The Great Garbo

Would Greta Garbo have become a Hollywood legend if she were breaking into movies today? The actress famously hated publicity; she never signed autographs or answered fan mail, and she refused to sign the publicity contracts movie studios required of more fame-hungry actors. Not exactly fodder for today’s tabloid gossip...

By Ciara LaVelle

August 22, 2013

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Would Greta Garbo have become a Hollywood legend if she were breaking into movies today? The actress famously hated publicity; she never signed autographs or answered fan mail, and she refused to sign the publicity contracts movie studios required of more fame-hungry actors. Not exactly fodder for today’s tabloid gossip machine. Then again, Garbo’s screen presence is intoxicating, even nearly a century after her prime. She was one of the few silent film stars to successfully cross over into “talkies,” and by the time she’d starred in two of her most career-defining roles — the titular starring roles of Queen Christina and Anna Karenina — she ranked among the top-earning film stars in Hollywood. All while keeping her personal life (including, biographers believe, affairs with both women and men) neatly intact. Both films will screen this Tuesday at the Miami Tower (100 SE Second St., Miami), proving that no matter what the time period, Garbo’s performances remain fresh and relevant. The double feature, presented by the Miami Jazz Society, begins at 5 p.m. with a snack and beverage reception. At 6:15 p.m., Queen Christina hits the screen, to be followed at 8 p.m. by Anna Karenina.
Tue., Aug. 27, 5, 6:15 & 8 p.m., 2013

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Ciara LaVelle is New Times' former arts and culture editor. She earned her BS in journalism at Boston University and moved to Florida in 2004. She joined New Times' staff in 2011.

Contact: Ciara LaVelle

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