Flesh and the Devil

{{Short description|1926 film by Clarence Brown}} {{Use American English|date=January 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=September 2020}}{{Infobox film | name = Flesh and the Devil | image = Flesh devil poster.jpg | caption = Theatrical release poster | director = [[Clarence Brown]] | producer = [[Irving Thalberg]] | cinematography = [[William Daniels (cinematographer)|William H. Daniels]] | based_on = {{based on|''[[The Undying Past]]'' 1893 novel|[[Hermann Sudermann]]}} | writer = [[Benjamin Glazer]] [[Marian Ainslee]] (titles) | editing = [[Lloyd Nosler]] | starring = [[Greta Garbo]] [[John Gilbert (actor)|John Gilbert]] [[Lars Hanson]] [[Barbara Kent]] | distributor = [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]] | released = {{film date|1926|12|25}} | runtime = 109 minutes (USA) 113 minutes (UK) | country = United States | language = [[Silent film]] [[English language|English]] intertitles | budget = $372,618.21<ref name="WalkerMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer1980"> {{cite book | author1 = Alexander Walker | author2 = Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer | title = Garbo: a portrait | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=nmZZAAAAMAAJ | access-date = July 27, 2010 | date = October 1980 | publisher = Macmillan | isbn = 978-0-02-622950-0 | page = 184 }}</ref> | gross = $1,261,000<ref name="glancy 1992">{{cite journal |last1=Glancy |first1=H. Mark |title=MGM Film Grosses, 1924–1948: The Eddie Mannix Ledger |journal=[[Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television]] |date=January 1992 |volume=12 |issue=2 |page=129 |issn=0143-9685 |doi=10.1080/01439689200260081}}</ref> }}

'''''Flesh and the Devil''''' is a 1926 American [[silent film|silent]] [[romantic drama film]]<ref>''[[Variety Film Reviews|Variety]]'' film review; January 12, 1927, page 14.</ref><ref>''[[Harrison's Reports and Film Reviews|Harrison's Reports]]'' film review; January 15, 1927, page 10.</ref><ref name="Institute1971">{{cite book|author=American Film Institute|title=The American Film Institute catalog of motion pictures produced in the United States|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rlLbRAPOgP0C&pg=PA253|access-date=July 19, 2010|year=1971|publisher=University of California Press|isbn=978-0-520-20969-5|page=253}}</ref> directed by [[Clarence Brown]] and stars [[Greta Garbo]], [[John Gilbert (actor)|John Gilbert]], [[Lars Hanson]], and [[Barbara Kent]]. Based on the 1894 novel ''[[The Undying Past]]'' by German writer [[Hermann Sudermann]], it was released by [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]] on December 25, 1926.

In 2006, ''Flesh and the Devil'' was selected for preservation in the United States [[National Film Registry]] by the [[Library of Congress]] as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".<ref>{{Cite web|title=Librarian of Congress Adds Home Movie, Silent Films and Hollywood Classics to Film Preservation List|url=https://www.loc.gov/item/prn-06-234/films-added-to-national-film-registry-for-2006/2006-12-27/|access-date=2020-10-02|website=Library of Congress}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Complete National Film Registry Listing |url=https://www.loc.gov/programs/national-film-preservation-board/film-registry/complete-national-film-registry-listing/|access-date=2020-10-02|website=Library of Congress}}</ref>

==Plot== [[File:Flesh and the Devil (1926) by Clarence Brown.webm|left|thumb|thumbtime=18|''Flesh and the Devil'' (1926)]] Two childhood friends, Leo and Ulrich, grow up to be soldiers in [[Germany]]. Leo becomes infatuated with Felicitas, the wife of a powerful [[Graf|count]] (a marriage about which Felicitas neglects to inform Leo). The count calls for a [[duel]] of honor with Leo, but insists that it be done under the false pretense that the quarrel was due to angry words exchanged between the two at a card game to protect the count's reputation. Leo kills the count in the duel, but then is punished by the military by being sent to Africa for five years. Leo asks Ulrich to look after Felicitas, but does not tell him about his feelings for her.

Due to Ulrich's intervention, Leo only serves three years before being recalled home. On his return journey, he focuses on his dream of being reunited with Felicitas, but he is shocked to discover that she and Ulrich have married.

