Popular monarch Queen Christina of Sweden must choose between love and loyalty to her nation when she unexpectedly falls for a Spanish envoy.
Acting
Garbo's final shot: 3 minutes of silent transcendence
Costume
Trousers, doublets, and a death-black finale gown
Direction
Mamoulian's eroticized camera worships Garbo's face
Director
Rouben Mamoulian
Greta Garbo
Christina
John Gilbert
Antonio
Ian Keith
Magnus
Lewis Stone
Oxenstierna
Elizabeth Young
Ebba
C. Aubrey Smith
Aage
Reginald Owen
Charles
David Torrence
Archbishop
Gustav von Seyffertitz
The General
Georges Renavent
French Ambassador
Ferdinand Munier
Innkeeper
Richard Alexander
Peasant in Crowd (uncredited)
Hooper Atchley
Antonio's Companion in Coach (uncredited)
Barbara Barondess
Elsa (uncredited)
Wade Boteler
Magnus' Rabble Rouser (uncredited)
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Garbo and Gilbert were real-life ex-lovers; their reunion here was deliberately engineered by MGM. The tension is palpable.
The real Christina abdicated, converted to Catholicism, and lived extravagantly in Rome — the film invents Antonio entirely. Historical bisexuality? Erased.
No ratings yet
Sign in to join the discussion — comments are spoiler-gated to your watch progress.
Discussion starters
US
