Nana

Sure, the film is dated, the dialogue sometimes florid, the tone too much copied von Sternberg. But this movie a mega-flop and Anna Sten and her mentor Sam Goldwyn pillaged?

I have seen Nana a few times on TV; coincidentally when first aired on TV (around 1970) and twice since then. Gotta tell you, I think Goldwyn was on to something - Anna is, yes, a bit like Garbo, a bit like Dietrich, but a lot like, well Anna Sten. And her acting far better than she is criticized for (try her 1935 The Wedding Night, very touching, thank you King Vidor).

Too bad she was not afforded more opportunities in the right vehicles (like Marion Davies?).

This tame version of the Emile Zola novel has excellent production values is lensed by Gregg Toland and features an able supporting cast all negated by the wretched Anna Sten in the lead. A Garbo/Dietrich hybrid with a dreadful grasp of English she more resembles Bela Lugosi in inflection than the other two imports.

Nana is the toast of the Paris theater during the Belle Epoque. With boudoir attributes that match her stage performances she attracts a lot of heavy hitters. She truly falls for a low in status officer but this is complicated by his brother (Lionel Atwill) who at first attempts to break up the two but finds Nana irresistible himself.

Sten's flat affect is beyond bad, her stage presence a travesty. Lionel Atwill, Mae Clarke and Philip Holmes fulfill their end of the bargain ably but there is no getting around the totally lost Ms. Sten. It cries out for Greta or Marlene from its opening moments and given its impressive foundation I found myself annoyed at this botched chance to do the Zola novel justice and the lost opportunity for both actresses to sink their teeth into a role that would have ranked with their best.

This is the first time I've seen Anna Sten in Nana and it's worth every minute of viewing. Of course what comes to mind is the opera La Traviata by Verdi which in turn was based on Alexandre Dumas the younger's novel La Dame aux Camelias, and I daresay the story has been told many times, of ill-fated deception of too many lovers.

Anna, whose spontaneous manner reminded me of Miriam Hopkins' strong style of delivery, is true to life and far more believable than Garbo whose acting came across as stilted. There are traces of Dietrich mannerisms in Anna's facial expressions but her beautiful features are truly awesome, a real beauty that I never tire of seeing.

This is a movie that I can look forward to viewing several times and not get tired of it. Recommended.

Having seen two Anna Sten vehicles during her brief collaboration with Samuel Goldwyn, I've come to the conclusion that Sten's Hollywood sojourn was horribly mishandled. Sten herself is charming, particularly in comedic scenes. She was undeniably beautiful too. She does handle a few dramatic scenes awkwardly, though this could have been from discomfort in the English language.

The big problem is the films themselves. NANA and WE LIVE AGAIN are glossy, tame versions of 19th century novels. NANA in particular has a patchwork script, a case of parts being better than the whole. The best scenes involve Nana and her fellow ladies of the night interacting, or her misadventures in wooing foolish men. The moment the serious love plot rears its head, the movie clomps. Sten is also called upon to do her best Dietrich impression in the film's one musical number and it's okay-- but it's better to be a first rate version of yourself than a second rate Dietrich.

In 1860s Paris, beautiful escort Anna Sten (as Nana) falls in love with handsome lieutenant Phillips Holmes (as George Muffat). When Mr. Holmes' colonel brother Lionel Atwill (as Andre) finds out Ms. Sten is the mistress of elderly Richard Bennett (as Gaston Greiner), he forbids little brother marry the beautiful Sten, then falls for her himself. This watered-down adaptation of Emile Zola's naughty novel "Nana" was producer Samuel Goldwyn's attempt to create a new Greta Garbo - with a Marlene Dietrich song imitation thrown in for good measure. Alas, lightning did not strike up much action in theater cashiers...

Her MGM contract up, the elusive Garbo had "retired" to Sweden for several months during 1932-1933, creating the gap filled by various attempts to find a "New Garbo". Sten, who had already proved herself an accomplished and versatile actress, comes across as unable to handle the lead role. A good supporting cast, fine photography from Gregg Toland, and capable direction by Dorothy Arzner failed to create anything approaching Garbo or Dietrich. Ironically, Garbo's own "Camille" (1936) would later cover much of the territory attempted in "Nana", with Jessie Ralph (as Zoe) uttering almost identical lines.

***** Nana (2/1/34) Dorothy Arzner ~ Anna Sten, Phillips Holmes, Lionel Atwill, Richard Bennett