Inspiration

''Inspiration'' is no doubt dated, but that's not the only failure of this film....... The plot also does much to ruin the film...... First of all, there is absolutely NO chemistry between Garbo & Montgomery to speak of...... The plot of how they met, and fell for each other, makes no sense, and is totally unbelievable...... They both looked bored with each other, throughout the film, and not to mention, putting the audiences to sleep...... It seems as though, they weren't even in the same movie together...... ''Inspiration'' only adds to my confusion, about what made Garbo such a superstar.....? Most of Garbo's performances are slow, sluggish & dated (with a minor exception of ''Ninotchka'') Otherwise, every Garbo's performance, is the same performance..... Same acting, same pace...... In my opinion, the most overrated, and undeservingly legendary actress of all time....... Watch this film, is you're really, really serious fans of Garbo & Montgomery...... Even so, you'll be disappointed......

In a plot with some similarities to the much better Camille, Greta Garbo is an artist's model who like the rest of her peers lives on the financial favors of those in the artist's colony. I wouldn't doubt she does those things professionally as well. It costs a lot to be an artist's Inspiration.

However she gets inspired by a young callow youth played by Robert Montgomery and she's willing to shake off all her patrons, chief among them being Lewis Stone for life with a young man entering France's diplomatic service. No matter because Lewis Stone seems rather enthralled with Karen Morley at the moment.

Probably Inspiration would not sit well with today's audiences. It's not one of Garbo's better vehicles.

One thing I did like about Inspiration was its torch song theme. Though it's not sung in Inspiration, the theme has lyrics and it's entitled How Long Will It Last. It was recorded by Bing Crosby the following year and was one of his early successes. It's the best thing about Inspiration.

I'd really recommend that you see this side by side Camille and judge for yourself how much better Camille is. Still Garbo and Montgomery do their best by this dated melodrama.

I've seen practically every Garbo film and I have to say that INSPIRATION is one of my favorite of hers. Certainly in the top five films. It's a beautiful and delicate film with one of Greta's best performances. Though the story is slightly underwritten and the direction could have used a bit more punch and Robert Montgomery is miscast, what weaknesses this film has are easily compensated by the amazing performance by GG, the sharp dialogue and the assured direction of Clarence Brown.

It's not easy to make a film about inspiration and in a way this film has. There are so many inspired moments in it, it would be difficult to list them. Here's a few: the opening sequence at the party; the staircase to Andre's room; what happens to Lewis Stone and his young girlfriend; when Garbo confronts Robert about infidelity; the ending, with the scenes in the snow.

Unlike a lot of other Garbo films or even other films made in those days, the melodrama is kept low. No screeching violins and such or major scenery chewing moments. I love the way Clarence Brown kept everything low key. Probably too low key for most people but I for one loved it. The pace is a tad slow but that's a minor complaint.

It's one of those Garbo films I like to watch and re-watch on a regular basis. Had the male lead been someone else than Robert, this little film would have been perfect.

Many (perhaps too many) of Garbo's films are rated primarily on the basis of her performance, with everything else secondary. This is most unfortunate, since MGM - very much to their credit - did not arrange her pictures primarily as star vehicles: the leading men and supporting players are usually strong performers. Considering the fairly large number of pictures in which she starred, her performances do not encompass a wide variety of characterizations: she is typically a woman who has loved well but not wisely (and probably too often), a worldly and world-weary femme fatale preoccupied with the futility of searching for real happiness, yet finding no viable alternative in the life she knows.

This is once again her character in "Inspiration," a relatively obscure Garbo film which compares very favorably with the later and much better-known "Camille." The stories have much in common, as do her performances. While "Camille" obviously had a considerably larger budget, resulting in more impressive production values, the dramatic values in "Inspiration" are at least equal to those of the other.

Of particular note: Garbo, dismissed by her lover, huddles in a storefront, waiting for him to pass on a dark, rainy day - finally emerging when she spots him, only to be rejected once again - without a word - with nothing more than a curt shake of the head as he walks on.

And Lewis Stone, having ended the liason with his young, despairing mistress in an upper apartment, descends the staircase, pauses ever so briefly at the building entrance to note her lifeless body now crumpled on the sidewalk, and continues on his way.

Cocktail circuit coquette trades in her lavish lifestyle for the sake of a more genuine attachment, the pursuit of which only seems to involve compromise, disappointment and despair. It's a philosophical little film suffused with romantic melancholy.

There are more famous films where Garbo says she wants to be alone, and where she laughs, but she does both here too. There's little in the way of action but it has a pleasing lilt as it shifts from high glamour to an almost expressionist gloom.

Two fine contrasting scenes - a sunny breakfast in the park and a snowy night - capture the mood of the transition between hope and resignation - and we get to see Garbo go from some of Adrian's most impressive creations to a dishevelled dressing gown.

Was saving this for a sleepless night and it went down a treat in the small hours when it was just me and the night and Garbo.