The Single Standard (1929) User Reviews

Garbo blooms in graceful romance

[rfkeser · 8/10 · 23 May 2001]

Silent film veteran John Stuart Robertson, once called the most well-liked director in Hollywood, had already guided John Barrymore , Mary Pickford and Lillian Gish in major projects. Here, under his sensitive direction, Garbo blooms in a relaxed and radiant performance, as she never did in her stodgy Clarence Brown vehicles. Was Robertson the silents counterpart of Cukor?

As a socialite seeking to "live honestly", Garbo first has a frank dalliance with her chauffeur, then meets artist Nils Asther--who apparently lives in an art gallery and paints exactly like Gauguin--and impulsively decides to sail to the South Seas on his yacht (although we only see Catalina, Robertson conveys a bracing sun-and-salt air quality from the shipboard locations). Returning to a somewhat scandalized reception in San Francisco, she marries local dullard John Mack Brown; meanwhile, the artist travels to "fever-haunted" China (where his hair inexplicably develops a white streak). Her final conflict is to choose between mothering her darling son or running away with the love of her life. What would Louis B. Mayer do?

Despite some talk about the "philosophy of love" and the injustice of the double standard, this is hardly Tolstoy: the film stays within the conventions of a novelette, never seriously threatening the social status quo. Still, the pleasures are many: graceful direction and nicely underplayed acting throughout, plus Garbo, at the peak of her beauty, in an elegantly tailored Adrian wardrobe, giving one of her most appealing performances.

Refreshing Content and Nice Performances

[marcin_kukuczka · 8/10 · 19 September 2010]

Before I will comment on this significant film with Greta Garbo and Nils Asther, let me make a short biographical notion.

Many biographers of Greta Garbo, including Barry Paris and Karen Swenson, note that she came to Hollywood with her mentor Mauritz Stiller in September 1925... Although she was already a trained actress (having made two significant projects in Sweden and Germany), what she found in MGM was very different from what she experienced in Europe. The roles she was given, though being sometimes very successful roles (including the ultra popular Felicitas in FLESH AND THE DEVIL), were in majority the roles of vamps and temptresses. But Garbo...she disliked playing 'bad women.' When, in her prolonged contract, Garbo started to have a word in the roles she played and rejected some unattractive ones, more sophisticated projects appeared...

One of such refreshing projects was, undeniably, THE SINGLE STANDARD. One the one hand, a movie appears to be ignored in many analysis of her film career (it appears to be forgotten by some Garbo fans as well); on the other hand, the movie is strangely an 'oldie' that many modern viewers find entertaining and appealing.

It seems that the reason why this film is, at least, "known" among the fans of silver screen productions, is the pairing of Greta Garbo and Nils Asther. Indeed, both give tremendously convincing performances that still, after those decades, maintain their desirable authenticity. Who can possibly skip their unforgettable moments on the islands of eternal sunshine? How can we ignore their memorable chemistry when experiencing the Philosophy of Love? Who can ignore the perfect tension when the hearts are there but duties elsewhere...? Yes, Nils Asther appears to be one of the best co-stars Greta Garbo could ever play opposite.

Another reason, I think, is Greta Garbo herself and her unforgettable moments throughout the film. Although the close-ups are not that outstanding like in her top productions of the 1930s, there are pretty pearls that should not be skipped at least by Garbo fans. For instance, this is the moment of her walk in rain when she humorously states: "I want to walk alone..." These are her unforgettable facial expressions when 'naughty men' come filled with wit having dated their delicious mistresses. This is, generally, the feeling she put in any kind of portrayal she did before the camera. But, here, let me concentrate more deeply on the role of Ms Stuart that Ms Garbo so beautifully portrays since there is one more rarity about the Swedish Sphynx: the power of THE SINGLE STANDARD lies specifically in the "refreshment" of Garbo's masterful acting.

