In 1969, the BBC scored a coup. The network tapped none other than Joan Crawford, one of the largest (or larger-than-life) film legends to narrate a documentary — which the U.K.’s BBC Four is now unearthing on August 14 and 15 — about the largest legend of them all: Greta Garbo. Both stars had been under contract at MGM back in the ’20s and ’30s, during the heights of the studio system as well as that patricular studio. The two icons, however, barely crossed paths.
Garbo — an infamous recluse until her dying day — didn’t socialize with her fellow actors. Personal appearances were off the table and, even though she co-starred with Crawford in 1932’s Oscar-winning “Grand Hotel,” the two didn’t share any scenes. MGM actually had to composite a cast photo to make it appear like Garbo was ever in the room with more people than absolutely necessary:
On the set of 1932’s ‘Grand Hotel’ (from left): Lewis Stone, Lionel Barrymore, Wallace Beery, Joan Crawford, a cardboard cutout of Greta Garbo, John Barrymore, and Jean HersholtEverett Collection / Everett Collection
Crawford talked about Garbo a few times, though, and her description of their brief meetings made it seem like Crawford rarely got in more than a greeting. Yet Crawford remained in awe of Garbo’s famous magnetism.
So I suppose it makes sense that the BBC doc “Garbo, By Joan Crawford” exists as an incredible cultural rarity. Its precise broadcast history is a little hazy, though the BBC lists it as having premiered November 11, 1969. (IMDb says it aired three days earlier in the U.S., although 154 users have somehow erroneously rated it as only 2.7/10 so I’m not sure what to trust over there.)
Thankfully, the YouTube page The Concluding Chapter of Crawford somehow obtained and uploaded a copy of the rarely screened documentary eight years ago, listed below. It’s in rough shape, and the timecode is visible. But what a time capsule. Consider Crawford’s characteristically posh introduction, spoken directly to camera as Crawford herself is spectacularly coiffed and bejeweled:
“When a queen gives up her throne, she becomes a private person,” she says. “She frees herself from all the myths and legends that burden majesty, she gradually passes into history.”
(The drama and its meta interpretation almost make it seem like she’s foretelling her own passing into myth just a few years later.) Crawford continues:
“But a film star like Greta Garbo finds that her stardom will not let people forget that, though Garbo still turns deaf ears to the millions of people who entreat her to return to the screen, she has more substance than a memory. Garbo herself is ageless. The great romantic films she made are rediscovered by each new generation, and her spell has lost none of its power as Hollywood’s greatest star. No one ever created such an impression as a woman. No one ever tempted so many people to try to penetrate her mystery.”
In classic film circles, this austere description is not unlike how others discuss Garbo. Among the Old Hollywood set, Garbo was often spoken about in such terms — including by Crawford’s supposed nemesis Bette Davis, who said of the “Camille” actress, “Her instinct, her mastery over the machine, was pure witchcraft. I cannot analyze this woman’s acting. I only know that no one else so effectively worked in front of a camera.”
The Swedish Garbo, who only learned English after securing a contract with MGM and moving to Hollywood in 1925, was certainly an enigma. After a series of silents, often opposite her occasional real-life lover John Gilbert, Garbo successfully transitioned to sound with her indelible, husky accent, becoming synonymous with her line, “I want to be alone,” first spoken in “Grand Hotel” and then often referenced in her succeeding work — including memorably in her first comedy, 1939’s “Ninotchka.”
When she retired in 1941, Garbo settled in New York City and, despite occasionally flirtations, never returned to Hollywood. Spotting her on her lengthy daily walks through Manhattan became such a sport that a 1984 film made the pursuit its central plot: “Garbo Talks.”
Garbo did write many letters throughout her lifetime, many of which were auctioned in 2019. One in particular from 1937 painted an isolated portrait of the star: “It is hard and sad to be alone, but sometimes it’s even more difficult to be with someone… When we are here on Earth it would be so much more kind if for this short time we would be forever strong and young. I wonder why God preferred it this way… somewhere in this world are a few beings who do not have it as we have, of that I am certain. And if I would stop making film I could go and see if I could find out a little about it.”
Crawford herself would, ironically, end her life as a NYC recluse. After spotting a press photo in a newspaper that she found unflattering in 1974, Crawford stopped making appearances. She died in 1977. Her own legend would be forever intermingled with her daughter Christina’s tell-all book “Mommie Dearest” and Faye Dunaway’s unrestrained portrayal in the ensuing 1981 film adaptation — though there have been recent attempts (like Ryan Murphy’s “Feud”) to better contextualize the Oscar-winning “Mildred Pierce” star.
That these legends would almost cross paths on film in “Grand Hotel” is an exciting enough historical anomaly. That an entire hour-long documentary exists where one waxes on about the other? That is simply divine.
“Garbo, by Joan Crawford” will air August 14 and August 15 on BBC Four in the U.K. Let’s hope this will help facilitate a higher-quality streaming copy, but for now, revel in its glory here:
