Spoilers follow.
The summary is more appropriate to the inferior Greta Garbo version of Camille where the film is given a Hollywood-style happy ending. In that version Marguerite dies, but reunited with her lover Armand, and in his arms. Marguerite's illness is also down played throughout the film, presumably not to harm GG's beautiful image.
The Nazimova version is a true tragedy. We know she is fatally ill from the first scene. Her consumption can be seen as symbolic - when the original story "La Dame aux camelias" was written consumption was known as the love disease. Sufferers waste away like doomed lovers, and as they lost weight, took on a pale beauty.
To Marguerite, her love for Armand is a way out of her sordid way of life. But when she becomes aware of what her love is doing to Armand, she gives up her hopes of happiness in order that Armand can have a normal future without being dragged down by her past. She dies believing Armand now despises her for leaving him for her previous rich protector, unaware that Armand has ever discovered the truth about her motives. Clutching the book "Manon Lescaut" that Armand gave her, and which is so symbolic in their relationship, her last words are "let me sleep and dream".
A superb and timeless film.
The summary is more appropriate to the inferior Greta Garbo version of Camille where the film is given a Hollywood-style happy ending. In that version Marguerite dies, but reunited with her lover Armand, and in his arms. Marguerite's illness is also down played throughout the film, presumably not to harm GG's beautiful image.
The Nazimova version is a true tragedy. We know she is fatally ill from the first scene. Her consumption can be seen as symbolic - when the original story "La Dame aux camelias" was written consumption was known as the love disease. Sufferers waste away like doomed lovers, and as they lost weight, took on a pale beauty.
To Marguerite, her love for Armand is a way out of her sordid way of life. But when she becomes aware of what her love is doing to Armand, she gives up her hopes of happiness in order that Armand can have a normal future without being dragged down by her past. She dies believing Armand now despises her for leaving him for her previous rich protector, unaware that Armand has ever discovered the truth about her motives. Clutching the book "Manon Lescaut" that Armand gave her, and which is so symbolic in their relationship, her last words are "let me sleep and dream".
A superb and timeless film.