In Austria, after the marriage of her beloved sister, Katrin (Greta Garbo) is proposed to marry Dr. Walter Fane (Herbert Marshall),who is a former student of her father and is researching cholera. They travel to Hong Kong and Katrin is totally neglected by her husband. Soon she has a love affair with the diplomat Jack Townsend (George Brent). When Walter discovers her love affair, he proposes the divorce provided Jack leaves his wife and marry Katrin. But this procedure would destroy his diplomatic career and Katrin leaves Jack. Walter decides to travel to the countryside to a village with cholera epidemic and forces Katrin to travel with him to punish her. What will happen to his wife?

"The Painted Veil" is a romance with a corny conclusion about a marriage without love of a dedicated researcher and a bored housewife. The imperialism of the Westerns is impressive and a doctor is capable to order to burn down the houses of the villagers to the ground without explaining them the reason why. Only Greta Garbo makes it worthwhile watching this film once. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "O Véu Pintado" ("The Painted Veil")

There have been three versions of The Painted Veil out and I've now seen the first and third versions. That second one with Eleanor Parker and Bill Travers came out in 1957 during the Cold War and I'm betting the plot was fitted for those times.

But the latest one with Edward Norton and Naomi Watts has the enormous advantage of shooting in China itself. It really helps the story to see exactly where and and what those doctors were dealing with. And the Chinese are the Chinese idea of the Chinese, not studio extras from Los Angeles's Chinatown. The emphasis was on the epidemic and the Chinese and their problems.

But this film has the incomparable Greta Garbo, billed here simply as Garbo. She dominates the film over her to workman like leads husband Herbert Marshall and lover George Brent. These guys were never going to steal any scenes from her.

Garbo more on a whim to see faraway places marries earnest, but exceedingly dull Herbert Marshall who is a doctor scheduled to go to China. But she bores quickly of him and gets an affair with British colonial official George Brent. Brent turns out to be a cad and then Marshall will have nothing to do with her. But a cholera epidemic comes and things work out.

The Painted Veil should have had Garbo come back and do this story again in 2006 on location in China. Even Naomi Watts wouldn't dispute Garbo being a better actress, who can compete with a legend?

While this certainly isn't a great film by any standard, it is a pretty good film and is much more watchable into the 21st century than many of Garbo's films (many just seem very old fashioned and contrived today--sorry Garbo fans). Plus, it's also worth seeing just so you can see Greta smile--something you only saw happen in a very few films (such as TWO-FACED WOMAN and NINOTCHKA--two of her last films).

Greta plays a bored young lady living in the middle of nowhere. She yearns to see the world and quickly marries newcomer, Herbert Marshall. The intensity of the love isn't really there--she's just anxious to leave and Marshall has a strong infatuation. They return to Marshall's home in Hong Kong where he is a doctor working for the government health services. However, his work keeps him away from home so much that it's no surprise that she falls for a cad, played by George Brent. Brent isn't serious about their divorcing and getting married, but he lies to Greta to string her along. Soon, Marshall finds out and unleashes his anger on her--not accepting that the affair was in a way his fault because he neglected her so. Greta is ashamed and tries to make the best of the marriage--even when the plague takes her and Marshall hundreds of miles into China. Slowly, the wall between them begins to vanish and Garbo begins to appreciate what a great man she has married. And, by the end of the film, the love that never really developed between them is in full bloom. Despite this ending being handled in a bit of a heavy-handed fashion, the ending was very satisfying and I'm glad I saw this film due to its generally excellent writing and acting. In particular, I liked how Garbo did NOT play the silly vamp she often played in earlier films, but was a more three-dimensional and believable woman--a welcome departure from many of her earlier and very, very similar roles.