Greta Garbo.Forever Alone. (2)

Early Success

 In 1923, Greta met a famous Swedish director, Mauritz Stiller. Stiller gave her a lead role ( papel protagonista) in his latest film. The film was four hours long, and was called The Saga of Gosta Berling. Stiller became a mentor and teacher to Greta, and they began a romantic relationship too. He taught Greta how to act on screen, and when the film was released (estrenada ) in 1924 it was a success. Stiller persuaded Greta to change her name from Greta Lovisa Gustafsson to Greta Garbo. 

Greta Garbo in Torrent.

Stiller went to the United States to work for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer as a director. He asked the studio to offer Garbo a contract too. Louis B. Meyer, the head of the studio, thought Garbo was fat  and unattractive. However, he wanted to make Stiller happy, so Garbo got a contract too.

Her first US film was Torrent (1926). Garbo played the role of a Spanish peasant who becomes an opera star. Meyer discovered that although Garbo looked unattractive in real life, on the screen she looked very beautiful and had real talent as an actress. She also had a very professional attitude to her work, working very hard. The film was a great success.

But Mauritz Stiller did not have such good luck. He began work directing Garbo’s next film, The Temptress (1926), but he had a lot of arguments ( discusiones)   with the studio and was replaced by another director. Stiller returned to Sweden in 1928, and he died soon afterwards. His death was devastating for Garbo.

The Romantic Lead

In her next film, Garbo met an actor who was one of the great loves of her life, and of her career. John Gilbert was the most popular male film star at the time. Garbo and Gilbert starred in Flesh and the Devil (1926), and the rumours of their off-screen  romance helped to create interest in the film. When it was released, the film broke box-office  records ( rompió récord de taquilla) .

The couple also starred in Love (1927), with Garbo playing the part of Anna Karenina.  Once again, the film was a great success, and Garbo was a superstar. She renegotiated her contract with MGM, and was paid a lot of money for her work. Sadly, her relationship with John Gilbert was not so successful. The couple planned to get married, but Garbo changed her mind at the last minute and left Gilbert standing at the altar.( le dejó plantado en el altar) 

Watch this documentary (Subtitles in Spanish) about Greta Garbo's life narrated  by actress Glenn Close. Excellent listening practice  !