Review of Anna Christie (1930) by Jeffrey L — 16 Dec 2010

One of the first talkies to come out and the first time Greta Garbo got to speak on camera, Anna Christie remains today as a delightful, vintage classic and showcase for its attractive starâ¦and also gives other actors an ideal chance to showcase their talent.

Taking place primarily on cabins of ships, this one revolves around Annaâ(TM)s return to visit her father whom she has not seen in several years. Both characters have had it rough and have become dependent on alcohol to solve their problems (Annaâ(TM)s career as a prostitute makes her character unstable as ever, needless to say) and her father has experienced just as much turmoil. The two are reunited with sincere gratitude, however, which sets the film off to a more enlightened level. The rest of the film mostly drags, but it is fun to see Annaâ(TM)s journey and the new person she becomes, especially after she finds romance with Charles Bickford.

Those who favor modern films with special effects and high budget cinematography may be let down here as the film is obviously dated, but it is still worth viewing if not just to see how films were done at the time. And imagine how exciting it would be to see people talk on a movie screen for the first time!

Terrific performances also elevate this one to a higher standard, with Marie Dressler (homely but funny) responsible for most of the clever lines. It also is fun to see the old-fashioned styles and experience the cluttered background noise of such an old film. Another version of it was produced in German and features a different supporting cast but the same plot and filming locations. Both versions can be found on the DVD today, so watch each one and decide which one you like better!