CheerupSilver Very Cool!!!

FeistyUpper If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

Fairaher The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

Haven Kaycee It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film

mmallon4 The costume drama, a genre I struggle with; wealthy, upper-class people with problems and conflicts I just can't summon any interest in. However there is a handful which I do manage to enjoy and Queen Christina is one of them; what is it about Queen Christina which makes it compelling? The craftsmanship of the underappreciated director Rouben Mamoulian is certainly a factor but ultimately I believe it all comes down to the fascinating individual at the center of the film.Queen Christina is the role Greta Garbo was born to play, the androgynous, unconventional Swedish film star as the androgynous, unconventional 17th Century Swedish Queen. Christina is one of the great gender-bending characters in film history, referring to herself in masculine pronouns to having what could be mistaken as the body of a man; just look at those incredibly broad shoulders Garbo possesses when they are exposed. In the opening to Queen Christina her confidant Axel Oxenstierna (Lewis Milestone) speaks of how Christina was brought up as a boy in order to prepare her for the throne. This does raise the question; do positions of power require a sacrifice of feminine virtues? If the role was reversed of a king dressing and living as a woman, just how powerful and noble would such a king come off? Likewise while it is a likely possibility of Christina being bisexual, the girl on girl kiss she shares with Countess Ebba Sparre (Elizabeth Young) never struck me as a particularly romantic kiss and more of a sign of friendship however Christina speaking of the two of them going to the county for three nights would certainly imply otherwise. Yet even if you're the biggest tomboy in the world like Christina, there still exists in her the desire to be a woman with her proclamation to love interest Antonio (John Gilbert) "that it had been so enchanting to be a woman. Not a queen, just a woman in man's arms".The fascinating figure of Queen Christina goes beyond her disregard of social norms. She is a figure of great intellect with her values of personal freedom, the quest for knowledge, self-improvement as well as spending the few spare moments she has reading books ("One can feel nostalgia for places one has never seen" - so true). As a Queen she has a great sense of national pride and has a fierce devotion to the individual citizens of her county; a romanticised depiction of a world leader many of us wish was more of a reality.The one portion of Queen Christina which puts realism to the side is that in which she escapes from her palace to the country in order to get away from the strain of being a ruler. I enjoy the trope of a public figure in power sneaking out disguised as a commoner as seen in films such as Roman Holiday or The Shoes of the Fisherman. What is hard to shallow however is everyone Christina meets on her escapade including future lover Antonio and the alumni of the inn she spends the night mistaking her for a man. I know it was unusual back then for a woman to ride on horseback, carry a sword and pistol and go to a tavern to drink but she still clearly has the face of a woman. Regardless I can overlook this lack of realism as it doesn't impair my enjoyment of the film. John Gilbert shows in Queen Christina that he was an effective presence in talkies (contrary to the popular belief that his failure to make the jump from silent to talkies destroyed his career). I don't find him quite great but he is good enough. After a night of lovemaking with Antonio, Christina compares the experience to how God must have felt when he created the world; yep, she went there. The ending of Queen Christina on the other hand in one which inspires even if everything is not tied up in a neat bow. It is a tragedy in one sense but with one of the greatest uses of close up in film history of Garbo's expressionless face looking out to sea, the viewer gets to write their own ending.

LeonLouisRicci Greta Garbo Fans Love this Movie and it is Routinely Mentioned as One of Her Best. It is a Mesmerizing Performance and She Dominates the Screen in All Her Scenes. The Film Looks Extraordinary and Ahead of its Time Thanks to the Director's Keen Eye and Playful Style. It is One of those Period Costume Films that Most Times Linger on the Sets and Wardrobe to Boring Distraction, but not here.The Film is Haunting and Enjoyable in the Best Movie Tradition Combining all the Elements into a Seamless Entertainment that has Staying Power and Charisma. Garbo is the Star and all the Trimmings are Laid Upon Her with an Ease of Production. Her Co-Star John Gilbert seems to be in Awe of the Actress as is the Audience.The Much Talked About Bedroom Scene and Christina's Memorizing is a Metaphor for the Euphoria and Only Secondarily an Exercise. When She Opines about God and how He must have Felt after Creation it is Obvious She has had what now would be Called a Transcendental Encounter and has Become One with the Inanimate.Thus is the Motivation for the Remainder of Her Actions and the Romanticism is Full Blooded from here on. The Queen/Garbo Androgyny is also Up Front and Adds to the Film's Charm. Overall One of the Best Movies of a Decade Full of Good Movies and if You are New to Garbo there is No Better Place to Start. A Movie that is Unforgettable.

angelofvic If you really want to see Garbo's greatest performance, greatest role, and greatest movie, THIS is it. This movie will delight you thoroughly, tug at your heartstrings, and leave you helplessly bedazzled by the greatest actress of her age.There isn't a false note or wasted moment in this masterpiece of a film. John Gilbert, Garbo's true love in real life, plays her beloved in this movie. Both stars create fireworks and warmth, and both conjure up an unforgettable screen romance.Forget all the slick CGI flicks and the thin, over-hyped blockbusters endlessly served up to audiences today. This movie grabs you from the very first scene, and never lets you go. Garbo's power and presence and brilliant acting dominate the film and make a thrilling story even more memorable.You won't regret watching this film -- I guarantee that!

kyrat A 1933 film set in 1632 and still relevant today.Sadly, a poignant comment on TODAY's politics and wars. Imagine a leader willing to embrace peace, to deal in diplomacy, to realize the not only the financial, but human cost of war!Aside from reading the film as a commentary on today - it's quite good on it's own.I thoroughly enjoyed watching an early portrayal of a strong woman in a leadership role. So refreshing (esp. for the 30's) to seeing a woman refusing to marry, freely taking lovers as she wishes.Garbo is magnificent, so regal so powerful and able to pull off the independent spirit needed for this character (loosely based on the real Queen Christina).It's an interesting study of duty vs. personal needs (better than, but reminding me of Roman Holiday, The Queen).Sure it's not perfect, why do the Swedes sound like drunken American cowboys. How could a Spainard mispronounce the name of Seville? I find it interesting that so many of the characters supposedly find her a young boy simply from her male style of dress. (despite the lipstick & makeup). But these are minor flaws in a great film.*SPOILER*: my only issue is that she's willing to give up her crown to someone she said was simple and warlike. And that Count Magnus is not punished for his actions.