Arden Stuart is a woman who, on the other hand, wants to be independent from men but, on the other hand, learns to understand what living for others means. Although she wants to walk alone, she does not live her life all alone (though she has some great time on All Alone ship). She does not accept any "half measures" and treats life seriously being very genuine in what she does. As a free woman, Arden opens her heart to...love. However, this love will make her stand before the most important decision of her life... Among many scenes that remain in one's memory, including Arden's scenes with her child, I would like to share one moment with you, the moment that truly left a trace in my mind and in my heart. This is the moment when Arden has a trip with a chauffeur and she says that there is no difference whether it's a girl, a man but both have right to... life. It is the viewpoint that very well fixed to Garbo, to her powerful belief in personal freedom and happiness. Although some say that "Garbo plays a normal woman" in THE SINGLE STANDARD, I would say more: "Garbo plays a sophisticated human being" in THE SINGLE STANDARD, a human with her fears, her feelings, her decisions and reflections, her heart.

Other aspects are, perhaps, not greatest merits of the movie (with some exceptions). It is true that the cinematography is not of top quality. The same may be said about some supporting roles. But here, two things may also work well for the film nowadays: firstly, it is the short length of THE SINGLE STANDARD which does not bore people; secondly, it is the tension - the viewers' attention is kept thanks to the wonderfully roused interest.

At the end of my review, I would like to add one thing from me, personally. I would like to ask you not to treat my words as the ones said by a Garbo fan who tries to convince viewers to see yet another "oldie" with the greatest actress of all time. Although I consider myself a great Garbo admirer, I say it with all my heart: you do not have to be very knowledgeable about Greta Garbo and you may still see this film with great pleasure finding something for yourself. That is what I wish you from my heart. I rate the film 8/10

Restrained Garbo Performance

[sunlily · 8/10 · 4 December 2005]

Now here is one of my favorite romantic pairings, yet I had mixed feelings about this late silent with Greta Garbo and Nils Asther. This is mostly due to the fact that I don't think the characters or the background are developed enough to make the whole cohesive.

A case in point is the suicide of the chauffeur in the beginning of the movie. He and Arden (Garbo) are having a love affair, but for some reason, when he's dismissed, he inexplicably wrecks the car, committing suicide. I was wondering, " What in the world!" because there wasn't enough background on this character to understand why he would make a decision like that.

Arden believes in, as she puts it, " living life freely, without restraints," and we believe at the end of the movie that she is going to sacrifice her husband and adorable little son to do that, but she makes the traditional choice and stays. I realize that was the best decision and I don't think the audience would've had much sympathy for her had she gone away with Packy (Asther), but I wonder if that's the choice her character would realistically have made given what we know about her before.

This movie is beautifully photographed and lit, and the secondary actors are enjoyable as well! ( Johnny Mack Brown is a doll!)The director John S. Robertson gets a sensitive, restrained performance from Garbo. The love scenes are idyllic and tender.

Watch this one for the Greta and Nils, but the story doesn't completely gel for me! P.S. Packy's hair has oddly turned white in the front during a trip to China!

Garbo Sets the Single Standard

[wes-connors · 7/10 · 17 August 2007]

Greta Garbo envies the freedom acceptable for men, but not permissible for women - the sexual "Double Standard". She asked her chauffeur to take her for a ride. When they are caught returning from a rendezvous, the chauffeur is fired; then, he commits suicide. Somewhat disenchanted, Garbo takes off with exciting Nils Asther for a long romantic trip aboard his ship - the "All Alone". Garbo wants to marry, but Asther must travel to China.

Back home, Garbo is romanced by, and does marry, millionaire Johnny Mack Brown. Later, Asther returns… Garbo loves Asther, but is married (with child) to Mack Brown. What will she do?

"The Single Standard" is beautifully photographed and silently performed. The subject matter must have been considered daring at the time. Today, it's fairly standard stuff. Still - Garbo, the photography, and briefly twisted ending make it look like magic.

