For someone so often in the Hollywood spotlight , Greta Garbo managed to persist impressively secret , a skill that only added to her enigmatical allure . Now , Swann Auction Galleries issellinga set of over 65 personal letters that Garbo write to friend and fellow actress Salka Viertel , which throw light on what was really go on behind those famous blue eyes .
The letters , mostly write in English ( though four are in German ) and sweep from 1932 to 1973 , paint a portrait of an unquiet , spent woman who sometimes had misgivings about Hollywood and did n’t care purdah quite as much as her repute imply .
Around 1933 , a pessimistic Garbo write to Viertel that she had returned from a European slip feeling trite , say “ I was so hounded , everything was so ugly that I no longer want to trip . And the terrible sense that Europe is dead . It ’s dead . ” plainly , this disillusionment led her to object to filming 1933’sQueen Christinathere . “ Salka , I know I ’m an impossible someone , but I ca n’t makeChristinain Europe . When you are as involved in plastic film as I am , then you ’ll empathise , ” she aver . “ I know that you ’re hope thatChristinawould be made in Europe — I’m very sorry Salka , but I ’m in a state . ”
A letter from 1935 suggests that Garbo harbored some disconfirming flavour toward Irving Thalberg , whocasther in her first American film , 1926’sThe Torrent , and grow several other gamey - visibility plastic film of hers , include 1926’sFlesh and the Devil , 1930’sAnna Christie , 1932’sGrand Hotel , and 1936’sCamille . In the letter , Garbo asked Viertel — a screenwriter , too — if she was involve inCamille : “ And are you not doing anything onCamille ? God aid me if Thalberg does it alone … I could write [ Louis B. ] Mayer otherwise and perhaps he could let [ David O. ] Selznick doCamille . ”
In addition to the intriguing details about Hollywood citizenry , place , and things , Garbo ’s proportionateness with Viertel is plethoric with citation to the state of her own genial health . She ofttimes remark sense “ tired , ” “ very off and on , ” “ so downhearted , ” and “ very pitiful . ” She also explains that “ it is hard and sad to be alone , but sometimes it ’s even more difficult to be with someone . ”
Overall , the letter illustrate that Garbo seemed to be at a red for how to make herself well-chosen in her career , which may have factored into her departure from acting when she was in her mid-30s .
The accumulation , which is estimate to fetch between $ 40,000 and $ 60,000 , hits the auction block on October 10 .
Uncover more of the mystery behind the legendary actress with thesefacts .
[ h / tSwann Auction Galleries ]
