Conquest (1937)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Clarence Brown

Writers:

Waclaw Gasiorowski (novel) and
S.N. Behrman (writer)

Release Date:

22 October 1937 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | History | Romance

Plot:

A polish countess becomes Napoleon Bonaparte's mistress at the urging of Polish leaders, who feel she might influence him to make Poland independent.

Plot Keywords:

Marie Walewska | Napoleon Bonaparte | Mistress | Russia | Prussia

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars.

Cast

Greta Garbo	...	Countess Marie Walewska
Charles Boyer	...	Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte
Reginald Owen	...	Tallyrand
Alan Marshal	...	Capt. d'Ornano
Henry Stephenson	...	Count Anastas Walewski
Leif Erickson	...	Paul Lachinski (as Leif Erikson)
Dame May Whitty	...	Laetitia Bonaparte
Maria Ouspenskaya	...	Countess Pelagia Walewska
C. Henry Gordon	...	Prince Poniatowski
Claude Gillingwater	...	Stephan (Marie's servant)
Vladimir Sokoloff	...	Dying soldier
George Houston	...	Grand Marshal George Duroc

Also Known As:

Marie Walewska (UK)

Runtime:

113 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Germany:12 (DVD rating) | Finland:K-16

Filming Locations:

Calabasas, California, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

This film lost more money for MGM than any other of its films during the period from 1920 to 1949.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Another Romance of Celluloid (1938)

Soundtrack:

Symphony No. 6 in B Minor, Opus 74, 'Pathétique' (1893)

Positively surprising!

Goodness, I can't believe, I'm saying this, but Garbo is good in ''Conquest''...... Here I was, complaining the other day, about Garbo's ''Inspiration'', and saying the only good performance she ever gave was in ''Ninotchka''...... I take that back now, so far, her good performances are given in both ''Ninotchka'' & ''Conquest''...... Garbo & Boyer displays well blend chemistry together...... (a surprise, since this is their only movie together) However, it's Boyer who carries off, and holds the movie together, w/ his charm & wit...... (during some flat spots) You could see, that Garbo is responsive to Boyer's performance/character, unlike her usual ''I want to be alone'' self...... What's more stunning, is Garbo smiles in this movie..... (more than once too!) That's enough good shock for me...... We do see a rare, lighthearted Garbo here, just like in ''Ninotchka''...... I would even say, that Boyer is Garbo's best co-star so far..... Charles Boyer & Melvyn Douglas......