MGM knew it had a treasure in its employ in actress Greta Garbo. The studio had witnessed many a silent movie stars' shine quickly fade when their voices were heard on the screen. With the Swedish actress, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer took care not to have that happen. Hiring a tutor in English, the studio had Garbo learn and constantly practice her English when she wasn't on the set making her latest movie.
While every Hollywood studio stopped producing silent movies by the end of 1929, MGM was the last holdout, although the silents they released were mostly Garbo vehicles. Since talkies were introduced in late 1927, Garbo had made seven silents, the most of any prominent actor or actress in Hollywood after the "Jazz Singer's" release. In 1929, she made three silent films alone. Studio executives determined her December 1929 "The Kiss" was to be her last. It was also MGM's last silent.
Adapted from a George Saville short story, "The Kiss" involves an innocent peck between Irene (Garbo) and a late-teenage friend of the family, Pierre (actor Lew Ayres in his movie debut). Her husband, Charles (Anders Randolf) is suspicious his younger wife is having an affair-she is, but not with Pierre. When he sees the two embrace, Charles proceeds to beat up on the poor kid. Irene grabs her husband's gun in his desk drawer. The door closes on the three as the sound of the gun is heard ("The Kiss" did have a musical soundtrack and an occasional sound effect.).
When "The Kiss" was released, the studio was expecting a dismal showing at the gate. The Stock Market Crash of 1929 was in its third month and recent silent movies were pulled pretty quickly from those theaters wired for sound. But because of Garbo's star power, the film did reasonably well, taking in almost $1 million at the box office and making MGM almost half a mil in profits. It was another of the actress' financially successful films, second only behind the John Gilbert-starred 1927 "Flesh and The Devil."
Variety was effusive in its praise, writing, "Though this is silent it may be stronger that way than with dialog. Few actresses could weather the series of close-ups required of Miss Garbo in this one. In each she registers an individual perfection." The American Film Institute equally felt highly of its quality, with its members nominating it as one of 400 movies to consider for its Top 100 Greatest Love Stories in Film.
While every Hollywood studio stopped producing silent movies by the end of 1929, MGM was the last holdout, although the silents they released were mostly Garbo vehicles. Since talkies were introduced in late 1927, Garbo had made seven silents, the most of any prominent actor or actress in Hollywood after the "Jazz Singer's" release. In 1929, she made three silent films alone. Studio executives determined her December 1929 "The Kiss" was to be her last. It was also MGM's last silent.
Adapted from a George Saville short story, "The Kiss" involves an innocent peck between Irene (Garbo) and a late-teenage friend of the family, Pierre (actor Lew Ayres in his movie debut). Her husband, Charles (Anders Randolf) is suspicious his younger wife is having an affair-she is, but not with Pierre. When he sees the two embrace, Charles proceeds to beat up on the poor kid. Irene grabs her husband's gun in his desk drawer. The door closes on the three as the sound of the gun is heard ("The Kiss" did have a musical soundtrack and an occasional sound effect.).
When "The Kiss" was released, the studio was expecting a dismal showing at the gate. The Stock Market Crash of 1929 was in its third month and recent silent movies were pulled pretty quickly from those theaters wired for sound. But because of Garbo's star power, the film did reasonably well, taking in almost $1 million at the box office and making MGM almost half a mil in profits. It was another of the actress' financially successful films, second only behind the John Gilbert-starred 1927 "Flesh and The Devil."
Variety was effusive in its praise, writing, "Though this is silent it may be stronger that way than with dialog. Few actresses could weather the series of close-ups required of Miss Garbo in this one. In each she registers an individual perfection." The American Film Institute equally felt highly of its quality, with its members nominating it as one of 400 movies to consider for its Top 100 Greatest Love Stories in Film.