(Review originally written at 23 May 2008)
Basically Garbo is still the only reason why I still like this very heavy handed melodramatic movie.
"Camille" is a movie about the all old themes love and death. The one moment it's happy and the world is a wonderful place, while the other life is depression is it ever could become. It's an movie with constantly changing dramatic moods and tones in the movie, which just becomes a bit too much for me after a while. I can handle and appreciate heavy dramas but when it's being overly melodramatic it becomes more of an annoyance to me, also since it starts making more and more a staged impression.
It's a fine looking movie with its sets and costumes and George Cukor of course is more than a capable director. So basically it's a very well made movie but it's story and the way it progressed made me not really like this movie.
I guess it's a good story on its own right though, also since there are a total of 47 movie versions based on the novel and play "La dame aux camélias" by Alexandre Dumas fils, which is more than any other novel I have ever heard of.
It might very well be true that this movie features Greta Garbo's finest performance. It was also her personal personal favorite one. She plays her role with both class and emotion and above all keeps her role real and humane. The best and most powerful and classic moments of the movie all feature her. Her acting still makes this movie worthwhile and an interestingly watchable one.
Watch it for Garbo.
6/10
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