Great Garbo (1905 - 1990) in her 1935 film "Anna Karenina"

Colorized a promotional photo of Greta Garbo (1905 - 1990) in her 1935 film "Anna Karenina", a remake of a silent movie of the same title with her supposed lover and fellow film star John Gilbert. It is interesting to note that Greta never married or had children. She did not show up to her wedding ceremony with longtime screen partner John Gilbert, saying to the press she had feared being dominated by him when all her life, she has been the one dominating. It was essentially a ruse to cover her lesbian nature which studio bosses already knew and fostered her enigmatic image to protect her from adverse public opinion and her standing at the box office.

All throughout her career, she was able to create an air of mystery around her personal life, never attending socials, parties or an Oscar ceremony even when nominated. Her biographer Barry Paris claimed that she was "technically bisexual, predominantly lesbian, and increasingly asexual as the years went by." Garbo struggled greatly with her sexuality, only becoming involved with other women in affairs she could control.

Before moving to America it is claimed she was seduced by 23-year-old Marlene Dietrich, described by Hollywood historian Diana McLellan as a “bohemian young mama with a notorious and compulsive appetite for the sexual seduction of other beautiful women, particularly backstage.” Garbo with a very sensitive nature ended up so hurt by Dietrich that she denied knowing her for the rest of her life. Garbo moved to Hollywood, where she continued an intimate relationship with actress-writer Salka Viertel and Mercedes de Acosta who revealed their lesbian relationships with Greta. It was also rumored that she made backstage advances to a yet unknown 19-year old Joan Crawford who was herself a bisexual