Review of The Temptress (1926) by Veronique K — 11 Aug 2008

"the temptress" is greta garbo's first american movie which sets off her iconic image of silent vamp in united states. garbo's insoucient manners have some tint of ethereal melancholy which fundamentalizes her tragic diva status, anchored by a thick aura of fatalistic helplessness as lovers're always doomed to aching love without eternality in her screen romances.

Garbo plays the tempress who is a dame philandered by her spineless husband to pay debts. then she falls heads over heels in love with a handsome stranger in a flowery garden under the silvery stars. then next day her lover discovers her despicable infidelity as the traded woman, so he departs with loathing hatred. but destiny leads her again to his side and she still captivates everyman under her spell with her striking beauty. however, wherever she arrives, fatal ruin befalls upon men as helen could wreck troy despite her eyes only cast upon one man who despises her.

"the temptress" is a great exemplification of the intimidating empowerment of feminine allure as men fear women's charm since bible depicts dalliah betrays samson, also as adolescent boys scare to be devoured by the virgina vendetta. (pardon.) woman descends as the fault-blamer who catalysizes doom with misogynistic distrust. somehow female remains as the reluctant puppet of karma with irrevalent detachment as men bleeds to vie for her one sensuous regard. inevitably the female's got to commit an extrene masochistic deed to redeem herself and the sacredness of her love to the man as he collapses under her skirt.

Garbo shall be the otherworldly incarnation of femme fatale, and her sultriness is never so evident as in "the tempress", clouded with a mythical fable-alike atmosphere as the backset is filled with expressionistic sceneric art. in her state of "silentness", garbo's sensuality is shredded with intense enigma as if you're observing a mythological tale with ideological archetypes.

The essence of woman's genuine fairness is as fragile as flower, you wanna pluck the blossom then after inhaling its fragrance, you secretly wish to tramp it beneath your feet, so transiet so vulnerable. the pinnacle of tragic aesthetism could only be accomplished as the female protagonost selects the path of self-ruin to gratify your appetite for destruction.

Melodramaticity, indeed. as wordsworth remarks that poetry is the overflown state of emotions as one smolders in his maxium of sentimentality. (correct me if I quote it wrong). the carthesis is enlightened as the audience escalates into the pitch of drastic plot twists. that was cinema or entertainment in old days, a form of extinguished art.