******* The Single Standard (1929) John S. Robertson ~ Greta Garbo, Nils Asther, Johnny Mack Brown

Graceful standard

[TheLittleSongbird · 7/10 · 26 February 2020]

Have had appreciated silent films for a long time now, not all are great or hold up particularly well but there are a good number that have aged well and are great (the best classics, like the best of FW Murnau, DW Griffith, early Fritz Lang and early King Vidor). Namely saw 'The Single Standard' for Sweden's greatest actress Greta Garbo, who deserves her reputation as a cinema icon and to be so well loved by many.

Is 'The Single Standard', notable for being her last film with Nils Asther, one of her finest? No, it's not 'Queen Christina', 'Ninotchka' or 'Camille', am not trying to be unfair here as any film deserves to stand on its own without much comparison and 'The Single Standard' is no exception (just wanted to mention a few of my favourites of hers). It still represents her well though, and she is the main reason as to why the film is worth watching. Something of a curiosity and to be seen if you are a die-hard fan of Garbo and want to see every film of hers, but a worthy curio.

'The Single Standard' has not held up particularly well in some areas. But there are other areas where it has aged pretty gracefully. Nothing really is done terribly, if anything the not so good things are more variable.

What varies is the quality of the photography and the performances. Some of the photography is beautifully composed. Some of it is also rather primitive and static. Excepting charming Asther and noble John Mack Brown (Asther faring particularly well in the better written role), both of whom share an amiable chemistry with her, the supporting cast don't really stand out very much. Being a mix of theatrical and dull, pretty much eclipsed throughout by Garbo.

Faring weakest is the story, which is very familiar, conventional ground (even at the time) and can be fairly improbable and creaky.

Garbo really captivates though, and has slyness, grace and allure in bucketloads and a presence that is never less than riveting. As said, Asther and Brown give nice performances and complement her well, while John S. Robertson directs sensitively. The costumes are sumptuous, Garbo always looks ravishing, and the well designed sets don't seem too stuffy or stage-bound. The photography as said is variable, but it never quite fits my definition of terrible.

Music fits like a glove with a subtle charm and not hammering home. The film is entertaining and charming throughout, despite the story not being the greatest, and generally it doesn't feel draggy.

In conclusion, nice film and to be seen for Garbo, captivating as ever. 7/10

Emancipated Woman

[claudio_carvalho · 7/10 · 14 November 2009]

The wealthy Arden Stuart (Greta Garbo) is bored in a party; after refusing the wedding proposal of Tommy Hewlett (John Mack Brown), she drives her car with her driver to a lonely place. She has one night stand with him and returns to the party; then she witnesses the driver being fired by a relative and committing suicide. In a rainy day, Arden goes to an exposition and meets the painter and aspirant boxer Packy Cannon (Nils Asther). They sail to the South Seas together in his sailboat and Arden falls in love for him. However, a couple of months later, Packy dumps her and brings her back to her city, traveling to China alone. The heartbroken Arden is proposed again by Tommy and gets married with him. Three years later, Arden meets Packy by chance and becomes divided between her unconditional love for Packy and the love for her son.

"The Single Standard" is a dated story about an emancipated woman in a hypocrite society where infidelity of men was accepted by his wives. Greta Garbo is astonishingly beautiful in the role of Arden Stuart, a woman ahead of time that believes in freedom and equal rights of "love" for men and women. It is very interesting to see the behavior and moral values of the dominant class in this silent movie, where apparently nobody works and seems to party every night. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "The Single Standard"

Note: On 14 May 2022, I saw this film again.

Not exactly believable but still quite entertaining ...

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 3 June 2010]

This silent film finds Garbo playing a lady with rather bohemian morals for 1929. She sees that there is an unfair double-standard that allows men to cheat and have fun--but not women. So, she decides she, too, can play the field and ignore conventional morality--fair is fair. This is a novel idea and I agree that women and men should be equal--though instead, it might be nice if the men behaved a lot less randy--not women behaving slutty as well! But, that's really not the point of the film--at least not initially.

