This frivolous epic may be novelettish at best but it is also sumptuous and highly entertaining and with Garbo and Boyer in the leads it couldn't be anything less. He's Napoleon, (and Oscar-nominated for his performance) and she's a Polish countess called Marie Walewska, (the film's alternative title), with a husband over twice her age, (the great Henry Stephenson). Initially she just admires Napoleon but then falls in love with him, leaving her husband and risking scandal and the movie works as a likeable if trite romance greatly helped, of course, by the chemistry between its stars, both of whom are outstanding. A splendid supporting cast and the kind of art direction that only money can buy also go to making this something of a treat.

source: Conquest

Trailer—Conquest

Conquest

Goodness, I can't believe, I'm saying this, but Garbo is good in ''Conquest''...... Here I was, complaining the other day, about Garbo's ''Inspiration'', and saying the only good performance she ever gave was in ''Ninotchka''...... I take that back now, so far, her good performances are given in both ''Ninotchka'' & ''Conquest''...... Garbo & Boyer displays well blend chemistry together...... (a surprise, since this is their only movie together) However, it's Boyer who carries off, and holds the movie together, w/ his charm & wit...... (during some flat spots) You could see, that Garbo is responsive to Boyer's performance/character, unlike her usual ''I want to be alone'' self...... What's more stunning, is Garbo smiles in this movie..... (more than once too!) That's enough good shock for me...... We do see a rare, lighthearted Garbo here, just like in ''Ninotchka''...... I would even say, that Boyer is Garbo's best co-star so far..... Charles Boyer & Melvyn Douglas......

Some say Queen Christina was Garbo's best role. Well, she's better in this than she was in Queen Christina. So, one might assert that this is her greatest role. So, why the lousy 6.8 rating? Today's fatuous audiences deduct for things like black-and-white, "old" actors and actresses (yes, there are actors and there are actresses), technical acting, ad nauseum. Conquest admittedly has its faults, in particular the horrendous editing - some kind of studio chop job - and I'd like to see the un-cut version. The pacing is also way uneven. Against that, however, is a part for Garbo that well suits her swooning delivery and one for Charles Boyer, as Napoleon, that well suits his tortured, manipulative cad persona. There's also a nice small part here for Henry Stephenson as Garbo's Countess Walenska's aged husband. Here's a solid story about Napoleon's other-other woman, the true love of his life.

This film reminded me of another MGM costume drama--MARIE ANTOINETTE. Both were late 30s MGM epics with lavish costumes and the full MGM treatment (the typical high-budget music, dialog, pacing, direction, etc.). And, both were pretty boring--at least to me. Now I know these films were well-received at the time and they both starred MGM divas (Norma Shearer in MARIE ANTOINETTE and Greta Garbo in CONQUEST), but didn't change the fact that these were very stagy and unengaging films. To put this in some perspective, I love movies from Hollywoods Golden Age and I am a history teacher and I still was bored to tears by the films. I think it is films like these that got students to really hate history! My advice--watch a documentary about Napoleon or watch a romance but don't combine the two into a static and unappealing film like this.

This frivolous epic may be novelettish at best but it is also sumptuous and highly entertaining and with Garbo and Boyer in the leads it couldn't be anything less. He's Napoleon, (and Oscar-nominated for his performance) and she's a Polish countess called Marie Walewska, (the film's alternative title), with a husband over twice her age, (the great Henry Stephenson). Initially she just admires Napoleon but then falls in love with him, leaving her husband and risking scandal and the movie works as a likeable if trite romance greatly helped, of course, by the chemistry between its stars, both of whom are outstanding. A splendid supporting cast and the kind of art direction that only money can buy also go to making this something of a treat.

"Conquest" was an attempt by all departments to secure a hit… Garbo's co-star was the romantic idol of the day, Charles Boyer; the subject was to have an epic sweep – Napoleon's retreat from his disastrous Russian campaign, through Poland and Marie Walewska, on his inevitable way to Elba Garbo's role – as his suffering, cast-off mistress, victim of high politics – was a chance to touch the heartstrings… It all failed, for reasons clearly laid out early on in the story when Marie tells an admonitory Emperor: 'Sire. You stand in the sun.' Garbo's fans saw no point in their idol standing in the shadows "Conquest" remains a measured, dignified, and often rather dull historical fiction, lightened by excellent performances and production