

Life in 1847 Paris is as spirited as champagne and as unforgiving as the gray morning after. In gambling dens and lavish soirees, men of means exert their wills and women turned courtesans exult in pleasure. One such woman is Marguerite Gautier, who begins a sumptuous romance with Armand Duval.
Acting
Garbo's final death scene—acting as exorcism.
Costume
Adrian's gowns: tuberculosis never looked so expensive.
Direction
Cukor crafts intimacy in cavernous sets.

Director
George Cukor
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Garbo insisted on filming the death scene last, then refused to leave her trailer for hours after wrapping, claiming she was 'actually dying.'
This role finally earned Garbo mainstream respect in America after years of 'mysterious Swede' typecasting—she became the definitive Marguerite by simply refusing to be anyone else.