Romance

. . . but as the Good Book says, for women the only operative commandment is "Get thee to a nunnery!" Such is the lesson of ROMANCE. By the time that Tom meets her, Rita is a wilted rose, sniffed by every Curly, Moe and Larry. While C. D.'s (that is, clergy daughters) are notoriously amoral, wild and woolly, rector's wives must be Pillars of Rectitude. Strumpets and pulpits won't mix, no matter how reformed the former has become. While many if not most congregations will tolerate a pastor having a harlot hussy for a mistress, they won't stand for him sporting a jaded Jezebel as his wife, no matter how retired she may be. Rita learns that confession might be good for the soul, but it cannot fill a hole in the sole of your Sunday shoes. So while Tom may score another round of ROMANCE at a reverends' convention, a convent is the fairest fate for which Rita is in contention.

I've never understood why some people are gaga over Greta Garbo. I don't find her the least bit attractive and I'm not impressed with her acting abilities. In this dreadful adaptation of a Broadway play she portrays an Italian opera singer who is scorned by polite society because she's an adulteress (gasp!). Perhaps that gave the film some shock value in 1930 but can you imagine making that the crux of your story today? Garbo delivers her lines with an at times indecipherable accent and in an overdramatic style. I find the sound of her voice really annoying. Lewis Stone once again plays an older man involved with a younger woman (Garbo) and his performance is probably the best thing the film has going for it. Gavin Gordon plays the puritanical clergyman who falls in love with Garbo. If you see the film you'll understand why the rest of his career consisted of secondary roles and bit parts. Perhaps only of interest to Garbo fanatics.

Greta Garbo is Rita, the opera diva. Lewis Stone is Cornelius, who thinks he's in love with Rita. but so are so many others. SO much talking (talkies had just come into being.) it just goes on and on. Many similarities to Grand Hotel... Garbo is the diva, who finds love, but this one moves a lot slower than grand hotel. a very typical, morose, sad, Garbo. Directed by Clarence Brown, who was a force, and also directed the huge 1944 National Velvet. Brown and Garbo were both nominated for oscars. Stone and Garbo were also both in Grand Hotel, the later MGM hit. Good stuff, but watch Grand Hotel instead... so much better. Hotel has Joan Crawford and a bunch of Barrymores.

The script is not so good, and the religious angle is something that the Founding Fathers warned early Americans against in 1776. Yet, here we have Garbo's potential lover "saving souls" as a ruse for loving her. A bad plot that must have arisen from the religious turpitude the writers experienced. Garbo was overly dramatic and gradually learned to tone this down (somewhat).

This film is famous for being the worst Garbo film of all time. Why? Because she throws over a dapper Lewis Stone who really cares about her for a knucklehead preacher who doesn't have a brain in his head. No woman is that dumb. Garbo has to play the hand she has been dealt in this role and she tries her best to convince us that the preacher is THE ONE. I am so sorry, but he couldn't pick up a penny in a penny arcade with his persona. Stone runs circles around him as both an actor and a character. What was she thinking? My girlfriend (who almost never agrees with me on soaps, agreed with me 100% on this one. Stay away unless a Garbo fanatic.

The great Greta Garbo in live with THIS guy??? Not a chance. Completely mismatched lovers in a sanctimonious love story. No disrespect but Gordon is totally wrong in this part. The story is just so-so. Lewis Stone is wonderful, as usual and Garbo is a delight. She plays a charming woman and displays quite a bit of humour in her second talkie.

Romance is a very simple movie with nearly no plot twists, yet it is the basic romance from which we derive all our contemporary romances with. Forbidden love tries to take a role in this film, but does not exactly succeed. The cinematography is simply "mahvelous" for 1930, and Greta Garbo is stunning! She is the lady of the 1930s. The male leads are not as strong as Garbo, but what male lead ever will? The dialogue at times is weak, but for the most part fairly enjoyable. A great example of early romances! A must-see!