Films of 2011

 As we now draw to a close on 2011, I take a look back at my top films of the year. Now I have to admit, there were a few films I missed out on this year, most notable of which are A Seperation, The Tree of Life, Moneyball, The Artist, Shame and Drive. Some due to not getting a UK release this year, or not getting a wide enough release in their runs.

9. Jane Eyre  

 This film was probably one that divided a lot of opinion. I believe there are many, who are still enamoured with Toby Stevens interpretation of Mr. Rochester, but I think Fassbender's performance is tailored more to a male audience. Fassbender, I felt, encapsulated Rochester's cold exterior, whilst giving us brief glimpses of his other side well. A lot of people's problem with this version, might be that there is little emotional attachment for the audience to grasp, but in my opinion this acts as a positive for the film. I think that this form of stoicism was used in a way to try and best capture, how the romance would have probably evolved during this period setting. The probelm for me with the film was more the screenplay, despite the length of the film, I felt that some of the slowness (and even the stoicism) didn't provide enough variance and episodes from the book. This seemed to be reflelcted in Mia Wasikowska performance who, whilst good, seemed to be too restrained, making Jane not seem to have much character development. I also didn't feel there was enough elaboration on the character Adele and her relationships with Rochester, Jane and even Mrs. Fairfax (Judi Dench). Still I thought it was a good adaptation, with a good score and had a nice understated ending to it, in fitting with the film as a whole.

8. 50/50
 A film starring Seth Rogen, wouldn't be my first choice when going to the pictures, but I was willing to give him another go in this comedy drama about dealing with his friend's (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) diagnosis of cancer. The film starts of very light-heartedly as we experience the everyday life of Levitt's character, who is a risk averse young man, who keeps fit, has a good job and beautiful girlfriend (Bryce Dallas Howard). His world suddenly comes crashing down when he is diagnosed with a rare debilitating cancer and is given a 50/50 chance of surviving. It really serves as a good film for the younger generation in showing the impact such an illness can have on one's life, as it mixes the serious moments with light hearted moments of comic relief. Levitt gives a very believable performance, as a young man who wants to keep his independance, and doesn't want to become another burden on his mum (Angelica Huston), who already has a job of looking after his senile father. It is genuinely touching as he keeps her at a distance, while trying to keep his independance. Ironically his independance is challenged before being diagnosed with his inability to drive (he always thought driving was dangerous). It is through this menial task that he learns who remain loyal to him, as his girlfriend soon becomes unreliable and is eventually found by his friend to be cheating on him.
 Whilst Rogen's character does use Levitt's illness to his advantage with women, we eventually learn that Rogen is doing this to help keep his friend's spirits up. During his treatments he also befriends two other terminally ill patients, and you can feel his pain as they at least have lived longer fuller lives. He also begins growing closer to his therapist (Anna Kendrick) on a personal level, and though predictable, it serves as a nice sub-plot to the film. He eventaully resolves to let his parents in, and it becomes quite heavy, but in a moving way as he faces his fate.
 I wouldn't be surprised to see this get some acting nominations as all give heart-warming portrayels of their respective characters. However, I think it is Rogen who comes out best in this, as he plays to his strengths in his role. I'm sure this will be many's film of 2011.
                                                      

7. Rise of the Planet of the Apes
                                           
 Being a fan of the original Apes' films, espescially the ones with Ricardo Montalban, of which this film is loosely based on. I went into this with slight trepidation but a lot of anticipation. It didn't disappoint. It managed to keep what the best aspect of the originals in, whilst at the same time providing a completely different slant on it. James Franco plays a drug developer who is part of a team looking for an alzheimer's cure, of which his father (John Lithgow) is a sufferer. The experimental drug he is working on is tested on Apes, and after one causes havoc as a result of the treatment, they are all put down, save for a new-born chimp, which Franco duly adopts. The chimp (named Caeser) is raised like a child, Franco soon discovers that the primate is developer above average brain activity and operates like a high-level human. He soon enlists the help of a primatologist (Freida Pinto). As his father's condition worsens Franco uses the drug to help his father, which works for a couple of years, before his father's condition rapidly deteriorates. It is through his father's relapse, that Caeser (Andy Serkis) becomes protective and attacks members of the public, where he is captured and imprisoned in an Ape sanctuary. It is through his mistreatment here that he uses his intelligence to prove his superiority to fellow inmates and soon manages to inject them with the drug. With their new found intelligence the Apes soon revolt and cause havoc on San Francisco, where the Apes and Man are on a collision course that could change the planet's future forever.
 The film really does welll to reboot a franchise, which had already been attempted wtih Burton's failed remake of Planet of the Apes. It manages to capture the sentiments of Escape and Conquest of the Planet of the Apes, but against a much more realistic backdrop. It is also a far more powerful film than it's predecessors, the moment when Caesar first speaks a good example. Easily one of the better action movies of the year.

6. Senna 
                                                        
 If ever there was a documentary that could exude broad appeal to non-fans of it's subject matter it's this. Ayrton Senna is probably still the name most synonymous with Formula 1 worldwide. This documentary's use of all archival footage, only serves to further enhance the reputation of one of the world's most charasmatic sportsman. Though the footage is adrenaline-fuelled and highly entertaining, it's somewhat let down by it's black and white portrayel of Senna and his biggest rival Alain Prost. Even the most ardent Senna fan would have to admit that the film is at time unfair and unbalanced in it's treatment of Prost. Despite this it is still highly emotive as it leads the audience, through a series of quite remarkable feats from Senna's F1 career, to the ultimate conclusion of that fatal weekend at Imola. It's an absolute must for anyone who holds a passion for sports and it's competitors.
 
5. X-Men: First Class
 After the awful X-men 3, it was time for a revamp, and this prequel that provides us with the backgrounds of Professor Xavier (James McAvoy) and Magneto (Michael Fassbender) was the perfect way to go. The film gives these familiar characters (including Mystique) much more depth and understanding than the previous installments do. As all strive to take on Kevin Bacon's evil mutant Sebastian Shaw, who Magneto has learnt was respnsible for his parents death in Nazi Germany, and is now behind the Cuban Missile Crisis. Professor Charles Xavier sets up an academy for fellow mutants to join in order to build a team to take down Shaw, some familiar in the X-men cannon and some new.
 The film is written by Bryan Singer and directed by Michael Vaughn and this helps create the perfect blend on comic book action adventure. Nothing in this film seems superfluous, and it all formulates perfectly as we see the eventual split of the X-men to their respective sides. It's a very strong cast too, with Fassbender, who gives the stand out performance, that even makes Sir Ian McKellen look amateurish. The only problem for me was that I thought Nicholas Hoult was miscast as Beast. Other than that it really is up there with the best comic book adaptation and gives X2 more than a run for it's money.
                                                         

4. Crazy, Stupid, Love.
                                                          
 This was probably the biggest suprise for me at the cinema for years. Admittedly I wasn't expecting much, as only a handful of original and entertaining rom-coms have come from Hollywood in the past 20 years. It was helped by the fact that it didn't fall for the falacy that being crude meant being funny, it remained intelligent throughout. I hadn't seen much of Ryan Gosling's work previously, but thought he was a great choice in the role of playboy-cum-mentor to Steve Carell's restrained, newly single Cal. The whole ensemble cast did a great job, and though it wasn't the laugh out loud comedy, many probably would have expected (wanted), it remained light, but funny throughout. I was also impressed by the directors', (who only previous work had been on Pixar projects), consumate ease in producing a solid rom-com. They were also not afraid to use slapstick in a modern comedy, that I thought was refreshing, and I felt it worked. There were also additional subplots involving Gosling and the always entertaining Emma Stone, and Carell's ex's relationship with Kevin Bacon's character. This gave the film additional scope in developing different complexities of romance and relationships. The only real let down was the slight lack of integrity at a couple of points in the movie, but overall it was a very enjoyable piece that I look forward to revisiting.

3. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
 John Le Carre's novel was updated once again, this time Gary Oldman as Le Carre's protaganist George Smiley. Let The Right One In's Thomas Alfredson was given the opportunity to direct, and used a similar style and method to his previous work. He turned out to be the right choice as his low octane approach, as well as his good eye for nostalgia provided the perfect settings for this thriller. What I really enjoyed about this film is that it wasn't gimmicky, it didn't try to be politically correct and didn't try to appeal to the new wave of spy fans. It's complex plot still demanded the audiences attention and concentration. The performances too were captivating, like The Godfather it was hard to find any blemishes in the acting. Everyone gave a depth to their characters even with limited screen time, it was easy to see what was being presented to the audience. In this repressed environment, ultimately there was still a lot of underlying emotion and humanity in this organisation that gave them motive to their varying acts of betrayel. Oldman's restrained Smiley will no doubt earn him his first Oscar nomination (shocking I know). Whilst Cumberbatch, Hardy, Strong will all no doubt be recognised in some form. It will be interesting to see if there will be any revisiting of the Smiley character in film or even by Le Carre himself.
                                                        


2. Midnight in Paris 
                                                        
 I wouldn't call myself a Woody Allen fan, as I haven't seen nearly enough of his work, but what I have seen has always kept interested and entertained. Midnight in Paris is an absolute treat from the veteran director, as he seemingly puts a lot of personal interest and affection into this film about an engaged writer's (Owen Wilson) personal fascination with what he considers the golden age of Paris' creativity. Every night he travels back into the 1920's, the period for which he holds so much admiration, and meets some of his most inspirational heroes. He soon arrives at a party hosted by the Fitzgeralds, with music by Cole Porter and fellow guests such as a young Ernest Hemingway. It is wholly fantastical, endearing and charming, as Wilson's character grows closer to vintage Paris and further away from his modern day life and fiancee.
 Another ensemble piece it contains everyone from Cathy Bates to France's first lady Carla Bruni, all of whom perform well. Marion Cotillard seems to get increasingly beautiful with each new film role, and it's easy to see why Wilson is attracted to her. Even Adrien Brody gives a great turn as Salvador Dali. Wilson himself was ideally cast as the wide eyed writer looking for some kind of resolve from his experiences, and was reminiscent of the younger Allen. Some of the philistine's out there may fail to fall in love with cast of characters, but even though I'm not a particular fan of any who featured, I could see why people are so passionate about them. It was a very enchanting cinematic experience and though short on runtime, it was very fulfilling.

1. We Need To Talk About Kevin 
 This was my first experience of a Lynne Ramsey film, and boy what an experience. I was aware before seeing this, that she had taken a long time out of film making before taking on this project. I'm guessing that with the books release in 2003, she must've really fallen in love with the idea of adapting it in to a film and used the time to perfect her adaptation. It really turns out to be one of the cleverest psychological thrillers in years. Ramsey uses a disjointed narrative to tell this story of a mother's (Tilda Swinton) anguish over the violent act carried out by her son (Ezra Miller). Whilst we only see this act in pieces, we re-live her son's upbringing through the eyes of Swinton, as she tries to establish where she went wrong, as well as seeing how she comes to terms with the aftermath of the act. This clever device allows the audience to take their own interpretation as to why it was presented this way. I for one think that Swinton tries to make herself look blameless and a allows herself to become a victim, whilst others may argue the questionable lack of discipline by the father (John C. Reilly) or that the child was always going to end up how he did. Of course this provokes further questions which are far more complex than can be transcribed here. The pacing also adds to the tension when Swinton is in one on one situations with her son, and the psychological elements are played out.
 I've never really been a fan of Swinton's, but there's no denying the fact she's got talent, and she excels in this role. At times you really empathise with her, espescially as she deals with the victims of her sons act as well as being made a social outcast in her town. Of course where Ramsey is clever is giving small implications that Swinton's character isn't entirely blameless as the film develops. As for Ezra Miller and indeed Jasper Newell's performances as Kevin are trully chilling, enough to put even the most etheral being of parenting. Though the character is for the majority of the movie painted as pretty one-dimensional, save for a few glimpses of his softer side. I think, as earlier suggested, this is probably a part of the retrospective plot device used by Ramsey to make the viewer question what they're viewing.
 In many ways it reminded we of Gus Van Sants's Elephant, but this manages to somehow go much further in dealing with the psychological aspect of violent teenagers and their background. With the amount of ambiguity, the film serves as a great tool in provoking thought on the questions of nurture and how much parents are accountable in acts of atrocities. There is no answer given in the film, instead it remains entirely open to differing suggestions and opinions. It isn't a film to be taken on face value, and if you don't do that, you will be richly rewarded by a riveting and absorbing experience.

 My most anticipated films of 2012 are: Ridley Scott's Alien prequel Prometheus, Michael Fassbender in Shame, Spielberg's production of War Horse, the Sam Mendes installment of Bond's Skyfall and of course the conclusion to Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy The Dark Knight Rises.

In Profile: Patrick McGoohan

 Probably one of the most enigmatic stars of the small screen. Patrick McGoohan was born in America in 1928, before being raised in both Ireland and England. It's easy to forget that this somewhat unconventional star, also wrote and created, some of both his and British TV's most enduring shows.

