When it was learned that Greta Garbo, was cast as a disillusioned prostitute in Anna Christie, even her most devoted admirers were skeptical. Not only was it an unglamorous role for the 24-year-old actress, but it was also to be her first talking picture. Garbo’s answer was to play it with superbly. With her first, and now famous spoken line (“Gimme a whiskey, ginger ale on the side. And don’t be stingy baby”) Garbo conquered the world of sound films. Based on Eugene O’Neill’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play, Garbo gives a fascinating performance as an embittered prostitute who returns home to her father, a barge captain. She finds sympathy in the gruff, but kindly Marthy (Marie Dressler), but when a sailor (Charles Bickford) falls in love with Anna, she is forced to reveal her tarnished past to both him and her father, leading to a riveting climax. Among the Special Features on this new Warner Archive Blu-ray disc is the German-language version of the scenario, starring Garbo with a different cast and director. Filmed on the same sets after the original English version was completed, this alternate version is a uniquely different take of the source material, one which Garbo allegedly preferred to the more-widely-known English language version.

For thoughts on Anna Christie, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

[youtube https://youtu.be/FZa2peI-zyg?si=S2CAzqlHQc-rTJRn&t=3067]

Video Quality

Anna Christie makes its Blu-Ray debut thanks to Warner Archive with a brand new 1080p master derived from a 4K restoration of the best-surviving preservation elements. While the Original Camera Negative may not be available, this transfer is a gorgeous representation of the film. There may be some lingering subtle softness due to the source, but there is no doubt this upgrade is night and day compared to what came before. Warner Archive always works to deliver the best experience possible for each feature.

This new transfer shows off a terrific amount of depth and enhanced detail within the conservative production design. There is a favorable amount of detail present with inviting textures on the clothing and within the environments. The shimmering black-and-white photography courtesy of William H. Daniels thrives in high definition with natural grain intact. Black levels are pretty deep with no significant instances of black crush or compression artifacts. The contrast is resolute, and there is almost nothing in the way of lingering print damage to be found. Warner Archive has served up a sterling release.

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray release comes with a newly restored DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that captures the film mostly well. There does not appear to be much in the way of damage or age-related wear and tear to the track outside of the occasional harsher inflection. The score is not the most prominent element of this feature, but the music that is at hand maintains its fidelity. Dialogue comes through pretty clearly throughout the duration without much in the way of sibilance or distortion. The environmental effects and the music never overshadow the dialogue on this release. Given this was during the early days of sound, this audio presentation holds up as well as the source will allow. There are optional English SDH subtitles available on the disc.

Special Features

German-Language Alternate Version: The 86-minute German version is presented here in a new HD print that has not had additional restoration provided to clean up the nicks and scratches or audio quality.

Garbo Early Career Retrospective Episode of The MGM Parade TV Series: A nearly 30-minute program is provided here which highlights the career of Greta Garbo as hosted by Walter Pidgeon. This is much more formal and a bit stilted compared to some modern specials, but it is cool to witness this assortment of clips and even old-school commercials.

Lux Radio Theater Broadcast: A 55-minute radio broadcast featuring Joan Crawford and Spencer Tracy is provided here.

The Booze Hangs High: A six-minute black-and-white Looney Tunes short is provided in HD featuring Bosko messing around on a farm with some animals.

Final Thoughts

Anna Christie is a respectable entry into the world of talkies for Greta Garbo. This sullen melodrama will be best remembered for her performance more so than for being any kind of captivating narrative. The proper emotions are conjured on occasion, but the film cannot completely sustain itself throughout the entire story. If you are a fan of the genre or Garbo in general, you should have a good time with this one. Warner Archive has released a Blu-Ray featuring a strong A/V presentation and a great number of special features. This release should not be missed if you are a fan. Recommended

Anna Christie can be purchased directly through MovieZyng or various other online retailers.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Warner Archive has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.