Queen Christina (1933)

Queen Christina of Sweden is a popular monarch who is loyal to her country. However, when she falls in love with a Spanish envoy, she must choose between the throne and the man she loves.

Director:

Rouben Mamoulian

Writers:

H.M. Harwood (screen play), Salka Viertel (screen play)

Stars:

Greta Garbo, John Gilbert, Ian Keith

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Greta Garbo	...	Christina
John Gilbert	...	Antonio
Ian Keith	...	Magnus
Lewis Stone	...	Oxenstierna
Elizabeth Young	...	Ebba
C. Aubrey Smith	...	Aage
Reginald Owen	...	Charles
Georges Renavent	...	French Ambassador
David Torrence	...	Archbishop
Gustav von Seyffertitz	...	General (as Gustav Von Seyffertitz)
Ferdinand Munier	...	Innkeeper

Storyline

Queen Christina of Sweden is a dominant European ruler in the 17th century, and has never thought of romance. However, she accidentally and secretly falls in love with an emissary from Spain, even though a marriage between the two seems out of the question.

---

Plot Keywords:

17th century | queen of sweden | f rated | character name as title | queen christina of sweden character | 

---

Taglines:

The Romance of a Queen who remembered she was a woman! (Print Ad- Leader-Post, ((Regina, Sask.)) 13 March 1934)

---

Genres:

Biography | Drama | History | Romance

---

Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

9 February 1934 (USA)

Also Known As:

Königin Christine

Filming Locations:

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

Box Office

Budget:

$1,114,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min 99 min (Turner library print)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Included among the "1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die", edited by Steven Schneider.

---

Goofs

There is snow on the ground when Christina leaves the palace for the last time, yet there is no snow in the hills where Antonio and Magnus meet to duel nor is there snow at the docks where Christina boards her ship.

---

Quotes

Christina: [on the street protests about her private life] Evidently my people, who are said to love me, do not wish me to be happy.

---

Connections

Edited into Spisok korabley (2008)

User Reviews

Face Painting

Elements. The elements of this: a strong face, a forward manner, a love story. Political intrigue, simple compared to the rest.

A male lover who isn't up to the job at all, a bad actor playing a bad actor.

Some costumes and grand sets. Before the code so we get some honesty in bodies.

What makes this interesting is how the thing was visually assembled.

The year before, Garbo had played a ballet dancer. Here she was but the ballet was one of assembly. This director was crazy about the superposition of layers. Three examples.

Our heroine is pacing back and forth in her chamber. She goes to the left where the frame is stopped by a piece of furniture in the foreground, so goes right and turns again and stops, this time perfectly in front of a candlestick that indicates her mood.

She has just made love, probably for the first time. Its been days, and she moves around the room to "remember" it, but we can see parts of the room merging with her. She stops in front of a painting and the curves of the painting match her face and are aligned with her face perfectly as if her face painted them, or the other way around.

She has just abdicated and removed her crown. Yet the crown on the seatback behind her remains "on" her head.

These and scores of others. Marvelous, how the face paints the film.

Ted's Evaluation -- 3 of 3: Worth watching.