 His parents had travelled to New York in order to find work, but soon returned to Ireland after Patrick's birth. He spent his early childhood here, before moving to Sheffield, then due to the outbreak of WW2, he was evacuated to Loughborough, where he gained aptitude for both mathematics and boxing.
 He left school at 16, when he returned to Sheffield and worked as a bank clerk, lorry driver and chicken farm manager, whilst which he joined several dramatic societies. He soon managed to become the stage manager at Sheffield Reperatory Theatre. McGoohan acting career was launched when one night, after an actor had fallen ill, he decided to fill in. He soon became the regular leading man for the company, and met his wife Joan Drummond here, they married in 1951.
                                                              

 He soon moved down to London, where he secured a role at the Garrick Theatre in the play 'Serious Charge', during which he was offered his first film role in 'Passage Home'. He would earn further bit parts in 'I Am A Camera', 'Dark Avenger' and the classic war film 'The Dam Busters'. He eventually secured a 5 year contract with the Rank film studios, the biggest in Europe at the time. This gave him a steady income and a more permanent role in the film industry. He left the organisation a year early and appeared in more plays again, this time these plays were to be transmitted on to television. This provided McGoohan with a greater audience as TVs were becoming very popular in UK households at the time. His role in 'The Greatest Man in the World' earned him an award for best British TV actor.

                                                             
 It was around this period that legendary media mogul Lew Grade, who owned the TV production company ITC became interested in the actor. It was to see McGoohan cast as an Irish-American Agent working under NATO jurisdiction and performing assignments around the world. The character, John Drake, was designed as a non-violent spy who didn't get too romantically involved with female interests. The character would also be at odds with the ethically practises of his superiors and his missions.
 Due to the Anglo-American interests of the character and the agency, Grade had hoped to crack the American market as well as the European. Despite the series being an instant success across Europe, making McGoohan a household name. In America however, it failed to find an audience and wasn't able to secure further American finance, and so was cancelled after one series.

 After Danger Man had been cancelled in 1962, McGoohan spent some time making more low profile movies as well as made for TV plays. After a two year break Danger Man was brought back, after being resold around the world, and repeat viewings showing a greater demand for more shows, as well as this was the worldwide success of the James Bond films. The programme got financially backed again, and it was revamped.
                                           

 Instead of the original 25 minute format, episodes became twice as long. John Drake, also reverted to being a British spy, made less conflicting with his superiors and the show was renamed in America as 'Secret Agent'. Danger Man also utilised new modern, hi-tech spy equipment such as hidden microphones and tape recording electric razors. It was during this run that it started to garner a greater fan following and secure it's reputation as a cult classic. As such McGoohan salary rocketed to £2,000 per week, making him Britain's highest paid television actor.

 McGoohan however was glad to be released of his contract after it's two season run saying, "I would rather do twenty TV series than go through what I went through under that Rank contract I signed a few years ago for which I blame no one but myself." His strict religious standards (a Roman Catholic) also caused clashes with producers on set. He recalled: “When we started Danger Man the producer wanted me to carry a gun and to have an affair with a different girl each week. I refused. I am not against romance on television, but sex is the antithesis of romance. Television is a gargantuan master that all sorts of people watch at all sorts of time, and it has a moral obligation towards its audience.” It was also whilst on Danger Man, that he demanded more creative control over the program, asking to write, direct and even produce episodes as the show evolved.

 It was during this period that McGoohan was offered the role of Simon Templar in The Saint, and even more substantially he was personally offered, by Albert "Chubby" Broccoli, the role of James Bond. He turned them both down, not wanting to be typecast or having to conform to the "playboy" lifestyle of the James Bond character. Many actors would never have opportunities such as the Bond franchise again, but McGoohan, seemed to know what he was doing. Whilst doing Danger Man he fulfilled a 3 film contract with the Walt Disney company, which gave him further international exposure. Including The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh and culminating in The Three Lives of Thomasina.

                                        

 With his stock at an all time high, he now realised he was able to give himself greater creative control. This gave him an idea for a new character, loosely based on his previous incarnation of John Drake. He was to produce a new form of engimatic protaganist, in an environment that would later influence shows such as Twin Peaks, Lost and films such as The Truman Show. The role was not a name but a number, and the show was The Prisoner.

 The setting of Portmerion in Wales, was eerily appropriate, and the mediterranian infrastructure, served to act "The Village" as a character of it's own. Number 6 (Patrick McGoohan), would spend each 50 minute weekly episode, trying to escape "the Village" and it's inhabitants. With the Number 2, regularly being rotated after failing to procure the information as to why Number 6 resigned from his governmental post. It's countercultural, revolutionary and original themes seemed somewhat suited to the period (1967). Considering the profound nature of the show, McGoohan was extremely fortunate to be able to pitch it to then chairman Lew Grade, who gave him his full support, even allowing McGoohan to film the programme in colour. To this day, it remains unclear as to whether Number 6 is infact John Drake himself. In 1985 McGoohan himself dismissed this idea, though other writers on both shows insist they are one and the same. Fans are still divided, with some pointing to many similarities between the shows and certain episodes that make this idea logical.

 Originally McGoohan only wanted to make 7 episodes of The Prisoner, but Grade convinced him, that by doing more shows, they could sell it on to CBS in America. CBS wanted 36 episodes, Grade 26, but McGoohan was able to settle on 17. There is also speculation, that a higher number was originally agreed upon, but the series got cancelled, which forced the final 2 episodes to be written abruptly. The final episode still the cause for much debate amongst fans, and certainly one of the first TV finales to end in such ambiguous circumstances.
 During it's first runs, in both the UK and America, it wasn't received well by critics, though viewing figures in the UK remained solid. It was only on re-runs in the US, that like Secret Agent, it began to grow a large cult following. And as already mentioned it was during this time, where it would influence a lot of future American TV writers. It was because of the lack of popular approval, that McGoohan decided to leave Britain, first to Switzerland, before going onto America. The pressure of making The Prisoner, espescially towards the end of it's run, may also have taken it's toll on McGoohan, with many of his colleagues recalling times of noticeable stress onset.

 It was also at the time of making The Prisoner that he was cast in his biggest role up to this point. He appeared opposite Rock Hudson and Ernest Borgnine in the cold war adaptation of Alaister MacLean's Ice Station Zebra (1968). The film was reportedly watched 100 times, by America's reclusive mogul Howard Hughes. On set McGoohan also had a brush with death, as his foot became trapped in a flooded chamber, he had to be rescued by a diver.
 In the 70's McGoohan had a steay series of films roles, to keep himself occupied. Most notable were The Moonshine War (1970), The Silver Streak (1976) (below), one of Gene Wilder's and Richard Pryor's greatest collaborations and The Man in the Iron Mask (1977), in which he performed his own stunts.

                                               

 As well as these roles, he was also cast in popular US crime series Columbo, where he formed a lifelong friendship with star Peter Falk. He would appear in 4 episodes of the series from 1974-2000, as well as directing 6 of the episodes. His enigmatic demeanour providing the perfect foil to Falk's ever inquisitive detective.

     

  He won two Emmys for his guest appearances in Columbo, with Peter Falk, who described McGoohan as “the most underrated, under-appreciated talent on the face of the globe. I have never played a scene with another actor who commanded my attention the way Pat did.”

 Towards the end of the 70's that a keen interest of his series The Prisoner revived itself. A number of documentaries about the series began to be screened in America, Canada and the UK, as well as the show receiving further reruns on TV across the world. But talk of reviving the series itself was mooted by McGoohan himself.

