The Silver Screen Oasis

ChiO wrote:

I find it eminently livable here

But I've read...somewhere...that the people talk so LOUD?

Nah, that's mostly the Twitter generation, and I have enough years behind me to effectively get them to heed when I say "Shut up, kid." Then there are the elderly ladies of offshore birth, who like to say it all loud, preferably from out a window, but that's a different ethic, one on which I was raised, and it doesn't bother me much. It's the mindless, half-informed, self-absorbed drivel at full volume that gets to me.

Everyone has their urban quirks -- I hear that people in Chicago eat soggy balls of dough with salad on it, and call it pizza! Like George's song says: "It's all up to what you value."

Garbomaniac, I thought the last picture you posted was from a cameo that John and Greta did. Great photos by the way, she looks radiant in the first ones, like she's really enjoying all the attention.

For years I only thought she went to one premiere, but apparently, she attended two. It would have been nice if she had attended more. But, I guess everything I have read is true. She got a lot of empowerment from Gilbert. He was so full of life; it must have been contagious. I am surprised she went to both of those. I remember when she was supposed to marry him, she didn't show. And, her fear of the public was just as great as tying herself to one person. Anyway, it is great we have those shots, and you are right. She looks like she is having a ball!

Devastating!
And, now for SOME MORE Garbo! Here are some devastaing stills of The Divine One:

I'm still plodding through the Vieira book on Garbo. I say plodding it's the size not the writing, I can only read big books a little at a time. I can't warm to her talkie self, I doubt many people can,I look forward to reading the Swenson book on her. I do feel sorry for the young girl who arrived with Maurice Stiller, not speaking the language or knowing very many people. I've always felt that John Gilbert was an anomaly in her life, not privacy seeking, brash and wearing his heart on his sleeve. A pity for both of them.

Allison, I have started reading the Mark Vieira book, again. Of course I never tire of reading about her, but I understand the plodding. I usually just read as much as I can and then stick a bookmark in until I can get back. The Swenson book is GREAT, but I prefer the Barry Paris. Anyway, I love all of them. There is another one called Loving Garbo, which documents all who "loved" or delt with her. It includes Gilbert, Beaton, Mercedes, and Marlene. It is very interesting reading.

I have so many caricatures of her, I thought I would start sharing them. They include some "portraits," as well. Here is the first installment:



Ninotchka



Queen Christina



With Stokowski



Camille



Pensive



Painful



With Gilbert



With Bickford in Anna Christie

Oh they are lovely, what a nice collection to have. Thanks for sharing.

I finished the Vieira book, it's great that he dealt so comprehensively with her career, I do like his writing but only get to reading some nights and my mind can sometimes be unwilling. As for I can't make my mind up wether she was an incredibly complex individual or a comparatively simple one, I guess I wasn't the only one. I wolud highly recommend his book for the pictures alone.

I've just bought his next book, about Irving Thalberg, again it's text and photos but it is meant to be the companion piece to the complete biography that he is planning.

Here is the second installment of caricatures:

Great drawings, Garbomaniac!

What do you think of this image, Garbomaniac -- color photography or colorized?



The somewhat-faded quality makes me think it looks like a genuine color photo, but I'm not so sure. . . .

Back in '36, '37, '38 there was always the "possibility" of filming in color. Nothing Sacred in '37, and Robin Hood in '38 were very costly. I have read that Marie Antoinette and Camille were considered, but in the end deemed too expensive, too bad. But, there were color photos taken. That picture is the only color one taken from Camille. It was a suggestion by Clarence Sinclair Bull. Color photography was new, and Garbo had to sit quite still for minutes. The result was beautiful.

Thanks, PT! I had forgotten about that photo.

I enlarged it:

Thank you for the 'expert' opinion, Garbomaniac -- and for the good news!

It's nice to see Garbo in colour.

They are celebrating '39 on TCM. Greta is on in Ninotchka!

In 1927 Ruth Harriet Louise took pictures of Garbo to advertise The Mysterious Lady. They are some of the most beautiful pictures taken of her. She was 22, and on her way to becoming the biggest STAR in the WORLD!