Anna Christie

Plot

After fifteen years of separation, the world-weary Anna Christie returns to New York to reunite with her estranged father, Chris, a coal barge captain who believes she has been living a virtuous life on a Minnesota farm. In reality, Anna has endured a harrowing past of abuse and forced prostitution, seeking refuge in the father who abandoned her to relatives as a child. While living on her father's barge, they rescue a brawny sailor named Matt Burke from a shipwreck, and a passionate but volatile romance blossoms between him and Anna. Haunted by her secrets and the 'old devil sea' that her father blames for all his misfortunes, Anna is eventually forced to confront both men with the brutal truth of her past in a desperate bid for honesty and redemption. The film concludes with a tentative hope as Matt and Chris, despite their initial shock and puritanical judgment, ultimately choose to accept Anna for who she is.

Historical Background

Released in 1930, 'Anna Christie' arrived at the height of the 'Talkie Revolution' when many silent stars were seeing their careers end due to unsuitable voices. It was also a 'Pre-Code' film, made before the strict enforcement of the Motion Picture Production Code in 1934. This allowed the film to deal directly with mature themes like prostitution, alcoholism, and sexual assault—topics that would have been heavily censored or banned just a few years later. The film reflects the gritty realism of the Great Depression era, focusing on the struggles of the working class and the marginalized.

Making Of

The transition to sound was a period of high anxiety in Hollywood, and MGM treated Garbo's debut with extreme caution. Director Clarence Brown, a favorite of Garbo's, was chosen to ensure she felt comfortable on set. During production, co-star Charles Bickford recalled a lighthearted moment where he chased Garbo to her dressing room; when he apologized, she famously replied, 'My mistake. I thought you were a rabbit.' The production utilized a relatively static camera, a common limitation of early sound equipment which required actors to stay near hidden microphones, contributing to the film's 'stagey' feel. Despite these technical hurdles, the chemistry between Garbo and Marie Dressler in the opening bar scene was captured in just a few takes, creating one of the most praised sequences in early sound cinema.

Visual Style

Photographed by William H. Daniels, Garbo's preferred cinematographer, the film uses soft lighting and heavy fog effects to create a moody, atmospheric waterfront environment. While the camera movement is limited by early sound technology, Daniels utilized 'Rembrandt lighting' to emphasize Garbo's features, maintaining the ethereal quality she had in her silent films while grounding her in a more realistic, gritty setting.

Innovations

The film is a notable example of early sound synchronization and the 'multiple-language version' (MLV) production strategy. Before dubbing was perfected, MGM filmed the English and German versions back-to-back on the same sets to maximize efficiency. It also demonstrated the effective use of 'off-screen' sound to build tension before a character's entrance.

Music

The film features a minimal musical score, typical of early sound films which relied heavily on diegetic sound. The 'soundtrack' is primarily defined by the ambient noises of the New York waterfront—foghorns, lapping water, and the clatter of the docks—and, most importantly, the distinctive vocal performances of the cast. Douglas Shearer supervised the recording, ensuring Garbo's low-register voice was captured with clarity.

Memorable Scenes

• The Entrance: After 16 minutes of anticipation, Anna stumbles into the foggy saloon carrying a heavy suitcase and delivers her iconic first line.
• The Confrontation: Anna finally snaps and reveals the truth about the Minnesota farm and the brothel to her father and Matt, shattering their idealized images of her.
• The Bar Scene with Marthy: A poignant and gritty exchange between the young, cynical Anna and the older, alcoholic Marthy, showing a mirror of Anna's potential future.
• The Rescue: A dramatic sequence where Chris and Anna rescue Matt Burke from the wreckage of a boat during a storm.

What Critics Said

At the time of release, critics were enthralled by Garbo's voice, describing it as a 'deep, husky contralto' that perfectly matched her screen persona. Mordaunt Hall of The New York Times praised her for being 'even more interesting through being heard.' Modern critics often find the film's direction 'stagey' and the pacing slow, but they consistently praise the raw, naturalistic performances of Garbo and Marie Dressler, noting that the film's emotional weight still holds up.

What Audiences Thought

Audiences flocked to theaters in record numbers, driven by the intense curiosity to hear Garbo's voice. The film was a massive commercial hit, grossing over $1 million in the US alone—a significant sum during the early Depression. Viewers were reportedly so captivated that many theaters reported silence and held breath during the 16-minute buildup to her first line.

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