FLESH AND THE DEVIL
.::the cast/crew::.
Greta Garbo &nsbp; Felicitas      Director: Clarence Brown
John Gilbert   Leo                      Written by: William Glazer,
Lars Hanson   Ulrich                  MGM 1927
Barbara Kent   Hertha

.::storyline::.
Leo and Ulrich are life long friends. Home, on leave from the military, Leo meets the beautiful Felicitas at the railroad station. Awed by her beauty, they meet again at a ball and leave together. In her room, her husband, that Leo knew nothing about, comes in and challenges Leo to a duel. Leo kills Felicitas husband. Now Leo has to go to Africa for 5 years. He asks Ulrich to take care of Felicitas. After 3 years, Ulrich is able to get a pardon for Leo, and all that Leo thinks about on the way home is Felicitas. Felicitas, however, has married Ulrich. She never told Ulrich about her affair with Leo. Leo is crushed and does not visit them which saddens Ulrich as he does not know the reason why. Felicias uses every oppurtunity to tempt Leo into becoming her lover.. She creating a deadly triangle with the two life long friends.
.::images
   

.::whats the fuss::.
This is one of Garbo's most erotic performances. She's really powerful, and quite dominating. Whats so great about Garbo in this movie, is the fact that she's not nice. She is indeed a heavenly creature, but not all heavenly creatures have a good heart. This is the first movie in which Garbos face reflects every little emotion inside her character. This would later become a Garbo trademark.

.::this &that::.
*John Gilbert was MGM's biggest star when "Flesh and the devil" was made. Garbo, however, was still a new name, and some doubted she would make it to the

*"Flesh and the devil" is based on the overrated novel: "Es war", by Herman Sundermann.
The love- scenes in this movie was the most erotic ever made. Garbo and Gilbert was the first stars to french- kiss on film.

*In Sweden the movie was titeled "Åtrå" (desire). In Norway they named it "Erotikk" (erotica). That is maybe the most appropriate title for the movie....

*"Flesh and the devil" was Garbo's movie. Much to do with photographer William Daniels wonderful closeups of her face.

*The movie was a great success, and it astablished Garbo as a star. The public loved the realistic love- scenes, and soon gossip- columns was reporting a real- life romance between Garbo and Gilbert.

*Garbo, however later said: "It never was a romance, and now I wonder what I ever saw in him"