Garbo meets an interesting man--a famous boxer AND painter (now THAT'S unusual!!). She is more than willing to bed this guy but he's off to explore the Amazon and tells her it wouldn't be right for her to come along with him. Why she then carries a torch for this guy is a bit hard to believe--they only spent a short time together AND if he was such a chauvinist that he didn't take her with him, why would she want him back later in the film--after she is married and has a child? Well, that is her plan--but, fortunately, but the end of the film she comes to her senses and her husband also does as well.

Overall, an entertaining film but I take off at least a point because Garbo simply made too many 'woman with loose morals' pictures. Worth seeing, however, especially if you are a die-hard Garbo fiend.

Greta Garbo plays a normal woman

[overseer-3 · 9/10 · 15 February 2004]

Greta Garbo, in her second to last silent film, beautifully plays a normal, young, American woman socialite, who longs for excitement and love, though she cannot quite figure out what "love" is. Her character, Arden, who seems to have no parents, and who seems to exist effortlessly and rather detached among the high society set, has a brief romantic fling with her chauffeur, which causes scandal among the posh set, when the driver, fired, takes his own life.

Arden next finds "love" with rogue artist Packy Cannon, played passionately, but a little shallowly, by handsome Nils Asther. Nils tempts her to join him spontaneously on a pleasure cruise, and we do get a few hints as to what pleasure Packy is up to with Arden, but really, their passion is quite restrained, considering what modern day films splash on the screen. After Packy has compromised Arden, he callously decides he "loves" Arden too much to continue seeing her, and orders the boat turned around. Arden is heartbroken, deposited back onshore like an old and weathered boat rudder.

She next finds "love" with an old admirer, Tommy, played sweetly and sensitively by anything-but-dull, good-looking Johnny Mack Brown. He proposes and, on the rebound from Packy, she accepts. Three years later they have a child together and a very happy marriage. It was nice to see Greta playing a normal woman who eventually puts her marriage first before her old flame, just like most normal American women would do today. There is no compromise here, Arden simply makes the wisest decision for all concerned, which is ultimately based on true love, for true love always endures perfect sacrifice.

The print is rather deteriorating in spots and quite scratchy, but really, after you have seen as many silents in poor condition as I have, this one is still above average. It just goes to show how the studios blatantly neglected their silent classics once sound came in, letting them deteriorate or disappear into rust. A tragic and short-sighted waste.

It was nice to see other silent film actors like Dorothy Sebastian (Spite Marriage) and Mahlon Hamilton (Little Old New York) in the cast, albeit in small roles. The musical score was the old Vitaphone one but still rather elegant, though I wouldn't say it was beautiful, as the other reviewers here have stated.

If you are a Garbo fan or a fan of nicely made silent films, you will enjoy The Single Standard.

Women should sow wild oats

[bkoganbing · 6/10 · 19 January 2014]

Garbo would soon be talking, but still in 1929 MGM was putting her in silent films as they searched for the right property for her. Still when Greta Garbo made The Single Standard her future in sound was still a subject for speculation.

With her Swedish accent it wasn't sure how it would register in sound. But watching The Single Standard Nils Asther and Johnny Mack Brown also had accent issues. Asther was also from Sweden and he's probably best known in talkies for playing the title role of a Chinese general in The Bitter Tea Of General Yen. He slipped back into B pictures and less with sound.

So to did Johnny Mack Brown. Brown was an All American from the Crimson Tide of Alabama and had an accent to match. He who was a leading man to Garbo and Mary Pickford among others quickly went into westerns and soon enough B westerns for his career. Silent films were a great leveler in casting. As long as you looked believable in the role, no speech limitations could hinder you.

It's why Garbo is playing an American socialite who is bored with her life and doesn't see why she shouldn't go out and sow wild oats like the men do. The Single Standard should apply to all.

So she dumps good old reliable Brown to have a fling with first her chauffeur and then artist/boxer Nils Asther. This was a character that had to have been borrowed from current middleweight champion Mickey Walker although Walker was fighting more than painting at this point of his career.

Asther is one romantic dude for a prizefighter and even when she goes back to Brown and has a son by him, he's still someone she can't shake.

