Camille (1936)

Bisexual icon Greta Garbo stars in gay director George Cukor’s 1936 adaptation of Camille, a very queer production.

Camille

1936 | USA

 Director: George Cukor

Screenplay: Zoë Akins, James Hilton & Frances Marion

Based on: “La Dame aux Camélias” (1852) by Alexandre Dumas, fils

 Starring: Greta Garbo, Robert Taylor, Lionel Barrymore, Rex O’Malley, Laura Hope Crews, Elizabeth Allan, Jessie Ralph, Henry Daniell & Lenore Ulric

If you’re unfamiliar with the film, you’ll probably recognize the plot. Camille follows Marguerite (Garbo), a popular courtesan dying of consumption in mid-century Paris, who is torn between the affections of a penniless, handsome young man and a wealthy baron. Sound familiar? It’s one of the stories that inspired Baz Luhrmann’s 2001 hit musical Moulin Rouge!

Surprisingly, this isn’t the only production adapted from the 1852 Dumas novel La Dame aux Camélias featuring a queer lead. Alla Nazimova, bisexual star of the silver screen, also played Marguerite and contributed to the set design of the 1921 silent film.

The lavish 1936 MGM adaptation was even gayer. Though the film revolves around a heterosexual romance, many of the key people working both behind and in front of the camera were queer. The screenplay was co-written by Zoë Akins, who was queer. The film was directed by famed “women’s director” George Cukor, who loved a strong female lead (don’t we all!). MGM’s iconic costume designer Adrian—who worked on many other memorable productions, such as 1939’s The Wizard of Oz—created the film’s costumes. Additionally, Garbo’s friends and lovers Mercedes de Acosta and Salka Viertel are also said to have contributed to shaping the production.

Garbo with director George Cukor.

As for queer actors onscreen, we have Garbo as the courtesan Marguerite; Robert Taylor (rumoured) as her love interest Armand; Laura Hope Crews as her friend Prudence; and Rex O’Malley as the queer-coded, loyal best friend Gaston.

Rex O’Malley as the queer-coded bestie, Gaston.

Camille earned Garbo her third Academy Award nomination. You can currently find it streaming on YouTube, for rent or purchase on Apple TV and Amazon, and also available on DVD and Blu-ray.

Garbo and costume designer Adrian on the set of Camille.