As You Desire Me (film)
| As You Desire Me | |
|---|---|
 Original film poster | |
| Directed by | George Fitzmaurice |
| Produced by |
George Fitzmaurice Irving Thalberg |
| Written by |
Gene Markey Luigi Pirandello (play) |
| Starring |
Greta Garbo Melvyn Douglas Erich von Stroheim Owen Moore Hedda Hopper |
| Cinematography | William H. Daniels |
| Edited by | George Hively |
| Distributed by | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
Release dates | May 28, 1932 |
Running time | 70 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
As You Desire Me is a 1932 American Pre-Code film adaptation of the play by Luigi Pirandello released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was produced and directed by George Fitzmaurice with Irving Thalberg as co-producer. The adaptation was by Gene Markey, the cinematography by William H. Daniels, the art direction by Cedric Gibbons and the costume design by Adrian.
The film stars Greta Garbo and Melvyn Douglas with Erich von Stroheim, Owen Moore and Hedda Hopper. Its running time is less than 71 minutes, making it the shortest of all Garbo's Hollywood films.
This is also the only film in which Garbo appears as a blonde. It made $1,362,000.[1]
Plot
Budapest bar entertainer Zara (Greta Garbo) is a discontented alcoholic who is pursued by many men but lives with novelist Carl Salter (Erich von Stroheim). A strange man called Tony (Owen Moore) shows up on Salter's estate claiming that Zara is actually Maria, the wife of his close friend Bruno. Maria, Tony claims, had her memory destroyed during a World War I invasion 10 years ago. Zara doesn't remember but leaves with Tony to Salter's dismay. Bruno, now an officer in the Italian Army, tries to coax Maria's memory back on his large estate. No one is really sure if Zara is Maria, and when Salter shows up with a mental case from Trieste that he claims is the real Maria, everyone on Bruno's estate is desperately searching for the truth.
The narrative structure of As You Desire Me was used by Marcelle Maurette for her play Anastasia, which was translated into English by Guy Bolton, then later fashioned into the 1956 film Anastasia, penned by Bolton and Arthur Laurents. The dual plot of amnesia victim who may or may not be someone and the income to be gained by proving the identity were the key plot devices.
Cast (in credits order)
- Greta Garbo as Zara / Maria
- Melvyn Douglas as Count Bruno Varelli
- Erich Von Stroheim as Carl Salter
- Owen Moore as Tony Boffie
- Hedda Hopper as Ines Montari
- Rafaela Ottiano as Lena
- Warburton Gamble as Baron
- Albert Conti as Captain
- Roland Varno as Albert
References
- ↑ 'The American Film Institute Catalog Feature Films: 1931-40 by The American Film Institute, c. 1993