Sharp eyed viewers will note the presence of future stars Joel McCrea and Robert Montgomery in the cast as a couple of debonair men about town.

The Single Standard is not the best of Garbo silents though she gets her moments in. Best for her are scenes with her young son, a harbinger of what she does in Anna Karenina some years later.

A must for Garbo fans, yet all of her films are.

The Philosophy of Love

[lugonian · 8/10 · 18 October 2009]

THE SINGLE STANDARD (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1929), directed by John S. Robertson, stars the legendary Greta Garbo in another one of many love triangle melodramas most associated with her during her reign on the silver screen. Coming at the tail end of the silent film era, for her third of four film 1929 releases (a busy year for Garbo), THE SINGLE STANDARD ranks one of her finer efforts with a familiar theme. Acquiring the support of John Mack Brown (who later achieved fame as a western movie hero through the 1950s) and Nils Asther as her leading men, each having previously appeared opposite Joan Crawford in OUR DANCING DAUGHTERS (MGM, 1928), the winning combination for this production happens to be that of Garbo and Asther.

The story opens quite amusingly with its introductory inter-title: "For a number of generations, men have done as they pleased - and women have done as men pleased," followed by an opening shot of a group of married men coming out of their cars bidding good night to their lady friends, then returning to their prospective spouses as witnessed by débutante, Arden Stuart (Greta Garbo), one of the guests at the social function. Although Mercedes Stuart (Dorothy Sebastian) loves Tommy Hewlitt (John Mack Brown), his interest is on Arden, a modern day woman not only believes in sexual equality for men and women. but prefers living her life honestly. That evening, Arden goes on a moonlight drive with Anthony Kendall (Robert Castle), a family chauffeur. Upon their return, Kendall is immediately dismissed by his employer regardless of Arden assuming the responsibility. In despair, Kendall takes his own life by speeding out the car of the estate and crashing it into a nearby tree. Three months after the scandalous tragedy, Arden, coming out of the rain, enters a museum where she encounters Packy Cannon (Nils Asther), a prizefighter turned artist, during one of his exhibits in an art gallery. Their courtship and travels on his yacht becomes a romantic and happy one until Packy decides he cannot marry Arden until his work is completed. After sailing out on his venture to the Orient, Arden encounters Tommy once more, this time accepting his marriage proposal. During their three year union, the Hewitt's are blessed with a child (Wally Albright). All goes well until Packy returns to Arden's life, leading jealous husband and former lover to come to terms fighting for her affection with "coffee and pistols for two."

Other members of the cast include Lane Chandler (Ding Stuart); Mahlon Hamilton (John Glendenning); Kathryn WIlliams (Mrs. Glendenning); and Zeffie Tilbury (Mrs. Hindley). Those familiar with actor Joel McCrea will easily recognize him as one of the three suitors during the opening sequence.

Regardless of THE SINGLE STANDARD being taken from the novel by Adela Rogers St. John, the plot seems to borrow certain structures from Garbo's earlier works and recycling those taken from 1927s LOVE (based on "Anna Karenina") where the Garbo character, with a son she adores, finds herself torn between husband and lover; FLESH AND THE DEVIL (1926) where two men consider settling their differences for the woman they love by having a duel; or her most recent WILD ORCHIDS (1929), also featuring Nils Asther, where husband (Lewis Stone) schemes on a hunting trip with wife's lover, hoping for a convenient accident for one of them. Unlike these selected titles, Garbo's character is pitted between two men of equal age status here instead of middle-aged husband versus young lover. With these mixtures involved, THE SINGLE STANDARD survives on its own merits, resulting to a satisfying story equipped with original music score. Had THE SINGLE STANDARD been produced as a talkie, the locale, being San Francisco, might have been changed somewhere in Europe considering its leading players being of Swedish heritage with spoken accents. Their character names, Arden and Packy, unfitting for their personalities, might have served better for American MGM-types as Norma Shearer or Joan Crawford and John Gilbert or Conrad Nagel.

