| Queen Christina | |
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Theatrical release poster |
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| Directed by | Rouben Mamoulian |
| Produced by | Walter Wanger |
| Written by | Story: Salka Viertel Margaret P. Levino Screnplay: H. M. Harwood Salka Viertel S. N. Behrman (dialogue) |
| Starring | Greta Garbo John Gilbert |
| Music by | Herbert Stothart |
| Cinematography | William H. Daniels |
| Editing by | Blanche Sewell |
| Distributed by | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
| Release date(s) | December 26, 1933 (US) |
| Running time | 97 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $1,114,000 (est.) |
| Box office | $2,610,000 (world) |
Queen Christina is a Pre-Code Hollywood feature film loosely based on the life of 17th century Queen Christina of Sweden, produced in 1933, directed by Rouben Mamoulian,[1] starring Swedish-born actress Greta Garbo, John Gilbert, Ian Keith and Lewis Stone.[2][3] It was billed as Garbo's return to cinema after an eighteen-month hiatus. The film was written by H. M. Harwood and Salka Viertel, with dialogue by S. N. Behrman, based on a story by Salka Viertel and Margaret P. Levino.
In this historical fiction account, Queen Christina of Sweden falls in love during her reign but has to deal with the political realities of her society. In real life, Christina's main reason for abdication was her conversion to Catholicism.
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Queen Christina of Sweden (Greta Garbo) is very devoted to her country and the welfare of her people. As Queen, Christina favours peace for Sweden. At one point in the film she argues for an end to the Thirty Years' War, saying:
"Spoils, glory, flags and trumpets! What is behind these high-sounding words? Death and destruction, triumphals of crippled men, Sweden victorious in a ravaged Europe, an island in a dead sea. I tell you, I want no more of it. I want for my people security and happiness. I want to cultivate the arts of peace, the arts of life. I want peace and peace I will have!"
Christina, who first took the throne at age 6 upon the death of her father in battle, is depicted as so devoted to both governing well and educating herself that she has spurned any kind of serious romance or marriage despite pressures from her councilors and court to marry her hero-cousin Karl Gustav (Reginald Owen) and produce an heir. One day, in an effort to escape the restrictions of her royal life, she sneaks out of town, disguised as a man, and ends up snowbound at an inn, where she has to share a bed with also stranded Spanish envoy Antonio (John Gilbert) on his way to the capital. After befriending, and upon revealing that she is a woman, then sharing the same bed, the two fall in love, however she still has not revealed that she is the queen. After a few idyllic nights together, Christina and Antonio are compelled to part, but Christina promises to find him in Stockholm – which she does, when the Spaniard presents his embassy to the Queen, whom he recognises as his lover.
When Count Magnus (Ian Keith), who wants the Queen's affections for his own, riles up the people against the Spaniard, Christina abdicates the throne, nominating her groom Karl Gustav as her successor while declining to marry him. She leaves Sweden to catch up with Don Antonio who has just been deported to the neighbouring country, but she finds him gravely wounded from a swords duel he had with Magnus, which he lost, and he dies in her arms. She resolves to proceed with her voyage to Spain where she envisions residing in Antonio's home on the white cliffs overlooking the sea. And, in arguably the most famous shot of the film, its ending, 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 in to a tight close-up on her face.
The film received good reviews from contemporary film critics.
Critic Mordaunt Hall, writing for The New York Times, gave the film a positive review and liked the screenplay and Mamoulian's direction of the film. He wrote, "S. N. Behrman, the playwright, is responsible for the dialogue, which is a bright and smooth piece of writing, and Rouben Mamoulian did the direction. Mr. Mamoulian still has a penchant for asking the audience to fasten their gaze on his work with lights and shades rather than continuing the story, but here he does it less frequently than hitherto, and his scenes are, without a doubt, entrancing compositions."[4]
Currently, the film has a 100% "Fresh" rating at Rotten Tomatoes, based on ten reviews.[5]
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