Mata Hari

Mata Hari, from 1931, makes a no-brainer casting choice: Greta Garbo as the notorious and exotic spy. The film, some say, was responsible in increased interest in the woman (it was only 14 years after the events), and though the screenplay is kind of ridiculous and bears little factual accuracy, it's pretty good.

The year is 1917 and World War I is raging. Mata Hari is an exotic dancer in Paris, and with just a come-hither look can reduce any man to jelly. She is currently seducing a bumbling Russian general (Lionel Barrymore), and then sets her sites on a Russian pilot, Ramon Navarro, who is going to be flying secret dispatches to Moscow. But she ends up falling in love with him, and the ending makes her out to be some sort of heroine. It seems that even in death, Mata Hari is seducing us.

The film was directed by George Fitzmaurice with aplomb, as the use of light and shadow is well done and the acting is generally good, except for Navarro, who is kind of a stiff. I also liked some interesting moves such as showing only the shoes of an assassin (he's got one much shorter leg) and, since this is pre-code, there is little doubt that Garbo has slept with Navarro.

One can really see the allure of Garbo here, wearing exotic clothes and slinking around like a jaguar. When she's finally caught, and worries only about Navarro's safety, her face sublimely registers the combination of emotions.

Though the film isn't particularly realistic when it comes to espionage (Garbo is suspected, but still keeps spying as if no one knew who she was) it has a nice, suspenseful pace. It's a perfect movie to watch on an otherwise dull afternoon.