It's interesting to note how the word, "Alone" long associated with Garbo's image, turns up here. Many credit the line, "I want to be alone" from her 1932 classic, GRAND HOTEL (1932) as her most famous quote. Yet, in THE SINGLE STANDARD, coming three years earlier, includes an amusing sequence where she finds herself annoyed by a masher (Wade Boteler) while walking in the rain. She ends his persistence by telling him, "I'm walking alone because I like to walk alone." The name of the yacht where Arden and Packy venture alone together is revealed to be "All Alone." The only thing missing is the Irving Berlin song "All Alone" as its underscore.

Distributed to home video through MGM/UA in the 1990s, THE SINGLE STANDARD, at 72 minutes, turns up occasionally on Turner Classic Movies.(***)

Garbo Triumphs in Weak Melodrama

[dglink · 6/10 · 20 June 2009]

Garbo is always worth watching, even in her weakest vehicles, and "The Single Standard" is among the weaker ones. Based on a novel by Adela Rogers St. Johns, this melodramatic nonsense has Greta dallying with a chauffeur, who is an heir; a prize fighter, who has become a painter; and a self-sacrificing pillar of society. Throw in suicide, a cruise to the Far East, a boxing match in an art gallery, and a lecherous old man in the rain, and viewers will ponder: Did someone really write this drivel? Did anyone really find any of these fanciful plot concoctions credible? Ostensibly suggesting that women can be as liberated and independent in love as men, the film careens from the inexplicable to the ridiculous. Eventually torn between the exotic Nils Asther and the boyish Johnny Mack Brown, Garbo suffers in style and provides the full range of emotion for her legions of fans.

Forever beautiful and endlessly fascinating, Garbo is captivating in the role of Arden Stuart, a romantically restless socialite. If the part and the film fail to merit her talent, the fault lies elsewhere, because Garbo adds dimension to a character that is written with little motivation for her actions. Producer/director John S. Robertson's uninspired filmography suggests where responsibility lies. Filmed late in the silent era, "The Single Standard" has little distinction besides the presence of Garbo and the solid and handsome Brown. Mercifully short, the film is for die-hard Garbo fans and aficionados of silent films. All others be warned.

Over the top, but enjoyable late MGM silent

[nickandrew · 2 September 2000]

Garbo is a free-spirited debutante who becomes scandalous for first having an affair with her chauffeur, then artist (Asther), all before she settles for millionaire Brown. Irrational soap opera is enjoyable thanks to Garbo's luminescence. A silent film with original music score.

Greta Garbo

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 28 July 2022]

In a time when men can do as they please and women must do as the men please, Arden Stuart (Greta Garbo) wants to break with tradition. She comes from a wealthy family. She rejects Tommy Hewlett's marriage proposal and goes off with the chauffeur. Upon their return, her brother fires the chauffeur which ends in tragedy. Next, she goes with fighter and painter Packy Cannon. He leaves her and she finally accepts Tommy's proposal.

This is a silent film with Greta Garbo. It's a tragic story of a woman's romantic life in a man's world. I do wonder how Arden was received back in the day. She has a kid. That would complicate things even in today's morality. She draws mostly within the lines in that respect. This is a winding life road for this modern woman and she is surprisingly a modern character.

Garbo Sins

[Ron Oliver · 10/10 · 14 February 2006]

A young woman defies THE SINGLE STANDARD of morality which allows males freedom while restricting the behavior of females.

Greta Garbo stars in this late silent trifle from MGM. Her flawless beauty is thawed somewhat by a script that allows her a sly sense of humor and a more approachable demeanor. Playing a character torn between the duties of a wife and the passions of a lover, she is always entertaining, even if the film isn't terribly significant.

Nils Asther, who could almost match Garbo's exoticism, gives a fine performance as the celebrity artist whose adventurous lifestyle & romantic allure prove such a temptation to Garbo. Handsome Johnny Mack Brown gives a touch of nobility to his rather small role as the dull husband willing to sacrifice everything for Garbo's happiness. Elderly character actress Zeffie Tilbury scores as an observant society matron who speaks her mind.