 In 1979, he was cast opposite Clint Eastwood as the prison warden in Escape From Alcatraz. His character reflecting his own similar stern moralistic values, in what was another chilling performance, for which the world had now become accustomed to. The 1980's brought somewhat of a lull in Patrick's career, but he would still have notable roles, namely in David Cronenburg's Scanners, TV's Murder She Wrote and an award winning role on stage in Pack of Lies, which was to be his final theatrical role.
 The 90's saw him re-emerge in to more mainstream roles including The Phantom (1996), where he played Billy Zane's father and the southern judge in A Time to Kill (1996), based on the John Grisham bestseller.

                      

 But it was in the Academy Award winning blockbuster Braveheart (1995), directed by and starring Mel Gibson, in which McGoohan gave a new generation of audiences an appreciation of his work. As the cold and evil King Edward "Longshanks", he gave a stark and chilling portrayel opposite Gibson's hero William Wallace.

                                            

 His last role was in 2002's animated adventure Treasure Planet. But he was never able to escape the role that seemed to define him, The Prisoner. He was constantly sought by fans and media a like for further documentaries and talk of further episodes or a remake. A remake was eventually put into production and aired after McGoohan died in 2009. He was reportedly asked to be a part of it, but according to his widow "They wanted Patrick to have some part in it, but he adamantly didn't want to be involved. He had already done it." However, the remake's Number 2 Sir Ian Mckellen stated "He was asked to be in the first episode, there being a part that would have been very ironically fitting, but apparently he said that he didn't want to do it unless he was offered the part of Number Two."

 McGoohan himself did in fact reprise his role as Number 6 just one more time in 2000. In a Prisoner-themed episode of hit US comedy The Simpsons, he makes a brief cameo in helping Homer escape from "the Island". McGoohan was very popular with the writers of the show, and they were all pleased to finally get to meet him. He himself was reportedly very pleased with his role in the episode.

                                            

 Patrick McGoohan died on January 13th, 2009, leaving behind his wife of 58 years and his 3 children. As a post-script it should be remembered that not only was he responsible in part for reinventing the spy thriller with his character John Drake, but his revolutionary show The Prisoner has served to many, as a blue-print for a new type of science fiction thriller. It is with this where his legacy lies, with The Guardian once calling it "The Citizen Kane of British Television programmes". Though some may question why he never became an even bigger star, it wasn't through lack of offers. He has reportedly turned down three of the biggest film franchises in film history, not only as James Bond, but also as Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings (2001-2003) trilogy, as well as Professor Dumbledore from the Harry Potter series. His also had his own reservations to become a star, once saying: “I abhor the word 'star’. It makes the hair on the back of my neck want to curl up.” An intensly private man, he was never going to be an access all areas star like the celebrities of today. Like his hit show, he was certainly different and went against the mould of other stars. His unique enigmatic persona on screen has never been matched, and though he appeared quite limited in variety, he was always guaranteed to make an impression on the audience with his intensity.

My Favourite Film Quotes.

I can only put some of my favourite quotes, as my list would be endless otherwise:

"You don't understand! I coulda had class. I coulda been a contender. I could've been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am." (On The Waterfront, 1954)


"Get away from her, you bitch!" (Aliens, 1986)

"You've got to ask yourself one question: 'Do I feel lucky?' Well, do ya, punk?" (Dirty Harry, 1971)

"Today, I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth." (Pride of the Yankees, 1942)

"As God is my witness, I'll never be hungry again." (Gone With The Wind, 1939)

"You are at your very best, when things are worst." (Starman, 1984)

"If you build it, he will come." (Field of Dreams, 1989)

"The last thing George said to me, 'Rock,' he said, 'sometime when the team is up against it and the breaks are beating the boys, tell them to go out there with all they've got and win just one for the Gipper." (Knute Rockne, All American, 1940)

"...We few, we happy few, we band of brothers..." (Henry V, 1944)

"Truly for some men nothing is written, unless they write it." (Lawrence of Arabia, 1961)

My Most Overrated Films of All Time

 I don't think any of these are particularly bad films, just overrated by the critics and fans:

8. The Wages of Fear (1953, H.G. Clouzot) 
 This is not a bad film by any means, in fact it's quite a good social realist piece. My problem with it though, is that it's lovers claim it is a great action film. For me an action film has to engage me with a certain level of excitment. Whilst I concede that the last half an hour is quite tense and suspenseful as the lorries carrying nitroglycerene negotiate the South American mountainous terrain, overall it is a relatively dull film.

7. Grave of the Fireflies (1988, I. Takahata) 
 Another overly sentimental piece now, and another film I just couldn't get emotionally attached to. I have no problem with Japanese animation either, having seen a number of Studio Ghibli features. Everyone says it's "Hautingly beautiful", but although I find it depressing, I sturggle to find any beauty in this. I may seem like a cold-hearted cynic, but it's overly-sentimental halfway to the point of loathsome.

6. Mystic River (2003, C. Eastwood)
 Being a huge fan of Clint Eastwood the actor, I do think he is venerated to the nth degree for his work as director. That's not to say he makes bad films, quite a few of them are very good. He has though made as many mediocre movies. Mystic River definetly falls into this category. Based on the synopsis of the film, I felt at the very least it would be compelling, but it ended up feeling all a bit contrived. Even the acting, which was rewarded with Oscar felt a bit overdone. Being such an overly charged emotional piece, it fell into melodrama too often and too easily.

5. His Girl Friday (1940, H. Hawks) 
 A revered classic now, that I just don't get. I would blame it on the quick talking fast paceness of the film, but I can't see how it is that much different in style to Cary Grant's screwball Bringing Up Baby (which I loved). I think it's because it was so revered when released, it was instantly hailed as a classic, but I think it's aged poorly. Another problem with it, is the ruthlessness of Grant's character, I find him hard to connect to and sterile. I accept that you don't have to connect with each character in movies, but I found it hard to find any interest in his and the film's story because of this.

4. Inglorious Basterds (2009, Q. Tarantino)
 Being a fan of Tarantino's and having read several good reviews, I was really expecting something substantial. I couldn't have been more wrong, I understand Tarantino's love for the unconventional, but here it just doesn't work. Whilst the style is wholly Tarantino's, I don't think it's enough to purely claim auteurism and expect the film to be good. Whilst the script does contain the usual Tarantino brand of humour, it lacks a bit of substance. I also think the screenplay lacks any real pinaché in the second half of the film.
 As with other Tarantino films , I respect the way he isn't afraid to speak his mind, and represents his characters as he best sees them. He doesn't make any attempt at being poltically correct, and for some reason he seems to get criticise for his honesty. That's why I like Tarantino, but with this, it at times seems a bit too gratuitous for my liking, whether that is his fault or in the delivery by the actors. Most of whom give solid performances (espescially Waltz), Brad Pitt however, gives one of his worst ever performances in this. I guess Brad thought being a Tarantino film, he could ham it up as much as possible (like Waltz did). What Brad forgot though, was to keep it in check and give some kind of variance on the role, of course this could be as much the writer's fault. For me it was just a bit too 'tongue in cheek', like most of the film. It just fell quite away short.

