Conquest (1937)

Director:

Clarence Brown

Writers:

S.N. Behrman (writer)
Waclaw Gasiorowski (novel)

Release Date:

22 October 1937 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | History | Romance

Plot:

A polish countess becomes Napoleon Bonaparte's mistress at the urging of Polish leaders, who feel she might influence him to make Poland independent.

Plot Keywords:

Assassination | France | Marie Walewska | Historical | Napoleon Bonaparte

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars.

Cast

Greta Garbo	...	Countess Marie Walewska
Charles Boyer	...	Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte
Reginald Owen	...	Tallyrand
Alan Marshal	...	Capt. d'Ornano
Henry Stephenson	...	Count Anastas Walewski
Leif Erickson	...	Paul Lachinski (as Leif Erikson)
Dame May Whitty	...	Laetitia Bonaparte
Maria Ouspenskaya	...	Countess Pelagia Walewska
C. Henry Gordon	...	Prince Poniatowski
Claude Gillingwater	...	Stephan (Marie's servant)
Vladimir Sokoloff	...	Dying soldier
George Houston	...	Grand Marshal George Duroc

Also Known As:

Marie Walewska (UK)

Runtime:

113 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Germany:12 (DVD rating) | Finland:K-16

Filming Locations:

Calabasas, California, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

The lavish ballroom set where Napoleon dances with Marie Walewska is actually identical to that used in MAYTIME - the Jeanette McDonald/Nelson Eddy operetta released in March 1937. It has simply been redressed and given a different floor covering and shot from a different angle.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Garbo (2005)

Soundtrack:

Symphony No. 6 in B Minor, Opus 74, 'Pathétique' (1893)

Garbo at her finest with a brilliant Boyer performance

Only twice in her career did Garbo act opposite an actor as fine as she - with Barrymore in GRAND HOTEL and here opposite Boyer in CONQUEST. The story is quite good, following the doomed but life long love affair between the married Countess Waleska and the young Emperor, her abandonment and subsequent divorce of her aged husband in order to be Napoleon's mistress, her bearing him a son and his subsequent marriage of state to the Hapsburgs, his defeat, return and final Waterloo. Garbo is radiant and superb throughout - her acting is of a delicacy and truth that is so rare. Was anyone ever as happily in love as Garbo is in her moments of film rapture? Boyer's justly Oscar-nominated performance is brilliant - with make-up and a stooped stance and walk, he breathes life into the complicated Bonaparte, matching her every step of the way. His scene with Maria Ouspenskaya is a gem and Garbo's with May Whitty's (as Napoleon's mother) is equally priceless. The production values are as always superb: ravishing Cinematography, gorgeous Costume Design and Oscar-nominated Art Direction of lavishness and sumptuousness as to be often breath-taking. A fine historical film with fine performances - highly recommended.