In unbilled roles, Robert Castle grabs the viewers' attention as Garbo's tragic chauffeur and Wade Boteler provides a few chuckles as the merry masher who confronts Garbo in the rain. Movie mavens will recognize a young Joel McCrea as one of the trio of philandering husbands whose antics amuse Garbo in the film's opening moments.

Garbo is great! As usual.

[JohnHowardReid · 8/10 · 9 January 2018]

The Warner Archive print of The Single Standard is not in an immaculate condition, but I'd give it 9/10 nonetheless. This time, Nils Asther has a more complex role, but either he or director John S. Robertson decided that the part should be played with little depth so as not to distract viewers from the Garbo character who rightly occupies center stage. In fact the only actor whose role rivals Asther's is Johnny Mack Brown. Mr. Brown is awful, as usual, but he doesn't come across too badly because Robertson artfully places him in Garbo's shadow, thus diluting his excessive hamming to a point where he often (but not always) seems reasonably tolerable.

All the other roles are small. Third-billed Dorothy Sebastian has such a miniscule part that most viewers would be unaware that she's in the picture at all. Aside from the three leads, the only players who make any impression are Joel McCrea as leader of the opening party-goers, Wade Boteler in an unusual role as an umbrella snatcher and Fred Solm as the hapless chauffeur.

This time, the alluring Garbo is photographed by Oliver T. Marsh. In both this films and "Wild Orchids", she is costumed by Adrian. And both films have delightfully atmospheric music scores composed and conducted by William Axt. Oddly, Wild Orchids also has lots of sound effects, but Single Standard, though released later in 1929, has none at all. Not even a lion's roar!

A stunning Garbo portrayal of a woman who rejects the double standard.

[Michael-110 · 10/10 · 4 September 1999]

Garbo is an absolute revelation in this outstanding silent film (the video has a beautiful musical score). Garbo plays Arden Stuart, a beautiful young woman who rejects the sexual double standard and feels free to engage in affairs with any man she likes. She takes up with famous artist Packy Cannon and travels 'round the world with him on his yacht. After Packy dumps her, she marries Tommy, who had always adored her, and has a child. Then Packy returns...

The kinds of themes sounded in "The Single Standard" were completely blotted off the screen by the Production Code, Hollywood's self-censorship scheme which became fully operational around 1934. The movie explores female liberation and sexuality. It grapples with the issue of whether marriage is a loveless institution of mutual support or a vehicle for love and fulfillment. This is a very adult film and a great one. Films like this were not made again until the 1970's--and nobody ever surpassed Garbo in this kind of role.

"The Single Standard" was adapted from a novel by Adela Rogers St. John. Rogers St. John was the daughter of the famous trial lawyer Earl Rogers, who was the most famous criminal lawyer of the early years of the century and who died a hopeless alcoholic. She never went to school, and simply hung around her father's law office, but later became a famous author and journalist. The great film "A Free Soul" (1931) is based on Rogers St.John's autobiography and chronicles her life along with her father's. Rogers St. John was, in her own life, very much like the heroine of "A Single Standard" and embodied the ideals of women's liberation in the 1920's.

a great silent precode

[AlsExGal · 8/10 · 8 October 2020]

This film was adapted from a novel by Adela Rogers St. John. St. John was the daughter of a famed criminal attorney who practiced at the turn of the 20th century. Her father eventually died of drink, having been a lifetime alcoholic. The film "A Free Soul" was very loosely based on her life. She had very liberal viewpoints for her era, and only before the production code began to be enforced in 1934 could such a work as this come to the screen.