3. V for Vendetta (2006, J. McTeigue)
 Due to my right leaning political stance I would've thought a film about the bringing down of a leftist totalitatarian state would've had more appeal to me. I think it's a film that really profited from the time when it was realesed, where a lot of people were disillusioned with their respective governments and could connect with this film. I found it very similar to the film Brazil, but without the fun and flair. I'm willing to say that I may have been the problem with this film as I found it too deep and too preachy. That's not to say I have a problem with morally ambiguous characters in movie. Finally, I don't understand how people can like a film with such a amateur performance from Natalie Portman. She was awful in this.

2. The Departed (2006, M. Scorcese) 
 To think that Martin Scorcese directed Taxi Driver, Raging Bull and Gangs of New York, you would think the film he would eventually win Best Director for would be a collusus. Sadly it seemed to be awarded as a gesture from the Academy to this sub-standard crime thriller. It's not the convuluted plot that annoys me too much, nor the horrible editing errors (that I've come to expect from Scorcese), but more some of the questionable acting performance, particularly the over the top Jack Nicholson. He gives a performance that feels false and quite frankly ridiculous. Equally questionable is the bland Matt Damon, who seems at times a little out of his depth. I used to think Goodfellas was overrated, but I now regard that as a masterpiece in comparison to this substandard affair. Whilst I concede it does have some great moments, such as the performances of Di Caprio and Wahlberg and some clever plot devices, the eventual outcome is dragged out too much and over complicated, that I felt disoriented by the end of it.

1. Stand By Me (1986, R. Reiner)
 Dull, dull, dull. That's all I can say about this nostalgic piece based on the work of Stephen King. People claim that the child acting is a revelation, I think people are just being overly generous because they are child actors. Again they give solid performances, but this is what you would expect and want from a movie that centres predominantly around children. Possibly in the twenty years it was originally released it's aged really badly, and people haven't revisited it since. Or maybe people just think a lot of kids swearing and putting themselves in adult situation is very real and gritty. I just found it incredibly boring, the film didn't seem to go anywhere, which may have been the point, but even the "different" anti-climatic ending was uninteresting. 

In Profile: Greta Garbo

 Born into relative poverty in 1905, few would have believed Greta Gustafsson's story of shopgirl to international icon. She would often be described as introverted and aloof, which even in childhood was apparant, as she preferred to play alone. It was also quite early in her childhood that she developed a passion for theatre, often sneaking into her local theatre house for free viewings. When she was fourteen she began to work as barber shop laver girl, as well as having to look after her father who had been struck down with Spanish influenza, a year later he was dead. It was to be the first of several tragic occurances that were to occur in her early life.

 In 1921, she started a new job as an errands girl for Stockholm's famous PUB department store. It was here that she was to be introduced into the world of cinema, by appearing in a couple of short commercials for the department store as a model of clothes and hats (seen in the video below). She caught the attention of Swedish film director Erik Arthur Petschler, who gave her a part in his film Peter the Tramp (1922). It was a small part, but it was enough to secure her a scholarship to the Royal Dramatics Theatre School in Stockholm. She was then cast by leading Swedish director Mauritz Stiller in his epic The Saga of Gosta Berling (1924). The two quickly formed a close bond, and Stiller saw in Garbo a potential star. He began her mentor, and taught her film acting and acted as her manager in these formative years.

 Her next film was to take her to Germany and work with another great of early European cinema, G.W. Pabst in his 1925 film The Joyless Street. It was during this time that Hollywood mogul, Louis B. Mayer had come to Europe in order to acquire the new talent. Like the majority of her life, there are contradicting stories as to how exactly Louis B. Mayer came to acquire her talent. One that when he signed Mauritz Stiller up to MGM, Stiller made Mayer also take Garbo with him to Hollywood. The other story is that Mayer had already seen The Saga of Gosta Berling, whilst on tour of Europe, and had been impressed by the young actress, and was desperate to sign her up, through the premise of signing Stiller. Either way both were signed to MGM contracts, and left Europe in mid-1925.

 After spending a few weeks in New York (right), they were soon welcomed into Hollywood by the Scandanavian community there (below). The first six months of Garbo's stay were tough, studio head Irvin Thalberg wasn't impressed by her appearance, she was soon moulded and whipped into the shape of a Hollywood glamourpuss. She was put on a diet, had her teeth corrected and her hair softened from her permed style. She then did a screen test with her future long term collaborator, cameraman William Daniels, but it wasn't a success. She however got a break when legendary Hollywood actress Lillian Gish suggested Sartov to photograph her screen-test, and with Stiller's direction, he second screen-test was a success.

 Her first Hollywood film was to be The Torrent under the the direction of Monte Bell and opposite leading man Ricardo Cortez. Garbo was disappointed not to be working under the direction of Stiller, but reluctantly accepted the role for the sake of her career. It was during this period, that Mayer, suprisingly, tried to extend Garbo's contract, but she held out and told Mayer to wait until after the release of her first film.

 Her first six months were made even harder by her failure to grasp the English language, which forced her to remain in her shell and become somewhat reclusive. But just before production on her film started the studio hired her a personal translator, Sven Hugo-Borg.

 Despite the photo above, Cortez didn't get on with Garbo. He felt himself, already an established star, shouldn't be starring opposite a European novice. He rarely gave Garbo notice off camera, ironically Garbo herself famously became this way on later sets of her productions. Director Monte Bell didn't make things any easier as she was given little guidance on how to play her scenes, something she was unaccustomed to. However, the film was a box office success, and Garbo received plaudits for her performance. The Torrent also marked the first and last time Greta Garbo was ever to attend a premier of one of her films.

 Thalberg who had just six months previous, labelled Garbo "unusable", was keen to cast her again in another "vamp" role, and another Ibáñez piece, The Temptress. Garbo, who didn't want to play another vamp, was even given top billing and her mentor Stiller assgined to direct. This period however was to prove the worst of Garbo's life so far. She was arrested in early 1926 for speeding and was forced to pay a $10 fine. Mayer meanwhile was getting increasingly desperate to secure Greta's long term future. It was also during this time, before production on The Temptress started, that she posed for these questionable publicity shoots (below).

 Worse was to come for Garbo, once production had started on her new film, she received word from Sweden of the sudden death of her older sister Alva, who was just 23. She was denied leave by the studio to attend her sister's funeral back in Stockholm. Then Stiller, who clashed with leading man Antonio Moreno, was replaced by MGM, and the film was to be reshot. The reshoot cost meant, despite a high gross, it was the only silent Garbo film not to make a profit. It didn't matter though, Garbo got even better reviews than before and was quickly becoming a star. Stiller meanwhile had he's contract with MGM terminated and he soon returned to Sweden. This left Garbo feeling at her most vulnerable and loneliest.

