Warner Archive has recently begun releasing film collections highlighting some of the best actors from past generations, and now Greta Garbo receives the honor. The Swedish actress’s 4-film collection Blu-ray brings four of her celebrated performances together, ranging from 1930s Anna Christie to 1939’s Ninotchka. Each classic film has been lovingly restored to look as good as possible, and this collection is a great entry point for fans to check out the silver screen legend.
“The beauty. The passion. The mystique. The legend. Four of Greta Garbo’s most beloved classics are gathered in this treasured collection: Anna Christie (1930), her first sound film, adapted from the great Eugene O’Neill play in two versions, both English and German; Camille, Garbo stars with Robert Taylor in George Cukor’s timeless love story; Ninotchka, Garbo’s landmark romantic comedy directed by Ernst Lubitsch; and Queen Christina, which reunited Garbo with John Gilbert, directed by Rouben Mamoulian,” says the official description.
The earliest film in the Greta Garbo 4-Film Collection Blu-ray is 1930’s Anna Christie, which was the first talkie the actress starred in. It was entertainingly marketed with the slogan “Garbo talks!” and the romantic drama serves as a great entry point, as Garbo received a Best Actress nomination for her titular role. Meanwhile, the historical drama Queen Christina is Garbo’s fourth and final collaboration with John Gilbert. Garbo’s best performance comes in 1936’s Camille, which saw her earn her third Best Actress nomination, and it’s a wonderfully shot romantic tragedy by George Cukor. Finally, her penultimate performance in the comedy movie Ninotchka rounds out the collection.
All four of these films are the same as the previous Warner Archive releases. That means the films have received 4K scans and restoration, although not all of these have great source materials available. Anna Christie is the roughest of the bunch, as its audio can be hard to parse at times. Thankfully, the rest of the bunch are mostly great, with Queen Christina being the standout. That film looks particularly gorgeous, and this transfer really does the production design justice.
Despite the name of the collection, there are actually five films starring Garbo here, as you get both the English and German versions of Anna Christie. This is the most notable bonus feature included, as it features several cast differences and even a totally different director. It’s an interesting watch to spot the differences, although not as much restoration has taken place compared to the main films. Other bonuses across the four discs include MGM Parade episodes on Garbo, the 1921 silent film version of Camille, some bonus cartoons, and a 54-minute radio version of Anna Christie performed by Joan Crawford. There are plenty of special features to dig into, even if the quality isn’t as great.
Greta Garbo 4-Film Collection Blu-ray Review: Final Verdict
If you don’t already own these movies individually, then the Greta Garbo 4-Film Collection Blu-ray is an easy recommendation to film buffs looking to broaden their knowledge of the Swedish-American actress. While she was famously reclusive, there’s no doubt that Garbo shone on-screen. She remains one of our most interesting actresses, and this is a great introduction to her work.
Disclosure: ComingSoon received product from the distributor for our Greta Garbo 4-Film Collection Blu-ray review.