Garbo plays Arden, a society girl who has grown up observing the seemingly inevitable cheating that goes on in the marriages of all her friends by the husbands. Meanwhile, when she takes an innocent drive late at night with the chauffeur, she is subjected to Victorian judgements by the men in the household. This leads her to adopt the "single standard" as her philosophy of love - absolute freedom and equality for both parties. Shortly thereafter she meets Packy Cannon (Nils Asther), an artist, adventurer, and ex-prizefighter. The two have instant chemistry and they sail away together on his boat, the "All Alone". However, after a few perfect months together, Packy returns Arden to her home, saying that their love has been so perfect it must live on forever - but only in their memories.

Once she returns home, Tommy Hewlett (Johnny Mack Brown) tells Arden that he still wants her to marry him, doesn't care about the scandal that her sailing away with Packy has caused among their society crowd, and is not afraid of the possibility that she might leave him if Packy were to ever return. The two do marry, Packy returns for Arden, and Arden and Tommy come to completely different conclusions about how to handle the situation. It is (almost) most unfortunate that they never communicate their individual plans to one another.

This is one of Garbo's last silents, and by this film she has evolved into the woman we recognize in her later talking films. To really appreciate Garbo you must start with her silents and watch her grow from girlhood to womanhood onscreen. Nils Asther and Johnny Mack Brown didn't have it so good in talking pictures. Nils Asther's accent did impede his career considerably, and by the 1940's he was a truckdriver. Johnny Mack Brown just didn't come across with a commanding presence in talking pictures. He lost his contract at MGM in the early 30's and eventually wound up doing dozens of B Westerns for poverty row Monogram Pictures.

This is a late silent, so a synchronized score is included. The video is quite worn looking, with considerable "cross-hatching" on more than a few scenes, and artifacts so bad on a few of the title cards that it is hard to read them. The DVD version available through the Warner Archives hasn't improved upon these problems .

Women Will Be Liberated When They Learn To Lay Eggs

[theognis-80821 · 8/10 · 20 August 2022]

In the years following women's suffrage, questions were raised about their changed limitations. Greta Garbo, at 24, was quite beautiful and gives an excellent performance as a woman who desires the liberties that men enjoy. This well-directed, well-photographed movie has her torn between yesterday's lover (Nils Asther) and today's husband (Johnny Mack Brown, before his cowboy stardom). And no tot is cuter than Wally Albright. Suicide is briefly entertained as a possible solution.

For Garbo Fans Only

[Michael_Elliott · 24 May 2010]

Single Standard, The (1929)

** (out of 4)

Outside of Greta Garbo, this silent film pretty much lives up to the "standard" mentioned in the title. In the film Garbo plays Arden Hewlett, a rich woman who believes that men and women should play by the same rules in terms of relationships. She doesn't have a problem with the boys running out on their wives and she expects the same. She eventually hooks up with a boxer (Nils Asther) but winds up with another man (Johnny Mack Brown) who she marries. Once married the boxer comes back into her life and wants her back. I'm sure this film was dated even by 1929 standards so it certainly doesn't play any better today. This isn't a horrible movie but at the same time everything in it is so bland that you can't help but be bored out of your mind. What's even worse is that the film lasts a short 73-minutes yet even that seems way too long. The only thing that really works here is the beauty of Garbo. She does a nice job in the role and she's easily believable as the "fun girl" every guy would want to be with. I thought Asther was also pretty good and what lively moments the film does have are due to the boat trip between his character and Garbo's. Brown isn't too bad but his role is so predictable that it comes off rather boring. Director Robertson really seems to be asleep at the wheel because there's no energy or life anywhere in the film. I'm not sure if the studio just made this production a quickie until they could find out what to do with Garbo and sound movies but in the end the film just doesn't work.

Greta Garbo - the lesbian screen star - Silent Movie

[www-vitaphone-org · 7 November 2003]

Greta Garbo - the lesbian screen star - says farewell to silent movies with this interesting feature. The musical score - which was recorded in 1929 - is beautiful. Be sure to see it with the original Vitaphone score and not one of those cheap modern scores. (Many con-artists have someone tricked the public into believing that their cheap modern scores are somehow better because they are performed live - They couldn't reproduce the beautiful scores of the 1920's and early 1930's if they tried - you need to at least know how to read music to do that.)