 Towards the end of the year, Garbo's life was to take another turn. Feeling disillusioned with life in Hollywood, she was reluctant to work for MGM again. The studio then sent her a sternly worded letter to remind her of her commitments to her contract and demanded her to return to work on her next film Flesh and The Devil. Her leading man this time, after the death of Valentino and the success of The Big Parade, was the biggest star in Hollywood, John Gilbert. The two soon fell in love, as was evident for all to see on the set of the film, even before production had finished, the two had begun living with each other. It was even rumoured that Gilbert proposed to Garbo during this time, and whilst at first she accepted, she soon backed out. Garbo and Gilbert would soon overtake Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford as Hollywood's golden couple. Flesh and The Devil marked the first of her 8 films with director Clarence Brown, and William Daniels her cinematographer who probably best captured Garbo's erotic screen persona throughout the rest of her career.

 The success of Flesh and the Devil was such, that Garbo was now the biggest female star in Hollywood. Audiences were enchancted by the intimacy of the love affair between Garbo and Gilbert off screen as well as on screen. Whilst with Gilbert, Garbo was at her most sociable, attending parties as well as playing tennis matches against celebrity couples.

 Outside of their relationship Garbo was becoming more and more reluctant to play by the studio's rules, and was unwilling to appear in their next project as another vamp. MGM gave her an ultimatum, to turn up to the studio within 48 hours, or her contract would be terminated. She called their bluff. She demanded a say in her roles, as well as a ten fold pay increase. MGM tried to play it out in the press as Garbo being greedy, but Mayer was getting increasingly hesitant at Garbo's reluctance to sign. He decided to give her a salary increase, just shy of her demands, as well as further salary increases for each further year of her contract. Garbo had won, she was one of only a few stars ever to have held Louis B. Mayer to ransom. And was the only one who came out on top.

 MGM wanted to capitalise on the Gilbert/Garbo romance as much as possible and offered them a vehicle based on Tolstoy's Anna Karenina. It was to be called "Love", so that it could be marketed as "Garbo and Gilbert are in Love" (left). It was another hit, and Garbo's star continued to rise, she would continue to have commercial success throughout the late 20's, with The Divine Woman, A Woman of Affairs and another Gilbert picture Wild Orchids. It was in mid 1928 that Garbo's mentor Mauritz Stiller died, back in Sweden. She was broken up about his death. It is unclear and unlikely as to whether the two had been intimate, with Stiller being a known homosexual, but some suggest that there may have been a non-platonic relationship. It was also around this time that another debated part of Garbo's history comes up. It is rumoured that Gilbert, after finally getting Garbo to accept his proposal, a double wedding was arranged (alongside King Vidor and Eleanor Boardmann). It is speculated that Garbo failed to appear at the ceremony, and Gilbert was humiliated. He was enraged further when movie mogul Louis B. Mayer apparantly made a snide remark about Garbo at the time, he reportedly attacked Mayer. It is quite unclear as to the accuracy of this story. There is however some validity as to the violent arguments the two had thoughout their relationship, with Garbo's reluctance to go to social gatherings as their relationship wore on, and Gilbert's indulgence in drink, although he was never physically abusive.

 The end of the decade also heralded a new era for cinema, The Jazz Singer (1927) was the first sound feature film. Studios moved quickly to capitalise on this new market, and the acting art form had to change. Without sound actors were forced to exaggerate expressions, but with sound more subtlety was required. Major silent movie stars who were making the transition were struggling. MGM were reluctant to let Garbo, now their biggest star, make the transition due to her strong Swedish accent. She was one of the very last to make the transition. Meanwhile she continue to make silent films, watching her fellow stars fall by the wayside.
 None worried her more, than the demise of her former lover John Gilbert. Some attribute this to the earlier anecdote when Gilbert had attacked Mayer. Regardless, Gilbert had always clashed with Mayer, and some insist Mayer was instrumental in the star's demise, espescially with Mayer's reluctance at giving into Gilbert $250,000 a picture deal. Mayer would repeatedly give Gilbert poor scripts and poor directors. However, GIlbert's first talky recieved generally positive reviews, though only a small part. But his next starring role, was where the wheels started to come off. In His Glorious Night he is seen over ardently saying "I love you" to his leading lady in a slightly high pitched tone (some attribute this to Mayer). The audience laughed. This was later parodied in the 1952 musical Singin' in the Rain. He did however managed to fulfill his picture deal, but was never able to recapture the height of his earlier fame. He died of a heart attack in 1936, aged just 38, probably aggravated by his alcoholism.

 Garbo made her last silent The Kiss (1929) opposite Lew Ayres (above), alongside brushing up on her English and accent. She was provided a script of a Eugene O'Neill play, with the ideal role of a Swedish immigrant arriving in New York, as her first talking feature. The film was Anna Christie (1930), and it was promoted as "Garbo Talks!". The moment of truth for Garbo had arrived, her first words arrive 15 minutes into the movie. "Gif me a visky, ginger ale on the side, and don' be stingy, baby."

 Her deep, exotic tone, won favour with the American audience, and she had survived. The only other major silent star to have survived the transistion was Joan Crawford. The two were to soon be cast together in MGM's most ambitious project to date. Grand Hotel (1932) was designed to unite the biggest major stars from MGM, in Hollywood's first ensemble cast. Garbo was given top billing alongside John and Lionel Barrymore, Wallace Beery and Joan Crawford. Hollywood gossip journalists enhanced Garbo reputation of aloofness on set, Garbo never rehearsed in front of an audience, she insisted that she only ever be filmed on a close set, with only the director and her cameraman, as well as the supporting players. One story to capture the world's imagination of Garbo the person was that despite them not having any scenes together, Joan Crawford often tried to talk to Greta Garbo. Crawford would often say "Hello, Miss Garbo" whenever the two would pass each other in the hall. Garbo never responded, so Crawford gave up and stopped saying anything. This led to Garbo stopping Crawford as she walked silently past her, and asking, "Aren't you going to say something to me?". Most of these stories could merely be heresay, Crawford would later in life comment on meeting Garbo, "Oh, you'd be breathless."
 Nevertheless the film was a huge success both critically and commercially, and went against conventional Hollywood wisdom of putting no more than two major stars in a picture together. The film itself enhanced Garbo's on reputation of aloffness with her repeating the line "I want to be alone." This was line that would live with her for the rest of her life. Although the line had already been used in her previous projects, and would continue to be used until her retirement 10 years later.

 Between Anna Christie and Grand Hotel, Garbo received two Best Actress Oscar nomination for Anna Christie and Romance, as well as making a German version of the Pulitzer prize winning play. She made rather lacklusture films such as Inspiration (1931) opposite Robert Montgomery, and Susan Lennox: (Her Fall and Rise) (1931) opposite the relatively unknown Clark Gable. Her turn as the German WW1 spy the Mata Hari (1931) (right), marked a slight return to form. As You Desire Me (1932), saw Garbo as a blonde for the only time in her film career, opposite the impressive Erich Von Stroheim. Garbo was now the biggest star in Hollywood, and the success of Grand Hotel (1932), in spite of an over the top performance as a prima ballerina, only cemented that claim.

