A Polish countess is dispatched by her country to become Napoleon Bonaparte's mistress at the urging of Polish leaders, who feel she might influence him to support Polish independence.
Acting
Garbo's face does three acts of tragedy without dialogue.
Production
Lavish MGM sets that probably bankrupted a small nation.
Costume
Adrian's gowns—she suffers beautifully in satin.
Director
Clarence Brown
Greta Garbo
Countess Marie Walewska
Charles Boyer
Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte
Reginald Owen
Tallyrand
Alan Marshal
Capt. d'Ornano
Henry Stephenson
Count Anastas Walewski
Leif Erickson
Paul Lachinski
May Whitty
Laetitia Bonaparte
Maria Ouspenskaya
la Comtesse Pelagia Walewska
C. Henry Gordon
le Prince Poniatowski
Claude Gillingwater
Stephan
Vladimir Sokoloff
Dying soldier
George Houston
Grand Marshal George Duroc
George Davis
Grenadier (uncredited)
Scotty Beckett
Alexandre Walewska (uncredited)
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
This was Garbo's most expensive film and her only box office bomb—audiences wanted her single, not sacrificing for Poland.
US
