Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Rouben Mamoulian


Today is film director Rouben Mamoulian's birthday. Rouben Mamoulian was the director of Queen Christina.

Queen Christina is a 1933 American pre-code historical drama. The film was written by Viertel LeVino and Margaret "Peg" LeVino, with dialogue by S. N. Behrman, based on a story by Salka Vierted and Margaret P. Levino. It stars Greta Garbo, John Gilbert, Ian Keith and Lewis Stone.

The movie is very loosely based on the life of the 17th century Queen Christina of Sweden, who, in the film, falls in love during her reign but has to deal with the political realities of her society. It was billed as Greta Garbo's return to cinema after an eighteen-month hiatus.

In the film Garbo wears mens clothing and kisses another woman on the lips:



Mamoulian's directions to garbo make clear his perfect understanding of her mystique: "I want your face to be a blank sheet of paper. I want the writing to be done by every member of the audience. I'd like it if you could avoid blinking your eyes, so that you're nothing but a beautiful mask."

The symmetry of Garbo's face in incredible:


No comments: