Not CAMILLE, not ANNA KARENINA, not NINOTCHKA... nope, MATA HARI was the most financially succesful of Greta Garbo's films. Maybe it's success was due to Mata Hari's execution taking place only 14 years before so she was still in the public's memory.
Despite a running time of only 89 minutes, George Fitzmaurice's film feels heavy-handed. Garbo is as watchable as ever but her trademark rueful half-smile and raised eyebow are over-used.
The love scenes never feel believable with Swedish Garbo playing Dutch Mata Hari and Mexican Ramon Navarro as her devoted Russian air pilot, while Lionel Barrymore chews the opulent scenery.
This was the second attempt at filming her story followed by later star vehicles for Jeanne Moreau and Sylvia Kristel, none of which seemed bothered with the true story of the hapless Margarethe Zella.
Whenever Lewis Stone's treacherous German spymaster appears, the film shows it's potential.
Shelf or charity shop? A tentative keeper for Garbo - remarkable to think she was only 26 when she filmed MATA HARI as she seems to act so effortlessly - and the outlandish costumes by MGM costume supremo Adrian. A skull-cap to match each frock, heavily-beaded backless costumes, huge sable collar coats. velvet emboidered outfits with matching boots, skimpy Javanese dancing costumes... I wonder if any survive?
