“Garbo Talks!”, the marketing for Anna Christie breathlessly proclaimed, following her rise to stardom over the previous few years in silent films. Like Dietrich, Garbo had concerns over her accent, and held out as long as possible before it became clear that talkies were not just a fad. In the end, her fears were for nothing, as the film was one of the year’s highest grossing, and her performance received an Oscar nomination. In the titular role, she is a young woman with a troubled past who seeks to reconcile with her seaman father and bring stability to her life.

Notes by Kevin Coyne.

Screening as part of the Dietrich X Garbo Season.