Queen Christina (1933)

Queen Christina (1933)

Directed by Rouben Mamoulian this historical drama features Greta Garbo in the title role. It’s the story about the child queen of Sweden who grows into a woman that refuses to marry her country’s conquering Prince (Reginald Owen). The Lord Chancellor (Lewis Stone) who’s council has "run" things for her (during a 30 year war half of which occurs while she is maturing) advises her to wed so she can have an heir. She is also pursued by a former lover now the Lord Treasurer (Ian Keith) with whom she is no longer interested. Instead she seems instead intrigued by the Countess (Elizabeth Young) whom she’ll later permit to marry Count Jacob (Edward Norris uncredited).

In the film’s most memorable sequences the Queen temporarily escapes from her responsibilities disguised as a man by going hunting with her servant Aage (C. Aubrey Smith). On the trip she meets a Spanish envoy (John Gilbert) whose servant is played by Akim Tamiroff uncredited. Though he’d been sent to meet with her and her likeness appears on the coinage he doesn’t recognize that he’s met the Queen. After a humorous exchange at an Inn full of men who’ve been drinking and wagering (Edward Gargan & Paul Hurst appear uncredited in this scene) on how many lovers their Queen has had Christina and the envoy decide to share a room. When he discovers that she’s a woman (and the Queen!) they have a passionate night together after which she wants to memorize the room to never forget the affair. When she returns and after the Spanish envoy formally visits her she finds a jealous Lord Treasurer that will later force her to choose between love and her crown.

The film ends famously with the oft shown scene of a pensive Garbo starring off camera with the wind in her hair. To tell you where she is and the circumstances by which she got there would be to reveal too much e.g. her decision.

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