Mata Hari (1931)

A semi-fictionalized account of the life of Mata Hari, an exotic dancer who was accused of spying for Germany during World War I.

Director:

George Fitzmaurice (uncredited)

Writers:

Benjamin Glazer (by), Leo Birinsky (by) (as Leo Birinski)

Stars:

Greta Garbo, Ramon Novarro, Lionel Barrymore

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Greta Garbo	...	Mata Hari
Ramon Novarro	...	Lt. Alexis Rosanoff
Lionel Barrymore	...	General Serge Shubin
Lewis Stone	...	Andriani
C. Henry Gordon	...	Dubois
Karen Morley	...	Carlotta
Alec B. Francis	...	Caron
Blanche Friderici	...	Sister Angelica (as Blanche Frederici)
Edmund Breese	...	Warden
Helen Jerome Eddy	...	Sister Genevieve
Frank Reicher	...	The Cook-Spy

Storyline

During World War I, Mata Hari is a German spy, working in Paris. She has already seduced the Russian general Shubin, and has now set her eyes on lieutenant Rosanov, a young up-and-coming officer. In order to get her hand on secret documents in his possession, she spends a night with him. But the secret police is on to her, only waiting to get enough evidence to arrest her.

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Plot Keywords:

female spy | 1910s | french third republic | german spy | female protagonist | 

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Taglines:

Desired for Her Beauty; Dreaded for Her Treachery! (Print Ad- Philadelphia Inquirer, ((Philadelphia , Penna.)) 3 January 1932)

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Passed

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 December 1931 (USA)

Also Known As:

Мата Хари

Filming Locations:

Agoura Ranch, Agoura, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$558,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.20 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Mata Hari was censored when it was reissued in 1936 to conform to the Hays Code. The available version is 89 minutes whereas the pre-code version was 92 minutes.

Among the censored parts of the film - the erotic dance to Shiva was shortened; a once famous scene of Mata Hari and Rosanoff in bed, lit only by the glowing ends of their cigarettes. The part contained a line of dialogue where her lover comments on her "ridiculously long eyelashes." This comment is brought up later in the film but the context had previously been removed.

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Goofs

Towards the climax of the film, when Mata Hari confronts General Shubin, she is wearing a ring on her left ring finger. She hurries out of the room, and moments later she encounters Rosanoff. He takes her by the hand and the ring is no longer there.

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Quotes

Lt. Alexis Rosanoff: Courage. Courage, my dear. Be brave.
Mata Hari: Goodbye.

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Connections

Referenced in Casino Royale (1967)

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Soundtracks

Oriental Shadows
(uncredited)
Music by Montague Ewing

User Reviews

Enjoyable Melodramatic Love Story

In 1917, in Paris, the famous dancer Mata Hari (Greta Garbo) has a double life as a German spy, obtaining secrets from French and Russian officers in bed. The chief of the French Secret Service Dubois (C. Henry Gordon) is unsuccessfully in her tail trying to find proofs to incriminate Mata Hari. The Russian general Serge Shubin (Lionel Barrymore) has a crush on Mata Hari, but when she meets the young Russian pilot lieutenant Alexis Rosanoff (Ramon Novarro), she sleeps with him to photograph secret documents in his possession. But they fall in love for each other, and the jealousy of her lover Shubin provides the evidences to Dubois to arrest her.

This fictional and naive romance based on the life and death "Mata Hari" is an enjoyable melodramatic love story. Of course it is not a historic event, but this pleasant romantic fantasy is supported by an extremely beautiful Great Garbo performing a charismatic role in a great production. In spite of not being a masterpiece, I totally disagree with the unfair reviews in IMDb. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Mata Hari"