think of the lavish 30s films of MGM, Camille is near the top of the list. Great story and flawless production here boasting perhaps the most shimmering of Greta Garbo's ethereal performances as Marguerita Gautier (Camille). Familiar and much filmed story, this is nevertheless the best of them all. Matching Garbor is the hopelessly romantic Robert Taylor in his best 30s role. Also good are Lionel Barrymore, Henry Daniell, and Jessie Ralph as the maid. Great comic relief is provided by Laura Hope Crews (Prudence)and Lenore Ulric (Olympe)--what a pair of vultures! But the center of this gorgeous film is Garbo. She is so frail looking, her voice so soft. Garbo plays Marguerite as a frailty incarnate. She never overacts the part as most do with the endless coughing and fainting. One of George Cukor's triumphs. Rex O'Malley and Elizabeth Allan are dull but have small parts. I also spotted Eily Malyon and Zeffie Tilbury, and Joan Leslie is listed in the credits. I think this is Garbo's best performance, but she lost the Oscar to Luise Rainer for The Good Earth. Also nominated that year: Irene Dunne (The Awful Truth), Barbara Stanwyck (Stella Dallas), and Janet Gaynor (A Star Is Born). Wow----how could you choose just one?