The Kiss (1929) Director: Jacques Feyder Producer: Irving G. Thalberg Starring: Greta Garbo, Conrad Nagel, Lew Ayres, Holmes Herbert, Anders Randolf Cinematography: William H. Daniels Editor: Blanche Sewell Studio: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) Distributor: Loew’s, Inc. Release Date: November 16, 1929 (USA) Runtime: 62 minutes Format: Black & White | Silent with synchronized score and sound effects Country: United States Language: English intertitles Genre: Drama | Romance | Crime --- Summary: The Kiss (1929) is a late silent romantic drama directed by Jacques Feyder, marking Greta Garbo’s final silent film — and one of the last major silent releases from MGM before Hollywood fully transitioned to talkies. The story follows Irene Guarry (Greta Garbo), a beautiful but unhappily married woman trapped in a loveless marriage to the possessive Charles Guarry (Holmes Herbert). When a young admirer, Pierre Lassalle (Lew Ayres in his screen debut), innocently kisses her goodbye, her jealous husband discovers them and attacks. In the ensuing struggle, Irene’s lover André Dubail (Conrad Nagel) intervenes, leading to Charles’s death. What follows is a gripping courtroom drama as Irene’s integrity and motives are put on trial, and the meaning of “the kiss” becomes both her condemnation and her salvation. --- Background: Directed by Belgian-born filmmaker Jacques Feyder, The Kiss showcases MGM’s signature elegance and Greta Garbo’s emotive power, proving that she could command the screen without words. The film’s combination of silent-era cinematography and experimental synchronized sound effects created an atmosphere of transition between two cinematic ages. William H. Daniels, Garbo’s preferred cinematographer, bathes the picture in soft lighting and shadows, capturing her face with near-mythic beauty. --- Trivia: Greta Garbo’s last silent film, though it included a synchronized musical score and limited sound effects via MGM’s Movietone system. Lew Ayres made his acting debut here, the same year he would star in All Quiet on the Western Front (1930). Garbo’s performance in The Kiss helped cement her status as Hollywood’s ultimate silent-era icon, bridging her move into talkies seamlessly. The film’s advertising famously called it “the last of the great silent dramas.” --- Legacy: The Kiss (1929) represents the swan song of Hollywood’s silent era — a sophisticated blend of passion, tragedy, and moral tension told through Garbo’s unmatched expressiveness. It remains a hallmark of early MGM production values and a poignant farewell to an art form on the brink of transformation. --- Hashtags: #TheKiss1929 #GretaGarbo #JacquesFeyder #ConradNagel #LewAyres #SilentFilm #MGM #ClassicCinema #Hollywood1920s #SilentDrama #RomanticDrama #PreCode #GoldenAgeOfHollywood