Fluten der Leidenschaft

Greta Garbo's first American movie dealt with a torrential rainstorm. In her Hollywood February 1926 debut, "Torrent," based on a Vicente Ibanez story, Garbo's a Spanish peasant woman who becomes a popular opera singer in Paris. She returns home to rekindle a relationship with an old flame, only to experience a massive flood in her native town. Under Monta Bell's direction, Garbo, who was initially disappointed in not acting under her friend Mauritz Stiller's guidance, was introduced favorably to American audiences. Not as warmly received by the critics as "The Temptress," Garbo attracted a sizable fan-base to turn a tidy profit for MGM. The two movies combined assured the studio it had a new star under its tent. Garbo would go on to appear in eight more silent films before her first speaking role in 1930.

This mediocre fare would no doubt be forgotten now but for its marking the American debut of an actress who was to become one of MGM's greatest stars and one of Cinema's most consummate artistes. Behind the camera was William Daniels who was to be her favoured cinematographer.

Greta Garbo had hoped that she would be directed by her 'Svengali' and fellow Swede Mauritz Stiller but the film was already earmarked for Monta Bell who had, to his credit, insisted on casting Garbo after chancing to see her film test. Her leading man had very wisely changed his name from Jacob Krantz to Ricardo Cortez and although he acknowledged her 'strange quality' he made it quite clear from the outset that he was a Somebody and she a Nobody. Time of course would prove otherwise.

He is adequate in the role, the character is a drip and there is absolutely no chemistry whatsoever between them. As for Garbo, she is far from being the finished article but it's all there and she is adored by the camera.

She attended the premiere(the first and last time she was to do so) and remarked: "If I can't learn to act, they'll soon tire of me". The rest as they say, is history!

Stiller had coached his protégé privately but considered the film itself poor and although assigned to direct her next picture he was eventually replaced by the talented Fred Niblo. As Garbo's star rose, Stiller's fell. She was again lumbered with Cortez but next stop was 'Flesh and the Devil' opposite John Gilbert. Now there's CHEMISTRY!

Greta Garbo has always struck me as a wonderful actresses, very rightly regarded as a screen legend. First saw her in 'Camille' over ten years ago and she captivated and moved me then. She was my main reason in seeing 1926's 'Torrent', most interesting for it being her first American film. It is based upon source material written by Vicente Blasco Ibanez (not read it on a side note), one of the most popularly adapted novelists at the time and also has Ricardo Cortez top billed in one of not many times somebody else was billed above Garbo.

'Torrent' is not one of Greta's best films overall, but it is to me among her best early films and already there are clear signs of what made her such a wonderful actress that would become even more refined with each film. Not every film Garbo did was great, 'Torrent' though is one of them, but bad performances from her were next to rare. Her performance here is a long way from bad, quite the opposite in the best of ways, and a vast majority of her performances were captivating.

My only quibble with 'Torrent' is some histrionic acting in the supporting roles, other than that the film is a winner and quite underrated today.

Visually, the film looks beautiful. The settings are sumptuous and don't look static or claustrophobic and the lighting isn't too dim. The star in this regard though in the cinematography, those close ups of Garbo are more often than not stunning and truly enhance her expressive face. The music implemented doesn't have a tacked on feel and isn't at odds with the tone.

It is sympatheritically directed by Monta Bell, who doesn't try to do too much while not seeming disinterested. The script is thought provoking, flows well and doesn't ramble or sound too flowery. The story is a slight one, but is also very charming and poignant. With the tension being subtly edge of the seat and the romantic element easy to get behind, even with Rafael being an unsympathetic character for much of the film.

Cannot say anything negative about Garbo, who is touching and riveting in even the smaller moments where expressions speak louder than words. Some may find her casting improbable, not to me. Cortez shows early on how good he was in playing unsympathetic characters, though the roles he went on to play were even smarmier and much more villainous. Martha Mattox is suitably formidable in the domineering mother role.

Overall, great. 9/10

Garbo's first two films were adaptations of Ibanez novels. This first, TORRENT, fares much better than the second, THE TEMPTRESS. The latter was overlong and uninteresting, giving Garbo little to do but stand around and look seductive until her last scene, when she is finally allowed to act. Here in TORRENT, she is in total command from beginning to end and as convincing as a Spanish peasant girl, all innocent and loving, as she is portraying a famous diva.

She and Ricardo Cortez are in love but he is a landowner and his mother forbids the alliance, causing the young girl's family to be ousted from their home. The father takes his daughter off to Paris where her trained voice (she had been taking lessons from the local barber) is sure to be a hit. Mother is left behind. Cortez gets his second chance when the famous La Brunna (Garbo) returns to her home to see her mother and entice Cortez yet again. He fails to win her and she leaves. As she is about to depart for America he visits her again but again he fails to have the courage to "break his mother's heart" and marry against her wishes.

The only thing difficult to sustain us through all this is that Garbo still loves him although he is obviously a weak-willed, mother-dominated man. Garbo is radiant and totally believable throughout.

The film holds up well despite some plot problems. Why did the moneyed and successful La Brunna allow her mother to continue to live in poverty as a charwoman? Why is everyone in the home town so dim as to not figure out how La Brunna got her wealth until the confrontation scene where even Garbo's mother rejects her for being "a bad woman?" She does have a wonderful scene when confronted by Cortez, she blames him for her state, since his initial rejection of her led her to her current path for survival.

Despite these bits of unbelievability, this tale of lost love and bittersweet romance plays well. In Garbo's first two films she was paired with "latin" hopefuls, Ricardo Cortez and Antonio Moreno. Neither could hold their own against her, although Cortez is memorable here in the last scenes as an older broken man.

TCM shows a tinted print using four tones (sepia, blue, lavender, red) with a fine orchestral score and sound effects. The new score is by Arthur Barrow. There is some obvious deterioration in some of the title cards. The special effects of a dam breaking during a rain storm and the torrent gaining on two characters in a boat are quite well done. Another dam breaks in THE TEMPTRESS- Ibanez was fond of this device, no doubt.

Garbo wears two wonderful creations - a striped chinchilla outfit and a harlequin outfit. There is a brief kissing scene where Cortez is prone and she takes the active on top position - this was to be repeated in FLESH AND THE DEVIL with John Gilbert.

All in all, this tale of honor, love and the importance of being true to oneself is well done - the double irony at the end is quite poignant.

Recommended for all, not just Garbo fans.

It's a pretty simple story, but so touching, and with such purity and depth of emotion. Garbo is lovely, and so much more expressive here than I'm used to seeing from her. The love scene she has with Ricardo Cortez in the orange grove is wonderful, with that fantastic music from Arthur Barrow and the intertitle "If time lets slip a little, perfect hour, Oh, take it - for it will not come again." Barrow's score might be my favorite from any silent film I've seen, and was such an integral part of my enjoyment of that it's hard to imagine it not having always been part of the film (the original had no score, and Barrow composed his in 1997). We also get bits like a flood scene with pretty good effects for the period (though clearly done with miniatures), and Garbo watching an entertaining dance sequence in Paris. The film tells of the choices we make in life, passion which never fades, and what defines "happiness" - all of which make it so relatable, and swell the emotions.

Favorite intertitle: "Thank God for tragedy! It forces us to go forward."