While this certainly isn't a great film by any standard, it is a pretty good film and is much more watchable into the 21st century than many of Garbo's films (many just seem very old fashioned and contrived today--sorry Garbo fans). Plus, it's also worth seeing just so you can see Greta smile--something you only saw happen in a very few films (such as TWO-FACED WOMAN and NINOTCHKA--two of her last films).
Greta plays a bored young lady living in the middle of nowhere. She yearns to see the world and quickly marries newcomer, Herbert Marshall. The intensity of the love isn't really there--she's just anxious to leave and Marshall has a strong infatuation. They return to Marshall's home in Hong Kong where he is a doctor working for the government health services. However, his work keeps him away from home so much that it's no surprise that she falls for a cad, played by George Brent. Brent isn't serious about their divorcing and getting married, but he lies to Greta to string her along. Soon, Marshall finds out and unleashes his anger on her--not accepting that the affair was in a way his fault because he neglected her so. Greta is ashamed and tries to make the best of the marriage--even when the plague takes her and Marshall hundreds of miles into China. Slowly, the wall between them begins to vanish and Garbo begins to appreciate what a great man she has married. And, by the end of the film, the love that never really developed between them is in full bloom. Despite this ending being handled in a bit of a heavy-handed fashion, the ending was very satisfying and I'm glad I saw this film due to its generally excellent writing and acting. In particular, I liked how Garbo did NOT play the silly vamp she often played in earlier films, but was a more three-dimensional and believable woman--a welcome departure from many of her earlier and very, very similar roles.
Greta plays a bored young lady living in the middle of nowhere. She yearns to see the world and quickly marries newcomer, Herbert Marshall. The intensity of the love isn't really there--she's just anxious to leave and Marshall has a strong infatuation. They return to Marshall's home in Hong Kong where he is a doctor working for the government health services. However, his work keeps him away from home so much that it's no surprise that she falls for a cad, played by George Brent. Brent isn't serious about their divorcing and getting married, but he lies to Greta to string her along. Soon, Marshall finds out and unleashes his anger on her--not accepting that the affair was in a way his fault because he neglected her so. Greta is ashamed and tries to make the best of the marriage--even when the plague takes her and Marshall hundreds of miles into China. Slowly, the wall between them begins to vanish and Garbo begins to appreciate what a great man she has married. And, by the end of the film, the love that never really developed between them is in full bloom. Despite this ending being handled in a bit of a heavy-handed fashion, the ending was very satisfying and I'm glad I saw this film due to its generally excellent writing and acting. In particular, I liked how Garbo did NOT play the silly vamp she often played in earlier films, but was a more three-dimensional and believable woman--a welcome departure from many of her earlier and very, very similar roles.