Flesh and the Devil
Legend has it that when the two first met on the MGM back-lot, John Gilbert called, "Hello, Greta," to which Greta Garbo coolly responded, "It is Miss Garbo." Immediately smitten by this indifferent Swedish beauty, Gilbert engaged Garbo in a whirlwind romance, much to the delight of the movie-going public and the studio brass.

He gladly introduced her to his business manager, Harry Edington, who thereafter became her salary negotiator. Once was released, the film was so popular that Garbo could almost dictate the terms of her renewed MGM contract. With Edington's help, her salary shot from $600 per week to $2,000 per week, a figure that was contractually bound to triple in three years. Perhaps more significantly, she also gained control over the types of roles she would play in the future. This crucial development enabled her to play something besides man-eating vamps, to cultivate the Garbo mystique, a combination of sultry passion, tender innocence and cool insouciance that has made her a cinematic icon.,When Leo is talking to Felicitas on the bench in the park and tells her that he must go to Africa, the position of the collar of his overcoat repeatedly changes from pulled up to flat.,Pastor Voss: My boy, when the devil cannot reach us through the spirit... he creates a woman beautiful enough to reach us through the flesh.,An alternate ending (included on the "Garbo Silents" DVD release of 2005) continues on from Leo and Ulrich embracing to show Leo deciding to strike up a relationship with Hertha. According to Garbo biographer Barry Paris (speaking on the DVD commentary track), this happy ending was shot by the director under protest.,Edited into Hollywood: The Dream Factory (1972),ATRA
(1926) (uncredited)
Music by William Rose
Lyrics by S.S. Wilson,The chemistry between Greta Garbo and John Gilbert is the highlight of this film and the main reason to watch it. Their loving caresses, deep open mouthed kisses, and the eye contact they make when they're with the other guy in this love triangle (Lars Hanson, who may as well be nameless) all reflect the feelings they had off the screen as well. Garbo is a master at mesmerizing little gestures, such as the way she holds the cigarette in her mouth in the scene that includes the line "You know... when you blow out the match... that's an invitation to kiss you...?" Gilbert is strong as well, and shows more range here than usual (among other things, I loved how he acted during that duel). Lastly, while all eyes are on Garbo, I was drawn to diminutive Barbara Kent (4'11"), whose character is also certainly more endearing.

Unfortunately, the film is saddled with the whole woman as satanic temptress thing, punctuated by a fire and brimstone sermon that quotes scripture in case we don't get it. If you look closely, you'll notice that the pastor has a cigarette holder that features a figurine of reclining woman showing off her shapely legs, a small moment that shows his hypocrisy in an otherwise very moralistic tale. The film also needed editing - it spends too much time on silly scenes early on (e.g. showing long nonsensical words in "German", military formations, weak jokes with a pair of twins, etc), and overall should have been about a half hour shorter. Lastly, the story is a little hokey even for a melodrama, for example, it seemed odd that the blood brothers wouldn't communicate better while one of them went away, and the ending is silly too. All of this takes away from the magic of Garbo/Gilbert, but there's enough of that to make it worth watching nonetheless.,