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Mauritz Stiller | |
|---|---|
 Stiller in 1927 | |
| Born | Moshe Stiller (1883-07-17)17 July 1883 |
| Died | 8 November 1928(1928-11-08) (aged 45) Stockholm, Sweden |
| Citizenship | Sweden |
| Occupations | Film director, screenwriter |
| Years active | 1912–1928 |
Mauritz Stiller (bornMoshe Stiller, 17 July 1883 – 8 November 1928) was a Swedish-Finnish film director ofJewish origin, best known for discoveringGreta Garbo and bringing her to America. Stiller was a pioneer of the Swedish film industry, writing and directing many short films from 1912. WhenMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer invited him toHollywood as a director, he arrived with his new discovery Greta Gustafsson, whose screen name Greta Garbo is believed to have been his suggestion. After frequent disagreements with studio executives at MGM andParamount Pictures, Stiller returned to Sweden, where he died soon afterward.
Moshe Stiller was born on 17 July 1883 inHelsinki.[1] His family was ofAshkenazi Jewish heritage,[2] having lived in Russia and Poland before settling in Finland, these countries being ruled by theRussian Empire at that time. After his father's death when he was four, his mother committed suicide. He was raised by family friends. From an early age, Stiller was interested in acting. His talents did not go unnoticed, and soon Stiller was offered the opportunity to practise and display his acting skills in the theatres of Helsinki andTurku in Finland.
Drafted into the army ofCzar Nicholas II — Finland was at the time theGrand Duchy of Finland, an autonomous state ruled by the Russian Czars — rather than report for duty he fled the country and settled in Sweden. He became a Swedish citizen in 1921.[citation needed]
By 1912, Stiller had become involved with Sweden's rapidly developingsilent film industry. He began by writing scripts, acting and directing inshort films but within a few years gave up acting to devote his time to writing and directing. He was soon directing feature-length productions, and his 1918 workThomas Graals bästa barn (Thomas Graal's First Child), starringKarin Molander, and withVictor Sjöström in the leading role, received much acclaim.
By 1920, having directed more than 35 films, includingSir Arne's Treasure andErotikon, Stiller was a leading figure in Swedish filmmaking. He also directedThe Blizzard, starring a youngEinar Hanson and based on theSelma Lagerlöf novelEn herrgårdssägen (English:The Tale of a Manor).
At theRoyal Dramatic Theatre in Stockholm, he met a young actress named Greta Gustafsson whom he cast in an important but secondary role in his film,Gösta Berlings saga (The Atonement of Gosta Berling), and who some[who?] have said gave her the stage nameGreta Garbo. For Stiller, the screen presence of the 20-year-old actress led to him bringing her and Hanson to the United States after he accepted an offer fromLouis B. Mayer to direct forMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
In Hollywood, Stiller was assigned to directThe Temptress (1926), Garbo's second film with MGM, but he could not deal with the studio structure. After repeated arguments with MGM executives, he was replaced on the film byFred Niblo, and his contract with the studio terminated. Stiller immediately was hired by Paramount Pictures, where he made three successful films, but he was let go a second time while directing his fourth film because of his continuing disagreements with studio bosses.
Stiller identified ashomosexual.[3][4] He was, as criticRichard Dyer said, flamboyantly so,[5] and his most public friendships were with other gay men in Stockholm and Berlin.[6]
Being homosexual was an asset in European cultural circles at the time, as it was associated with fine art.[6] Stiller actively cultivated a public image as a gay "cosmopolitan dandy" to enhance the public's perception of his homosexuality.[6] In 1925, he was known in Swedish cinema as "Cinema'sOscar Wilde" (a reference not to his wit or humor, but his sexuality).[6]
Stiller had many relationships with young men.[6] One of the most important was withNils Asther, whom Stiller cast in the gay-themed filmVingarne.[4] Stiller seduced the then-18-year-old,[7] bisexual[4] Asther while making the film.[7] He was Asther's first lover.[8]
Stiller had no romantic or sexual relationship with Greta Garbo. Yet, the American press persisted in saying that Stiller was Garbo's "first and greatest love", omitting to tell the public about Stiller's homosexuality.[9]
Stiller returned to Sweden in 1927 and died on 8 November 1928 frompleurisy at the age of 45.[10] He was interred in theNorra begravningsplatsen in Stockholm.[11]
Stiller's contribution to the motion picture industry was recognised in 1960 with a star on theHollywood Walk of Fame at 1713 Vine Street. Originally his star was listed erroneously as "Maurice Diller"[1] and was not corrected until the late 1980s.[12]
A theatre inFilmhuset, home of theSwedish Film Institute, was named in his honour as "Bio Mauritz".[13]
InKristianstad, a monument was erected in his honour.[when?][citation needed]
In theBadehotellet episode "Feriebarnet",[when?] Kitty tells Frigh that Stiller wrote her a letter and wants to take her to Hollywood. When Frigh admits he doesn't know who he is, Kitty replies that Stiller discovered Garbo and shows him a newspaper clipping of the photo of Garbo and Stiller posing on the deck of theSS Drottningholm.[citation needed]
