George Cukor’s lavish adaptation of this story of doomed love in nineteenth-century Paris was the first sound version of the story by Alexander Dumas fils. In what is arguably Garbo’s finest performance and unquestionably one of her most popular, she provides a restrained turn as an ailing courtesan that meshes beautifully with the lavish and luxurious atmosphere of this golden-age MGM production. Marguerite (Garbo) falls in love with the promising young Armand (Taylor), but the young man’s father puts an end to their engagement in order to protect his son’s future. The tragic finale is a classic example of the power and magnetism of The Face.