Despite the marriage, Felicitas repeatedly attempts to rekindle the romance with Leo, who finds himself torn between her and Ulrich. Condemned by a local pastor for continuing to associate with Felicitas, Leo eventually loses control of his emotions and tries to choke Felicitas to death; he is stopped by Ulrich, leading to a climactic duel between the two boyhood friends. While racing to stop the duel, Felicitas falls through a layer of thin ice and drowns. Ulrich and Leo realizes the importance of their friendship and aborts the duel.

==Cast== * [[John Gilbert (actor)|John Gilbert]] as Leo von Harden * [[Greta Garbo]] as Felicitas von Rhaden * [[Lars Hanson]] as Ulrich von Eltz * [[Barbara Kent]] as Hertha * [[William Orlamond]] as Uncle Kutowski * [[George Fawcett]] as Pastor Voss * [[Eugenie Besserer]] as Leo's Mother * [[Marc McDermott]] as Count von Rhaden * [[Marcelle Corday]] as Minna

; Uncredited * Max Barwyn as Ball Guest * [[Philippe De Lacy]] as Leo as a Boy * [[Polly Moran]] as Woman with Bouquet * [[Cecilia Parker]] as Twin at Ball and the Church * Linda Parker as Twin at Ball and the Church * [[Russ Powell]] as Family Retainer w/Flag * Carl 'Major' Roup as Train Station Vendor * [[Rolfe Sedan]] as Women's Hat Salesman * [[Ellinor Vanderveer]] as Guest at Ball * Glen Walters as Family Retainer

==Production== [[File:Flesh and the Devil with John Gilbert.jpg|thumb|200px|right|[[film still|Publicity still]] with Greta Garbo and John Gilbert for ''Flesh and the Devil''.]] ''Flesh and the Devil'', produced in 1926, premiered at New York's [[Capitol Theatre (New York City)|Capitol Theatre]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.garboforever.com/Film-11.htm|title=Flesh and the Devil|website=garboforever.com}}</ref> on January 9, 1927<ref name="RobinsonDuncan2007">{{cite book|author1=David Robinson|author2=Paul Duncan|title=Greta Garbo|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=A3daNQAACAAJ|access-date=July 18, 2010|year=2007|publisher=Taschen|isbn=978-3-8228-2209-8|page=180}}</ref> and marked a turning point for Garbo's personal and professional life. Initially, she refused to participate in the film. She had just finished ''[[The Temptress (1926 film)|The Temptress]]'' and was tired, plus her sister had recently died of cancer and she was upset that her contract with [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]] did not allow her to take the long trip back to [[Sweden]].<ref>Paris, Barry. Commentary track on ''Flesh and the Devil''. DVD. Warner Brothers / Turner Entertainment, 2005.</ref> A sternly worded letter from MGM (read by Garbo biographer [[Barry Paris]] on the audio commentary for the 2005 DVD release of the film) warned her of dire consequences if she did not report for work. This was a rehearsal of sorts for a pitched battle Garbo would fight against studio heads after ''Flesh and the Devil'' was completed, which ended up with Garbo becoming one of the highest-paid actresses in Hollywood up to that time.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Flesh and the Devil |url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/153/flesh-and-the-devil#overview |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120823093822/http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/153/Flesh-And-The-Devil/#overview |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 23, 2012 |access-date=2024-09-06 |website=Turner Classic Movies |language=en}}</ref>

The romantic chemistry between Garbo and Gilbert was a director's dream because it was not faked. The two actors quickly became involved in their own romantic affair and before production of the film was completed had already moved in together (per Paris' commentary). Hollywood legend has it that it was also during production that Gilbert proposed to Garbo; she accepted, a high-profile wedding was arranged, but Garbo backed out. Paris disputes that this could have happened in the midst of production.

