The Savvy Sphinx: How Garbo Conquered Hollywood

Film historian Dance (The Lost World of DeMille) brings the glamour of old Hollywood to the page in this extensive look at the life and career of Greta Garbo (1905–1990). Born Greta Gustafsson in Stockholm, the actor had a modest childhood during which she slept in the kitchen of her parents’ apartment with her older sister and started working as a shop assistant at a department store at the age of 14 to help provide for her family. Despite her humble beginnings, Dance writes, Garbo’s “financial acumen and business sense” helped her move from modeling hats in an industrial short for the store she worked at to signing a three-year contract with MGM at 19. Despite her oft-repetative roles (usually the infidel wife) and her unusual distaste for “prying questions and flashing bulbs,” Garbo gained the admiration of her audience through ambition and “inscrutable silence.” She was one of the few actors of her time who secured an advantageous contract that gave her some measure of control over films, costars, and crew. While readers may wish for more details on Garbo’s private life, Dance’s examination of her film work and the ins and outs of her rise to fame is full of color. This entertaining behind-the-scenes look at the making of an icon makes for a fascinating snapshot of the era. (Nov.)