Queen Christina (1933)

Director:

Rouben Mamoulian

Writers:

H.M. Harwood (screenplay) and
Salka Viertel (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

9 February 1934 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | History | Romance | War

Plot:

Queen Christina of Sweden is a dominant European ruler in the 17th century, and has never thought of romance...

Plot Keywords:

Queen | Cross Dressing | Marriage Proposal | Rumor | Snowing

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Greta Garbo	...	Queen Christina
John Gilbert	...	Antonio
Ian Keith	...	Magnus
Lewis Stone	...	Oxenstierna
Elizabeth Young	...	Ebba
C. Aubrey Smith	...	Aage
Reginald Owen	...	Charles
Georges Renavent	...	French Ambassador
David Torrence	...	Archbishop
Gustav von Seyffertitz	...	General (as Gustav Von Seyffertitz)
Ferdinand Munier	...	Innkeeper
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Richard Alexander	...	Peasant in Crowd (uncredited)
Hooper Atchley	...	Antonio's Companion in Coach (uncredited)
Barbara Barondess	...	Elsa (uncredited)
Wade Boteler	...	Magnus' Rabble Rouser (uncredited)
James Burke	...	Blacksmith - 4th Rabble Rouser (uncredited)
Cora Sue Collins	...	Christina as a Child (uncredited)
Muriel Evans	...	Barmaid at Inn (uncredited)
Edward Gargan	...	Drinker Betting on 9 (uncredited)
Sam Harris	...	Nobleman (uncredited)
Paul Hurst	...	Swedish Soldier Betting on 6 (uncredited)
Gladden James	...	3rd Rabble Rouser (uncredited)
Fred Kohler	...	Member of the Court at Abdication (uncredited)
Frank McGlynn Jr.	...	2nd Rabble Rouser (uncredited)
Edward Norris	...	Count Jacob (uncredited)
Bodil Rosing	...	Innkeeper's Wife (uncredited)
Tiny Sandford	...	Cook at the Inn (uncredited)
C. Montague Shaw	...	King Gustavus Adolphus (uncredited) (unconfirmed)
Akim Tamiroff	...	Pedro (uncredited)

Directed by
Rouben Mamoulian

Writing credits
H.M. Harwood		(screenplay) and
Salka Viertel		(screenplay)
Salka Viertel		(original story) and
Margaret P. Levino		(original story)
S.N. Behrman		(dialogue)
Ben Hecht		uncredited

Produced by
Walter Wanger	....	producer

Original Music by
Herbert Stothart		(musical score)

Cinematography by
William H. Daniels		(as William Daniels)

Film Editing by
Blanche Sewell

Production Design by
Edgar G. Ulmer		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
Alexander Toluboff

Costume Design by
Adrian		(gowns)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Charles Dorian	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Edwin B. Willis	....	interior decorator

Sound Department
Douglas Shearer	....	recording director
Art Wilson	....	sound mixer (uncredited)

Stunts
Harry Froboess	....	stunts (uncredited)
Audrey Scott	....	riding double: Greta Garbo (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Milton Brown	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Music Department
Maurice De Packh	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Herbert Stothart	....	conductor (uncredited)

Other crew
Fred Cavens	....	stager: sword fight (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (controlled by Loew's Incorporated)

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1933) (USA) (theatrical)
• Loew's (1933) (USA) (theatrical) (uncredited)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical) (35mm print)
• Continental Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• United Costumers Inc.  costumes supplied by (uncredited)

Also Known As:

Königin Christine (Austria) (Germany) [de]
Christina (Sweden) [sv]
Dronning Christina (Denmark) [da]
Drottning Kristina (Sweden) [sv]
Ha-Malka Christina (Israel: Hebrew title) [iw]
Kuningatar Kristiina (Finland) [fi]
La regina Cristina (Italy) [it]
La reina Cristina (Venezuela) [es]
La reina Cristina de Suecia (Spain) [es]
La reine Christine (Belgium: French title) [fr]
Raínha Cristina (Portugal) [pt]
Rainha Christina (Brazil) [pt]
Rainha Cristina (Brazil) [pt]
Vasilissa Hristina (Greece) [el]

Runtime:

99 min (Turner library print)

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:G (TV rating) | Sweden:11 (re-rating) (1964) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | USA:TV-G (TV rating) | Australia:PG | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved | UK:U (re-rating) (2005) (uncut) | UK:U (re-rating) (2005)

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

Lawrence Grant is in studio records/casting call lists as a cast member, but he did not appear or was not identifiable in the movie. C. Henry Gordon was announced as a cast member, and Edward Cooper was listed as a cast member in a contemporary Hollywood Reporter news item, but neither appeared to be in the film. However, recognition of actors was difficult because of period makeup.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Christina's musket pistol did not make a cloud of smoke.

Quotes:

Antonio: There's a mystery in you.
Queen Christina: Is there not in every human being?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Titanic (1997)

Nobility and Magnificence

Garbo is nothing less than magnificent as Queen Christina, speaking her lines with the power of a Luther or Mark Antony. This film is stunning and a revelation. Lewis Stone and C.Aubrey Smith play her stalwart supporters with their usual competence. The beautiful direction of Mamoulian gives us the memory of the unforgettable visage of Garbo, transcending by far the saccharine looks of most of the modern imposters called stars.Feeling? This movie has it in spades. A crowning achievement in cinema, an unforgettable film.