Director Rouben Mamoulian’s leading ladies in the 1930s were (in order of appearance) Helen Morgan, Sylvia Sidney, Miriam Hopkins, Jeanette MacDonald, Marlene Dietrich, Greta Garbo, Anna Sten (Sam Goldwyn 's try for a Garbo/Dietrich of his very own), Miriam Hopkins (again), Ida Lupino, Irene Dunne & finally Barbara Stanwyck. Has another director ever had such a line-up of consecutive female stars? This is Garbo’s first talkie to have pace, humor & compositional sophistication. It also boasts a fitting story for its star: a 'manish' Swedish Queen becomes a flesh & blood human being by finding and then losing love. The production can’t sidestep the usual M-G-M glossy demerits, but everyone’s at their best, especially stalwart supporting regulars C. Aubrey Smith & Lewis Stone. Why even Herbert Stothart’s score helps things along. The line readings from the fast-fading John Gilbert are a bit too dynamic at times, but he's deeply touching in his death scene, as if he knew his time in the sun was up. It’s a memorable film. Try to see this on the biggest video display you can get your hands on for the famous final shot to make its full effect. On the big screen, it's overwhelming.
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