In silents and talkies, Garbo spoke volumes

Garbo:

The Signature Collection

(Warner Home Video, $100 for the collection; $40 for just the silent films; $20 each for the single sound films)

IN honor of Greta Garbo’s 100th birthday this year, Warner Home Video is serving up a big present for the luminous Swedish actress’ legion of fans: three of her best-known silent films and six of her classic sound films, complete with a new documentary by film historian Kevin Brownlow, which premiered earlier this month on Turner Classic Movies. “Grand Hotel” is the only film in the collection that had been previously released.

The Temptress

After she had appeared in G.W. Pabst’s German silent “The Joyless Street” and Swedish director Mauritz Stiller’s “The Story of Gosta Berling,” MGM signed both Garbo and Stiller to Hollywood contracts.

“The Temptress,” from 1926, was Garbo’s second film for MGM. She plays a vamp -- catnip to every man she meets -- who manages to destroy all of her suitors’ lives. Antonio Moreno and Lionel Barrymore also star.

Stiller was the original director attached to “Temptress” but was taken off the project after a month because studio head Louis B. Mayer wasn’t happy with the footage.

Fred Niblo, who had just helmed the hit “Ben-Hur,” was brought in; Stiller’s footage was entirely scrapped.

Extras: Fact-filled commentary from Garbo biographer Mark A. Vieira and a happier alternate ending.

Flesh and the Devil

Garbo fought MGM when she was cast as yet another vamp in this 1927 potboiler. Not only was she tired of these roles, but her sister had just died and she was exhausted from the “Temptress” filming.

But MGM won out, and Garbo reported to work. The film’s above-the-title star, MGM heartthrob John Gilbert, hadn’t been interested in the project either, but was intrigued with the idea of working with studio newcomer Garbo. It was love at first sight between the two, and their off-screen passion fueled their on-screen love scenes. Nearly eight decades after “Flesh,” their scenes together have erotic power.

Extras: Fascinating commentary with Garbo biographer Barry Paris.

The Mysterious Lady

This was originally meant to be a vehicle for Garbo and Gilbert, but Gilbert turned down the juicy 1928 spy melodrama when the writers beefed up Garbo’s role as an alluring Russian spy during World War I. Dependable leading man Conrad Nagel was brought in to play her latest victim.

Extras: Commentary by film historians Tony Maietta and Jeffrey Vance, who gush at the sight of Garbo; the surviving nine minutes of the Garbo silent “The Divine Lady.”

Anna Christie

Several popular silent movie stars did not make the transition to sound films. So everyone waited with bated breath to see if Garbo’s accent would be a problem in this rather clunky 1930 adaptation of Eugene O’Neill’s Broadway hit. But when she uttered her first memorable line in her deep, husky voice -- “Gif me a visky, ginger ale on the side, and don’ be stingy, baby” -- MGM knew that Garbo’s career would thrive in the talkie era. Clarence Brown, a favorite of Garbo’s, directed. Garbo received her first Oscar nomination for her performance.

Extras: The much darker version of “Anna Christie” that Garbo shot on the same sets, in German, after completing the English-language version. Jacques Feyder directed.

Mata Hari

This guilty pleasure from 1931 finds Garbo playing the famed German spy working in Paris during World War I. Worth watching for Garbo’s elaborate costumes. Ramon Novarro also stars.

Queen Christina

By the time Garbo was cast in this sumptuous, romantic historical 1933 epic, her stock had risen in Hollywood and Gilbert’s had hit rock bottom. After she jilted him at the altar in the late ‘20s, he began to drink. And then when sound came in, his voice didn’t quite match his heroic on-screen image.

Originally, a young Laurence Olivier was to play her lover. But after Garbo realized there was no chemistry between them during rehearsals, Olivier was released and she asked for Gilbert. Though he acquits himself quite nicely in his scenes with Garbo, he made only one more film and died three years later of a heart attack at age 36.

Anna Karenina

The actress gives an exquisite performance in this handsomely produced 1935 adaptation of Leo Tolstoy’s tragic romance. Fredric March plays the object of her illicit affection; Basil Rathbone is perfection as her cold, jealous husband. Brown directed. Garbo previously made “Anna Karenina” in 1927 as “Love,” with Gilbert.

Camille

Garbo’s favorite role. She received a best-actress nomination for her breathtaking turn as Alexandre Dumas’ tragic heroine with the fatal cough in this 1936 George Cukor-directed melodrama. The box office hit also made a big star out of Robert Taylor, who plays her young lover, Armand.

Extras: The 1921 silent version starring Alla Nazimova and Rudolph Valentino.

Ninotchka

Garbo received her last Oscar nomination for her first comedic role in Ernst Lubitsch’s wry, funny 1939 comedy -- Billy Wilder was one of the scribes -- about a stern Russian official sent to Paris who falls in love with a man (Melvyn Douglas) who is the anthesis of everything she believes in.

Costar Ina Claire ironically was briefly married to John Gilbert after he and Garbo ended their relationship.

Garbo would make one film after this, the disastrous 1941 comedy “Two-Faced Woman.” She retired at age 36.