 As "Garbo-mania" reached it's zenith in the early 1930's, MGM wanted to secure her on a longer term contract. Garbo held more cards this time, and as a sign of her resolve, she toured Europe with friend Leopold Stokowski. It was heavily speculated that the two were romantically involved, although Garbo forever maintained they were simply friends. She even went as far to give a press conference (below) on the supposed affair, something that was unheard of for Garbo, who hadn't even given a press interview for 5 years.

 The public and indeed MGM were more worried about the imminent retirement of the 26 year old star. MGM buckled and she was able to secure her more control over film choices and co-stars. As well as making her the highest paid actress in Hollywood at $250,000 per picture on top of her weekly $7,000 salary. Her new film was to be one of her dream roles, and one she would be forever immortalised by. For Queen Christina (1933), she had originally chosen a young Laurence Olivier as her leading man, but as Olivier himself recounts, there was just no chemistry between the two on set. Olivier himself would return back to England on the West End stage until the end of the decade. Without a leading man, Garbo insisted that the studio hire her old beau John Gilbert for the part. Initially apprehensive at hiring the faded star, the studio eventually succumbed to Garbo's demand.

 The adrogynous role of the Swedish Queen was perfect for Garbo, and despite the two no longer being together romantically in real life, Garbo and Gilbert had lost none of their on-screen magic. Directed by Rouben Mamoulian, the final scene of Queen Christina is celebrated as Garbo's and one of MGM's most iconic. Christina stands as a silent figurehead at the bow of the ship bound for Spain. With the wind blowing through her hair, the camera moves, slowly for 40 seconds, in to a tight close-up on her face (right).

  Queen Christina, also marked one of her more overtly lesbian themed roles. Although, not at all explicit, Garbo's character is implied at times to have more than just a platonic female relationship with one of her subjects (Elizabeth Young, above). In many films Garbo is very affectionate to other women, certainly in a much more noticeable way than any of her contemporaries (even compared to Dietrich), and it probably wasn't until the 1990's that Hollywood began making explicit lesbian movies. Garbo went even further in her next film The Painted Veil (1934) (below) as she seemed to passionatly kiss her character's sister, only managing to pass the newly enforced Hayes code, as being sisterly affection. It is partly due to this penchant for kissing women on screen that she both became and remained such an icon over the years for the lesbian and gay communities. Her own sexual preference was just as ambiguous, which only served to fuel her status as a gay icon.

 As part of her MGM deal, she was now allowed to only make one picture per year. In The Painted Veil, she played a frustrated scientist's wife in Hong Kong, where she embarks on an affair with a British diplomat. The film wasn't a commercial success in Hollywood, but managed to make profit through the European market. Although Garbo still had broad appeal in the American mainstream market, her films were becoming more marketable and performing better in Europe.

                                   

 Her next film was a remake of her 1927 film Love, based on the Tolstoy novel Anna Karenina, this time Frederich March filled the role of  her lover Vronsky. Garbo was given her most maternal role to date (above). She dominated March, like she did many of her leading men, but Basil Rathbone as Garbo's husband Karenin, was up to the challenge. Regardless of performances, Anna Karenina (1935) was a box office smash. Garbo received a New York Critics Circle Award for her performance. Her fee for her next film, based on the Dumas novel Camille (1936) (below), was a $500,000 contract. Making Garbo the highest paid movie star, after Chaplin, who received a large percentage of his film's profits, as head of his own movie studio and director of his own films.

 

 Camille saw Garbo opposite a young Robert Taylor as her young lover Armand Duval, who she sacrifices the Baron De Varville's finances for (impressively played by Henry Daniell). It is arguably Garbo's finest film, her performance is exquisite, as are the performances of Taylor and Daniell. It was another commerical and critical success too, with Garbo earning her third Academy Award nomination.

 Conquest (1937) was another ambitious MGM production, and one of their most expensive to date. Garbo kept her $500,000 salary. It told the story of Polish Countess Marie Walewska (Greta Garbo), who was Napoleon Bonarte's (Charles Boyer) mistress, who tried to influence Napoleon's actions to protect her homeland. Despite generally positive reviews, commercially the film was a disaster. It marked Garbo's second financial loss of her movie career, and MGM's biggest ever loss for a movie. Charles Boyer was one of Garbo's few leading men, who she maintained contact with after her Hollywood career.

 The commercial failure of Conquest, led to Garbo - as well Crawford, Davis, Dietrich and Katherine Hepburn - being called "box office poison" in an open letter published by the National Theater Distributors of America. Ironically, all the above stars managed to survive the publication, except Garbo, who was to quit Hollywood within 4 years. Garbo still managed to make one more hit before then though, in Ernst Lubitsch's comedy Ninotchka (1939), opposite Melvyn Douglas. Marketed as "Garbo Laughs!", it marked Garbo's first comedic role, and she was able to show satirise her own somber image with the character, as well as showing her lighter side. The film also marked the first critical success of then unknown script writer Billy Wilder. Garbo was nominated for her fourth and final Best Actress Oscar, and the film did well commercially. 

 But events in Europe and the impending war there, meant that Garbo's profitability as movie star, would be hit in the European markets, where her films made half their money. Her last film attempted to capitalise on the success of Ninotchka, reuniting Garbo and Douglas. The Two-Faced Woman (1941), see's woman play two twins, with one married to Melvyn Douglas, and the other Melvyn Douglas believing he is married to. It saw Garbo in a variety of never before seen poses. She portrayed a ski-instructor, was seen in a swimsuit and even danced the Rumba. It was branded as immoral by the National Legion of Decency, the critics were just as harsh, with Time magazine saying of Garbo "It's almost as shocking as seeing your mother drunk." Garbo took the reviews to heart, and she later referred to the film as her "grave". Despite the negativity the film still made a sufficient profit, but Garbo was never to return to movies again, at the age of just 36.

 The offers never stopped coming for Garbo to return to movies, but she either didn't like the part, or the project didn't come to fruition. She came close several times, in 1949 she did the below screentest's for an adaptation of Balzac's La Duchesse De Langeais:

       

 Visconti reportedly offered Garbo $1,000,000 for a small role in his 1969 project Rememberance of Things Past. It was to feature an all star cast including Laurence Olivier, Charlotte Rampling and Alain Delon, but it never came to fruition as the film's budget spiralled out of control.

