Lylah Clare: Garbo or Dietrich?

Was the Lylah Clare character based off of Greta Garbo or Marlene Dietrich?


Garbo: An obvious connection is Lylah Clare playing the starring role in "Anna Christie" (1930), Garbo's very famous first talkie. Also, several times we see her throw back her head and mimick Garbo's signature hearty laugh.

Dietrich: Lylah was a blonde from Germany, who had a very deep voice and thick German (not Swedish) accent. She also had a buxom, vampy quality that was very Dietrich-esque and looked straight out of anything-goes 1930's Berlin. I believe we also hear a Dietrich song playing in her dressing room. Also, her relationship with Zarken was much like Dietrich's romance with director/mentor Joseph von Sternberg.

Both: Garbo and Dietrich were both bi-sexual, and fairly open about it, as Lylah apparently was too.


How interesting. I wonder what both Garbo and Dietrich thought of this film upon its release...