Development The play had previously been adaptated for film in
1912,
1915 and
1917, in
1921 with Nazimova and Rudolph Valentino, and in
1926 with Norma Talmadge. Irving Thalberg assigned Davis Lewis to work on the film as associate producer. According to Lewis, Greta Garbo only agreed to make the movie if MGM would finance
Conquest. Francis Marion wrote the first draft of the script with
James Hilton; according to Lewis, Marion had a crush on Hilton and the first draft "was ludicrous—flowery, overblown, and just downright badly conceived and overwritten. It was almost comic opera." The director,
George Cukor, suggested
Zoe Akins be brought in to work on the script. According to a news item in
Daily Variety, MGM had considered changing the setting of the famous Alexandre Dumas story to modern times. The time period was not changed, but Thalberg wanted the film to have a more contemporary feeling than earlier
Camilles. He wanted audiences to forget that they were watching a "costume" picture. He also felt that morality had changed since the earlier
Camilles, and the fact that Marguerite was a prostitute was not as shameful anymore; as a result, Garbo's character became more likable than in previous productions. The modernization of the story proved to be successful.
Shooting While filming Marguerite's death scene, Robert Taylor brought his phonograph to Garbo's dressing room so that she could play
Paul Robeson records to put her in the mood. In the words of
Camille director George Cukor: "My mother had just died, and I had been there during her last conscious moments. I suppose I had a special awareness. I may have passed something on to Garbo without realizing it." Garbo later praised Cukor's sensitivity: "Cukor gave me direction as to how to hold my hands", said Garbo. "He had seen how, when his mother lay dying, she folded her hands and just fell asleep." While producing
Camille, producer Irving Thalberg died. After filming was ended, and post-production began, Louis B. Mayer assigned
Bernard Hyman as the film's new producer. Hyman arranged re-takes, cut some scenes, or edited scenes from the original Thalberg production. It is not exactly known which scenes were edited or cut. The famous death scene in the film as released is not the original version that was shot. Initially, Camille died on the bed, had more words to say, and folded her hands before she died; this original death scene is lost. Cukor thought the amount of dialogue was unrealistic for a dying character, so Garbo's last scene was rewritten and reshot three times; each successive version had fewer words, until in the final version Camille just slowly slipped away in Armand's arms. News items in
Daily Variety and
Hollywood Reporter on July 25, 1936, noted that John Barrymore originally was cast in the role of Baron de Varville, but a bout of pneumonia prevented him from working on the picture. Barrymore's brother Lionel was scheduled to replace John in the role; however, a few days later, it was reported that a change in casting resulted in Lionel Barrymore's assignment to the role of Monsieur Duval, and Henry Daniell's assignment to Baron de Varville. Cinematographer William Daniels mistakenly is listed as a cast member in early
Hollywood Reporter production charts.
Camille marked the screen debut of actress
Joan Leslie, who appeared under her real name, Joan Brodel. ==Reception==