 She received an Honoury Academy Award in 1954 for "her unforgettable screen performances", she typically didn't attend the ceremony. Her legacy on screen has seen her named as AFI's 5th Greatest Female Star of All Time. Although maybe technically not as good an actress as some of her peers, such as Hepburn, Davis and later Vivien Leigh, Garbo had something that no other movie star had, an allure and presence that no-one has ever matched. Her androgynous look and nature made her appeal to women and men both physically and with her head-strong personality. She was unconventianal, she managed to be a major star, without playing by the studio system rules. Rarely giving interviews, rarely going to social events and rarely attending her own premieres.

 When it was speculated that she was to attend the premiere of Grand Hotel (1932), guests waited in anticipation, only for Wallace Beery to come out in drag, impersonating the Swedish Sphynx. The gag didn't go down well.

 What of Garbo the person though, what did she do with the rest of her life? Scared of publicity, she shunned away from the limelight, although wasn't a complete recluse. She socialised with the world's richest and most famous people the Rothchild's, Aristotle Onassis and fashion designer Cecil Beaton. She was wary of people using her, and if any friends ever sold a story about her, they were quickly cut from her social network. This included Cecil Beaton, who released an intimate autobiography about his relationship with Garbo. She reconciled with him shortly before he died, but not many were pardoned.

 In 1952, Garbo moved to New York, her theory that a populus city, was the perfect place to be invisible. It didn't work, Garbo spotting became a hobby not just for locals, but even tourists. There is even a clip of her walking in New York in gay porn film Adam & Yves (1974). When she was spotted by fans she soon ran away, she would often walk with neighbour Sam Green who would protect her from "voyeurs".

                                                        

  In spite of her retirement from movies, she remained a fashion icon, and her styles kept coming back into fashion, espescially during the 1970's. She was in demand from the highest profile leaders of states, including Adolf Hitler, who allegedly wrote her a fan letter inviting her to Berlin. It is claimed she later said she wished she had gone so she 'could have shot him, after all who would physically search Greta Garbo?'. There are also unverified reports that she worked for the Allies during the war, giving them information on suspected high profile Scandanavian Nazi collaborators. Garbo herself had reportedly vaguely alluded to this in the later part of her life.

 In the 1960's she attended a Whitehouse dinner with the Kennedy's, with Garbo only attending after streamlining the guestlist to a small intimate affair. Aristotle Onnasis (below), who was dating legendary Opera star Maria Callas, reportedly proposed on several occassions to Garbo, before eventually marrying Jacquiline Kennedy.
                                              

 In the mid-1980's she was made Commander of the Swedish Order of the Polar Star by order of King Carl XVI Gustaf, the King of Sweden. Garbo didn't return to Sweden to receive the accolade, in which no private citizen of Sweden had ever declined. Instead the King and his wife Queen Silvia, were forced to travel to New York on Garbo's terms. Although Garbo was reluctant to receive the honour, and was apprehensive of an audience with the King and Queen of Sweden, she accepted out of respect for the Swedish monarchy. By mutual agreement the meeting was kept secret, and it managed to elude the media. The only statement made about the meeting was made by Queen Silvia who simply said "She was magical".

 Her ability to continually appeal to the world caused even more bizarre stories to occur in Garbo's life. In the late 1940's Garbo was left a $20,000 estate by a reclusive hermit called Edgar H. Donne. The ever frugal Garbo, travelled to claim the money. Donne had been infatuated with Garbo, and stated in his will of his desire to marry her, as well as having many returned autograph requests.

 Garbo famously never signed autographs, except in the very early part of her career. Orson Welles once recounted that having gone to dinner with Garbo one night, a war amputee came up to them and requested an autograph, "she flat out refused, that's how dumb she was!" stated Welles. Though Welles also stated "If it could be said that Hollywood had a Queen, that Queen was Greta Garbo!". In an interview with Michael Parkinson on the BBC, Welles also stated this about Garbo's Hollywood transformation:

 In a Hollywood full of a melodrama, vanity, and with many of the female stars bitter rivals. Most were unified in their awe of Garbo. Garbo's good friend Katherine Hepburn said of her "She had a real mystique and a real real gift for movie acting."; her one time co-star Crawford "The only one who has ever been really mysterious."; her apparant rivel Marlene Dietrich conceded "She must think, that I’m trying to imitate her, but Garbo is unique. Garbo never gives Interviews and I wish I could do that too."; and even Bette Davis went as far to say "Her instinct, her mastery over the machine, was pure witchcraft. I cannot analyze this woman's acting. I only know that no one else so effectively worked in front of a camera.".

 In the last few years of her life, Garbo was limited with her walking, having badly injured her hip after tripping over her housemaids vacuum cleaner. She was forced to become more dependant, and she drew closer to her surviving relatives, her neice and her neice's children, the Reisfelds. They took care of her, taking her for dialysis treatment in the last 5 years of her life. Though surrounded by those she cared for, when she died in 1990. It seems rather tragic, that she died somewhat unfulfilled romantically, and without children.

 So what of her romantic life? This has been much debated down the years, with some claiming of her lack of physical intimacy, which seems unlikely. Others, including her close friend Mercedes Rhuel, claimed of lesbian liassons. Mercedes had spoken of the pair's own intimacy, as well as rumours of an affair with Katharine Hepburn, again there is little evidence to suggest an validity in these claims. We know the closest she came to marriage was with John Gilbert, but it's also reported that as well as other numerous proposals, her homosexual friend Cecil Beaton proposed. Gaylord Hauser (below) was romantically linked to Garbo, despite Hauser's apparant homsexuality, he too proposed to her. She was left devastated by his death in the early 80's.
                                                      
 She also acquired a lot of male escorts during her retirement, most notable of which was her New York neighbour George Schlee. He managed to have some kind of control over Garbo, unlike most men in her life. Again there is speculation of a proposal, that was somewhat hindered by the fact Schlee was already married to Garbo's dress designer. This elaborate mengage a trois, remained ammicable until Schlee's death in 1964 (below shortly before his death). After which his wife Valentina and Garbo remained cold and bitter towards each other.
                                                             

 Garbo would in later life refer to her famous line "I want to be alone.", by saying "I never said, ‘I want to be alone,'. I only said, ‘I want to be left alone.' In all the world there is a difference.".

 Due to Garbo's own reluctance to play the celebrity game, and open up her personal life to the public, her mystery and enigma has only grown over the years. It begs the question whether she would have been as rich, famous and popular as she was, if she had a less "aloof" personality. There are more contradictions than known facts of how Garbo spent the last fifty years of her life. There are equally just as many curious anecdotes of Garbo's life in Hollywood. In today's world of the modern celebrity, where the world is witness to every aspect of a celebrity's life through countless press interviews and social interaction with their audience with internet tools such as twitter, it seems unlikely that there will ever be another Greta Garbo.

 Garbo died on the 15th of April 1990, she was 84 years old. The picture above was taken 4 days before she died, as she was being taken to hospital. Despite not having worked for 50 years, she died a wealthy woman, through wise property investment, as well as an impressive art collection including Picassos. She had always lived a life of frugality, and left a $32m estate to her neice Grey Reisfeld.