Queen Christina (film)
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Queen Christina is a pre-Code Hollywood biographical film, produced for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1933 by Walter Wanger and directed by Rouben Mamoulian. It stars Swedish-born actress Greta Garbo and John Gilbert in their fourth and last film together.
The film portrays the life of Queen Christina of Sweden, who became monarch at the age of six in 1632 and grew to be a powerful and influential leader. As well as coping with the demands of ruling Sweden during the Thirty Years' War, Christina is expected to marry a suitable royal figure and produce an heir. When she falls in love with a visiting Spanish envoy, whom she is forbidden to marry because he is a Roman Catholic, she must choose between love and her royal duty.
The film was a major commercial and critical success in the United States and worldwide.
Plot
Queen Christina of Sweden (Greta Garbo) is very devoted to her country and the welfare of her people. As queen, she favors peace for Sweden and argues convincingly 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 six upon the death of her father in battle, is depicted as being so devoted to both governing well and educating herself that she has spurned any kind of serious romance or marriage, despite pressure from her councilors and court to marry her heroic 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 and ends up at the same inn as Antonio (John Gilbert), a Spanish envoy on his way to the capital. The two talk and become friends, though Antonio thinks Christine is a man because of the way she is dressed. When the innkeeper, who is also unaware of Christine's identity, asks if she will let Antonio share her bed because there is not a room available for him, Christine is unable to come up with a suitable reason to deny the request. In her room, she reveals to Antonio that she is a woman, but not that she is a queen, and they spend the night together. Their tryst is extended by a few days when they become snowbound at the inn.
When the time comes for Christina and Antonio to part, Christina assures Antonio that they will reunite in Stockholm. To his surprise, this occurs when the Spaniard is presented to the Queen, who he recognizes as his lover. Antonio is initially somewhat hurt and annoyed because he thinks Christina has played a trick on him and compromised his loyalty to the King of Spain, who sent Antonio on this mission to Sweden to present Chrstina with an offer of marriage on his behalf. She makes it clear that her feelings for Antonio are genuine and that she regularly receives such offers from foreign royalty and has no intention of accepting the King's proposal, and she and Antonio patch things up.
When the scheming Count Magnus (Ian Keith), who had previously had some romantic liaisons with the Queen, rouses the people against the Spaniard, Christina is able to ease tensions for a time, but ultimately she decides to name Karl Gustav as her successor and, in a move that shocks the entire court, abdicate the throne to be with Antonio. When she gets to the boat that is to take Antonio and her to Spain, she finds him gravely wounded from a sword duel with Magnus, which he lost. Antonio dies in her arms, but Christina resolves to proceed with the voyage. She envisions residing in the home Antonio described to her as sitting on white cliffs overlooking the sea.
Cast
Template:Col-start Template:Col-break
- Greta Garbo as Christina, Queen of Sweden
- John Gilbert as Antonio Pimentel de Prado
- Ian Keith as Count Magnus Gabriel De la Gardie
- Lewis Stone as Axel Oxenstierna
- Elizabeth Young as Countess Ebba Sparre
- C. Aubrey Smith as Aage
- Reginald Owen as Charles X Gustav of Sweden
- Georges Renavent as Chanut, the French Ambassador
- David Torrence as Archbishop
- Gustav von Seyffertitz as General
- Ferdinand Munier as Innkeeper
Template:Col-break Uncredited Cast
- Cora Sue Collins as Christina as a Child
- C. Montague Shaw as King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden
- Akim Tamiroff as Pedro
- Tiny Sandford as Cook at the Inn
- Bodil Rosing as Innkeeper's Wife
- Muriel Evans as Barmaid at the Inn
- Edward Gargan as Drinker Betting on 9
- Paul Hurst as Swedish Soldier Betting on 6
- Hooper Atchley as Antonio's Companion in Coach
- James Burke as Blacksmith Rabble Rouser
- Wade Boteler as Magnus' Rabble Rouser
- Gladden James as Rabble Rouser
- Richard Alexander as Peasant
- Edward Norris as Count Jacob
- Carrie Daumery as Woman at Court
- Fred Kohler as Member of Court
- Laurence Grant
