"QUEEN CHRISTINA"

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21640, 4 November 1933, Page 10 (Supplement)

"QUEEN CHRISTINA"

DEFIANCE OF CONVENTION

A LITTLE-KNOWN PERIOD Invasion of an unusual historical period is being undertaken in " Queen Christina."' in which Greta Garbo is the principal. With Rouben Mamoulian as director, the production of this story of a convention-defying Swedish queen amounts to a veritable exploration of a new world of the costume drama. The film, now before the cameras, is to bring the mystery star back to the screen after an absence of more than a year, and consequently is receiving the maximum of care in its filming. " Without Garbo it would be almost impossible to imagine a visualisation of Queen Christina in motion pictures,'" Mnmoulian declared recently. " The role, I feel, will be ideal for her, and the entire presentation will become attractive because of her presence. Queen Christina was far in advance of the time in which she lived —a woman modern in her daring and disregard of the familiar tradtions of the period—a ■woman above all courageous and independent. " The seventeenth-century age in "which she lived is not natively attractive in a pictorial way, and consequently vre have had to make certain compromises in the treatment of costumes, manners and customs. It was a time especially of long-haired and slightly ungainly looking men, the dress inclining to emphasise their unattractiTeness.

""We have overcome this handicap by modifying the costumes to some extent, but more particularly, perhaps, by shortening the manes which they wore. The result will be far more appealing, I believe, than if we had not

taken the modern viewpoint into account and sought diligently to avoid the grotesque. " To the reader of history the most interesting part of Queen Christina's career is after she surrendered the throne and spent her time away from her native land. Her life from this point on was extremely colourful, but because of its episodic character would not lend itself so well to dramatic treatment. " It furthermore has become necessary in the film to introduce a strong romantic element, which could best be built up by climaxing with her abdication, and suggesting that this action was taken because of the Queen's love for an individual, implying judiciously that she sacrificed the throne for romance. " Beyond this, we must rely on the accuracy am! effectiveness of acting and cluiracterisntion to bring out the personality of this famed Swedish monarch, and Garbo's eminent suitability to the r'Je will, 1 believe, assure the utmost of conviction in presenting a Christina who will lie understood, who will be as -historically true as possible, and also have great appeal to picture audiences.' 1 Portrayal of Queen Christina has long been a dream and ambition of Greta Garho. and it was her oersonnl desire to make her return to the films in the historic drama of her life. Mamoulian was encased to dirtjet the nr-ture right after he had eomoleted " The Song of with Marlene Dietrich, who has often been referred to as a Garbo rival. "Queen Christina" is the first historical spectacle that be lias directed for the Ecreen.