La chair et le diable

The chemistry between Greta Garbo and John Gilbert is the highlight of this film and the main reason to watch it. Their loving caresses, deep open mouthed kisses, and the eye contact they make when they're with the other guy in this love triangle (Lars Hanson, who may as well be nameless) all reflect the feelings they had off the screen as well. Garbo is a master at mesmerizing little gestures, such as the way she holds the cigarette in her mouth in the scene that includes the line "You know... when you blow out the match... that's an invitation to kiss you...?" Gilbert is strong as well, and shows more range here than usual (among other things, I loved how he acted during that duel). Lastly, while all eyes are on Garbo, I was drawn to diminutive Barbara Kent (4'11"), whose character is also certainly more endearing.

Unfortunately, the film is saddled with the whole woman as satanic temptress thing, punctuated by a fire and brimstone sermon that quotes scripture in case we don't get it. If you look closely, you'll notice that the pastor has a cigarette holder that features a figurine of reclining woman showing off her shapely legs, a small moment that shows his hypocrisy in an otherwise very moralistic tale. The film also needed editing - it spends too much time on silly scenes early on (e.g. showing long nonsensical words in "German", military formations, weak jokes with a pair of twins, etc), and overall should have been about a half hour shorter. Lastly, the story is a little hokey even for a melodrama, for example, it seemed odd that the blood brothers wouldn't communicate better while one of them went away, and the ending is silly too. All of this takes away from the magic of Garbo/Gilbert, but there's enough of that to make it worth watching nonetheless.

"Flesh and the Devil", the 1926 silent film, brilliantly directed by Clarence Brown, was shown recently on cable and the most amazing thing happened: the film looks superb! "Flesh and the Devil" has one of the most amazing team behind the camera, one that made its stars look so magnificently that one can't take ones eyes from the screen for fear of losing something. In addition to the superb director, the work of William Daniels with his camera is amazing. Mr. Daniels created images that are hard to forget.

The opening sequence of the film involving the arrival of Leo and Ulrich in their hometown, has to be one of the best things ever filmed. When Leo discovers the beautiful Felicitas as she descends from the train and walks to the awaiting car, where he runs to rescue the flower arrangement she inadvertently had dropped, is charged with desire and raw sex. Hollywood was more daring during those precode days when anything seemed to go.

Greta Garbo and John Gilbert make this film something to watch again and again. Both stars exuded such charisma that it's not hard to realize they were lovers. Ms. Garbo looked lovely in all her scenes and Mr. Gilbert was one of the handsomest leading men of the era.

One of the best things whoever restored the film was to add a great musical score that makes watching the pleasure it is. Also, in spite of being a silent movie, "Flesh and the Devil" has such a fluidity that, at times, we forget it's not a "talkie", because of the magic that Mr. Brown, and his cinematographer, William Daniels, were able to do together. Of course, the film is what it is because of its stars' magnetism and the way they make us care about the story.

Yes, the plot is a bit cliche but the performances certainly make up for it! Garbo, only in the early years of her career, gives an incredibly smoldering performance as the unredeemable temptress Felicitas, who snags the hapless Leo (John Gilbert) into a web of sex and lies. Look at that sly smile as she's trying on her widow's weeds -- very effective. John Gilbert, the heir of Valentino's mantle, proves that he surpassed the master lover with a believable portrayal of a man who realizes that he's way over his head but can't help himself. He does indulge in a bit of histrionics, but is very restrained compared to other silent lovers of the era. Only his performances in "The Big Parade" and "Downstairs" better this one. As Felicitas' second husband, Lars Hanson has the looks and talent to hold his own on the screen with his two incredibly dynamic co-stars. He amazed me opposite Lillian Gish in "The Wind" and "The Scarlet Letter" and it's a shame that he made so few movies in Hollywood before returning to Sweden.

Clarence Brown keeps the narrative flowing with a healthy balance of humor, drama, romance and action. MGM's stock company of character actors (William Orlamond, Polly Moran, George Fawcett and Eugenie Besserer) make an appearance and provide excellent supporting players to the three stars.

I found the Carl Davis score to be absolutely perfect for the images up on the screen, and the music when Garbo and Gilbert dance and two necking sessions reflect the raw passion. It's just stunning and I can't come up with enough words to describe it. After Buster Keaton's entire body of work, this movie ranks as my #2 favorite, tied with The Wind.

10/10

Famed silent is for the time period a well made melodrama. The story is of no real consequence and now seems very familiar as it probably was at the time of it's release. The communion scene is provocative, very erotic even today and must have been a sensation in '26. The real interest is of course the cast, Garbo especially. Of all the players she is the acting standout, with the exception of a few scenes her performance feels very naturalistic. The same goes for her appearance, whereas everybody else looks like they belong in the 1920's her unadorned hairdos and streamlined clothes convey a contemporary feeling, a flesh impact. Gilbert, who was then wildly popular, is a relic from a bygone era. He looks like he could be attractive but his ridiculous mustache and the heavy makeup required at the time sabotage his handsomeness. His acting is quite mannered and uneven, he was much better in The Big Parade, but he and Garbo share an undeniable chemistry. The real offender in overacting is Lars Hanson his eye-popping and herky jerky movements are a textbook example of the worst kind of silent screen performance, the impression that keeps a lot of people from giving silents a try. The other major person in this passion play is Barbara Kent as the angelic young thing in contrast to Garbo's rapacious strumpet. Kent passed away at 103 in 2011 one of the last remaining silent screen stars although she turned her back on public life and had been a recluse since the 50's.

The works of Hermann Suderman have proved immensely popular with film-makers, the most notable adaptation being 'Sunrise. The Story of two Humans.' Although Clarence Brown's film cannot begin to match Murnau's sublime masterpiece it is eminently watchable.

We are treated not only to the biological chemistry between Greta Garbo and John Gilbert but also to the photochemistry of director Brown and his cinematographer William Daniels which was to work so well for Miss Garbo through the years.

Although Louis B. Mayer frowned upon the well publicised affair between his two stars he tolerated it as he recognised the box office potential and indeed cinemagoers queued around the block to experience the vicarious thrill of seeing not two actors pretending but two lovers living it.

By the standards of the time this is a torrid tale and concerns two men Leo and Ulrich, played by Gilbert and Lars Hanson whose intense friendship which could be said to contain a hint of the homoerotic, is shattered by the femme fatale of Garbo's Felicitas.

Garbo exudes sensuality here and already shows her uncanny ability to register thought. Victor Sjostrom called it 'thinking above the eyes' when directing her later in 'Divine Woman' which also starred fellow Swede Hanson. It is to be regretted that only one reel of nine minutes survives of that film following a vault fire at MGM in 1965.

The cigarette-lighting scene and that involving the communion cup are unforgettable and one is astonished that the scene in the hunting lodge managed to escape the unwelcome attentions of the Production Code. As it happens Felicitas pays the ultimate price for her sins which presumably made it acceptable. There is also a priceless scene where the Pastor of George Fawcett fulminates in the pulpit against the sin of adultery whilst Felicitas applies her lipstick.

The film is enhanced immeasurably by the beautifully created Austrian setting courtesy of the art department under the supervision of Cedric Gibbons.

The romance between Garbo and Gilbert was not fated to last and as her star rose, his fell. Although their love scenes now seem tame, not far short of a century on this film remains, in the words of film historian Mark Vieira, 'a landmark in cinematic sexuality'.