MATA HARI

US, 1932, 92 minutes, Black and White.
Greta Garbo, Ramon Novarro, Lionel Barrymore, Lewis Stone. Directed by George Fitzmaurice.

Mata Hari is a fictionalised account of the celebrated World War One spy - 15 years only after the events. It is a star vehicle for Greta Garbo, a chance to see her as an exotic dancer as well as seeing her as a courtesan spy. She brings her own intriguing presence and style to the role. Ramon Novarro is the ingenuous pilot who becomes infatuated with her. Lionel Barrymore and Lewis Stone are the sinister powerful political figures.

The film has the MGM production values, a re-creation of the period, striking black and white photography and sets. While the plot is fairly basic, the film emphasises the romantic aspects, the exotic spy, her emotions, her relationships, the pathos of her arrest and being taken to execution.

1.Enjoyable spy story? Greta Garbo vehicle?

2.MGM production values: black and white photography, the sets, 1917 France? Musical score?

3.Audience knowledge of Mata Hari at the time? Spies and World War One? Her reputation? Execution? In the light of World War Two experiences and later decades?

4.The build-up to Mata Hari's entrance? Her exotic dance? The explanation of her background, the East, Asia, Holland? Her liaisons in Paris? Her cover for espionage? With Andriani and the orders from him? The infatuation with General Shubin? Her mixing in society? Her techniques for getting information and communicating? The encounter with Alexis, his buying the ring? Falling in love, the infatuation? Her keeping her distance? Dubois and his pursuit of her? At work, trying to be independent? The death of Carlotta? The pursuit of the assassin? Her escape, the clash with Shubin, her killing him? The phone call and her trying to cover? The news of Alexis's injuries, her going to see him, his blindness? Her arrest? The court case, her condemnation? Alexis in the prison, her deceiving him about the operation? Her going to her death? Her looking at her life, reconsidering it, the conversations with the nuns? Her being presented as an ambiguous heroine?

5.France, spies, the initial execution, the information about Mata Hari, the young man killed? Andriani and his contacts, Carlotta? Communication, intrigue? General Shubin and his infatuation, knowledge of espionage? Jealousy? His reporting Mata Hari, his death? Andriani and his control?

6.Dubois and the French, trying to catch the spies, the background of espionage? His pursuit, the phone call? Vindication in court?

7.Andriani's associates, Carlotta and her place in society, her wanting to move out, her being murdered? The elderly woman in Andriani's employ?

8.Alexis as the romantic hero, infatuated with Mata Hari, his own missions, flight? Pursuit of Mata Hari, in love, time with her? The accident, the finale and his believing in her?

9.A film of the early '30s? The development of sound movies? Greta Garbo and her impact in the time? The popularity of this type of story?