Year: 1931
Director: George Fitzmaurice
Country: US
Language: English
Margareta Geertrudia MacLeoud (1876 - 1917), better known as Mata Hari, was a seductive erotic dancer and courtesan who was executed by firing squad due to being convicted by France as a spy for the German army during World War One. Promiscuous, flirtatious, and openly flaunting her body, Mata Hari captivated her audiences. She was the ultimate femme fatale.
During World War I, Mata Hari is a German spy, working in Paris. She has already seduced the Russian general Shubin, and has now set her eyes on lieutenant Rosanov, a young up-and-coming officer. The secret police are on to her however, and its only a matter of time until they gather enough evidence to convict her.
The stunning Greta Garbo delivers a brilliant portrayal of a seductive mistress, even if the truth was that by 1917 the 41 year old dancer had lost quite a bit of her sexual prowess. We get a fairly deep and complex character study that proves to be grandiose with its remarkable costumes and fascinating set design.
There are other Mata Hari pictures, as there will be for quite some time, but Garbo's version is, and always will be, the best. The exciting melodrama, combined with a booming score and Garbo's frenetic onscreen energy make for an enoyable time. The plot is decent and the dialogue does its job, even though the writing does play second banana to the other great technical aspects of this picture.
Mata Hari is not a masterpiece by any stretch of the imagination; but it is a worthwhile viewing that deserves repeat viewings. My only dissapointment with the picture is that considering it was pre-code Hollywood I thought it could have pushed the envelope farther when it came to sexuality. Oh well, I recommend it either way.
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