Ask how many people in Sweden, bearing the name "Gustafsson," is as meaningless and absurd lesson as to wonder how many Russian lives Ivanov - a lot of them. Therefore, when in September 1905 in the family of Stockholm poor Karl and Anna Gustafsson was born a girl named Greta Lovisa, of course, no one could have thought to admit that was born one of the greatest stars of world cinema, one of the women who symbolize the XX century. Maybe it sustained in the best traditions of "Hollywood Dream" story (which in Russian is called "from rags to riches") already tired and it seems implausible, but Greta Gustafsson, it has a direct relationship.

When she was 13 years old, her father died and the family is on the verge of poverty. So at Greta perforce responsibility to earn a living. Which she does, working first as a cleaner in a barbershop, then a bank clerk and then settling into one of the largest department stores Stockholm.

Here, in 1920, fate makes the first turn of his magic wheel: shop owner wanted a listing of the new collection of hats and he decided to use as a model pretty saleswomen. Needless to say that the most charming, the most photogenic, most natural in the frame was Greta Gustafsson? She was advised to try yourself as a model for advertising and movie clips in 1921 Greta debut in the movie "How not to dress." Her career as an advertising model is thriving in the end one of the promotional role even brings her a kind of grant - paid training course in acting studio at the Royal Dramatic Theatre in Stockholm.

The second turn of the magic wheel of fate: a cute and catchy girl was invited to the cinema. Moreover, if the first film she plays in the episodes, and in supporting roles, in films directed by Maurice Stiller that professional flair caught the talent of actress Greta comes to the fore. The first such band was the film adaptation won the Nobel Prize novel "The Saga of Yeste Berling," published in 1924. By the way, then Greta came alias "Garbo": its origin still argue, but the most plausible version is the one by which he came up with Stiller, rightly considered that the surname "Gustafsson" not too original for movie stars.

Whatever it was, but the newly formed Garbo almost immediately became an idol for the whole population of Sweden, and after next year Stiller movie "joyless lane" and began to take Europe-wide fame. After that, representatives of the studio Metro Goldwyn Mayer invited Moritz Stiller and his protégé to America to try to conquer the American Film Market.

However, to say that in America Stiller and Garbo were waiting with open arms and carpets, it is impossible - for the brothers Meyer director and actress from Sweden were only one of many options to strengthen its position in the movie business. In a relationship with Stiller kinobossami just went wrong too, and about Garbo and almost completely forgotten. Maybe she was not able to conquer Hollywood, but the performer of one of the main roles in the film "Flow" ill just before the shooting and producers hastily approved in its place "Swedish redneck." Shown in US theaters in 1926, the painting created a furor: the audience was fascinated by the magnificent Greta Garbo.

Majori brothers realized that the need to strike while the iron is hot, especially with Garbo signed contract allows them to do so for several years, almost nothing. There were also taken a few pictures, a special success accompanied the two of them, "Flesh and the Devil" and "Love." Partner in these films Garbo John Gilbert was one of the most famous actors of "silent film" 1920. The love between the actors was not only on the screen: in 1928, Gilbert made Greta marriage proposal that took the actress. However, a grand wedding appeared upset Garbo literally ran away from the altar. The most likely reason for this step is called the desire for revenge MGM, wants to use the wedding of two stars for promotional purposes, for the fate of their teacher, Moritz Stiller, who with nothing returned to Sweden and soon died.

Greta Garbo, who became the most mysterious Hollywood movie star (after the first successes she chose "non-starred" style of public behavior - no interviews, signings, visits to the premieres and banquets), gradually began to dictate its terms. Her favorite weapon was the phrase, "I think I'm going back to Sweden", after which the producers agreed on new concessions. As a result, in the early 30s Garbo took the unprecedented situation - in addition to the huge fees it received the right to choose the most scripts, directors and partners of the films. By the way, Greta has become one of the few stars of "silent" film, safely passed into cinema sound - the success of films "Anna Christie," "Grand Hotel", "Queen Christina," "Anna Karenina," "Nina" is an eloquent proof of that.

However, Greta Garbo was the real, not invented for advertising purposes "female mystery" - in 1941, at age 36, after a contract with Warner Bros., and attempts to start a conversation about a new agreement, she said that she wanted to be alone and so it did not bother. Thus, one of the most popular women in the world she interrupted his brilliant career, the more it never acted.

Further life shrouded polulegendami Greta Garbo. Because of recently declassified archives it learned that Garbo was playing an active role in the creation of anti-fascist coalition intelligence network in Scandinavia and helped escape a nuclear physicist Niels Bohr in America and the rescue of many Jews living in Denmark. It is known that after the war and until his death Garbo lived under an assumed name in a New York hotel, carefully concealing their lives and communicating with only a very narrow circle of people. It is known that in the late 1940s, she had an affair with a famous British artist and photographer Cecil Beaton, but she had never been married. It is known that after the death of Greta Garbo (April 1990), all its state in more than $ 30 million bequest to the departed only niece. Here, in fact, everything that we do know about the life of one of the greatest actresses in history. Swedish Riddle of the Sphinx had not anticipated.

  Alexander Babitsky

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