Regardless of the chronology, ''Flesh and the Devil'' marked the beginning of one of the most famous romances of Hollywood's golden age. They would also continue making movies together into the Sound Era, though Gilbert's career would collapse in the early 1930s while Garbo's soared.<ref name=":0" />

Garbo was so impressed with Clarence Brown's direction and William Daniels's cinematography that she continued to work with both of them in her subsequent films. Brown directed her in a total of seven films, while Daniels served as cinematographer on all but four of her 25 films for MGM.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Greta Garbo |url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/68274%7C63540/Greta-Garbo#overview |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110920172927/http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/68274%7C63540/Greta-Garbo/#overview |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 20, 2011 |access-date=2024-09-06 |website=Turner Classic Movies |language=en}}</ref>

==Reception== In his two reviews for ''[[The New York Times]],'' on January 10, 1927''<ref>{{Cite news |title="The Undying Past." |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1927/01/10/117988419.html?pageNumber=20 |access-date=2024-09-06 |work=The New York Times |language=en |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>'', and January 16, 1927,<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |title=A WELL-TOLD STORY; " Flesh and Devil" Has Interesting Backgrounds and Camera Effects By MORDAUNT HALL |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1927/01/16/96630974.html?pageNumber=167 |access-date=2024-09-06 |work=The New York Times |language=en |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> [[Mordaunt Hall]] focuses on paying tribute to Clarence Brown's direction and the resulting cinematography. On January 10, he describes the film as “Produced with admirable artistry, both in the unfurling of the chronicle and in the character delineation,… "The Undying Past," is a compelling piece of work in which there are but few conventional movie notes.” He describes Garbo as “undeniably alluring,” but does not examine her “impersonation” further. The longer piece in the Sunday paper is packed with in-depth examination of the film. One gets the impression that just as Hall wishes that the picture could have a longer run on Broadway, he would have liked a longer run in the paper.<ref name=":1" />

On the other hand, [[Carl Sandburg]] found a great deal to appreciate in the portrayal of passion in the film. In his February 18, 1927, review for the [[Chicago Daily News]], Sandburg raved: “If there was ever, in screendom, as earnest an exchange of kisses as that between John Gilbert and Greta Garbo in Flesh and the Devil let him who knows of it speak now or forever hold his peace….Miss Garbo is hereafter a star to be reckoned with, so perfectly does she create a character for the heroine, lovely, pitiful, thrilling Felicitas, who drifts downward without ever realizing that the world holds such things as morals.”<ref>{{Cite book |last=Sandburg |first=Carl |url=https://archive.org/details/carlsandburgatmo00sand/mode/2up?q=Garbo |title=Carl Sandburg at the movies : a poet in the silent era, 1920-1927 |last2=Fetherling |first2=Dale |last3=Fetherling |first3=George |date=1985 |publisher=Metuchen, N.J. : Scarecrow Press |others=Internet Archive |isbn=978-0-8108-1738-8}}</ref>

On [[Rotten Tomatoes]], the film has a rating of 94% based on 16 contemporary and modern reviews.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Flesh and the Devil {{!}} Rotten Tomatoes |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/flesh_and_the_devil |access-date=2024-09-06 |website=www.rottentomatoes.com |language=en}}</ref>

==Home media== ''Flesh and the Devil'' was restored and released to DVD with ''[[The Temptress (1926 film)|The Temptress]]'' in September 2005 as part of a collection by [[Turner Classic Movies]] entitled ''The Garbo Silents Collection''. The DVD includes an alternative, upbeat ending.

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{commons category}} {{wikisource}} * {{IMDb title|0016884}} * {{TCMDb title|153}} * {{AFI film|9106}} *[https://books.google.com/books?id=deq3xI8OmCkC ''Flesh and the Devil'' essay by Daniel Eagan in ''America's Film Legacy: The Authoritative Guide to the Landmark Movies in the National Film Registry''], A&C Black, 2010 {{ISBN|0826429777}}, pages 122-124

{{DEFAULTSORT:Flesh and the Devil}} [[Category:1927 films]] [[Category:1927 romantic drama films]] [[Category:1926 American films]] [[Category:1927 English-language films]] [[Category:American black-and-white films]] [[Category:American silent feature films]] [[Category:Articles containing video clips]] [[Category:English-language romantic drama films]] [[Category:Films about duels]] [[Category:Films based on works by Hermann Sudermann]] [[Category:Films directed by Clarence Brown]] [[Category:Films produced by Irving Thalberg]] [[Category:Films set in the 1890s]] [[Category:Films set in Austria]] [[Category:Films with screenplays by Benjamin Glazer]] [[Category:Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films]] [[Category:American silent romantic drama films]] [[Category:Surviving American silent films]] [[Category:United States National Film Registry films]]