SpuffyWeb Sadly Over-hyped

CrawlerChunky In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

Brendon Jones It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

Zlatica One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

MartinHafer This silent film finds Garbo playing a lady with rather bohemian morals for 1929. She sees that there is an unfair double-standard that allows men to cheat and have fun--but not women. So, she decides she, too, can play the field and ignore conventional morality--fair is fair. This is a novel idea and I agree that women and men should be equal--though instead, it might be nice if the men behaved a lot less randy--not women behaving slutty as well! But, that's really not the point of the film--at least not initially.Garbo meets an interesting man--a famous boxer AND painter (now THAT'S unusual!!). She is more than willing to bed this guy but he's off to explore the Amazon and tells her it wouldn't be right for her to come along with him. Why she then carries a torch for this guy is a bit hard to believe--they only spent a short time together AND if he was such a chauvinist that he didn't take her with him, why would she want him back later in the film--after she is married and has a child? Well, that is her plan--but, fortunately, but the end of the film she comes to her senses and her husband also does as well.Overall, an entertaining film but I take off at least a point because Garbo simply made too many 'woman with loose morals' pictures. Worth seeing, however, especially if you are a die-hard Garbo fiend.

Michael_Elliott Single Standard, The (1929) ** (out of 4)Outside of Greta Garbo, this silent film pretty much lives up to the "standard" mentioned in the title. In the film Garbo plays Arden Hewlett, a rich woman who believes that men and women should play by the same rules in terms of relationships. She doesn't have a problem with the boys running out on their wives and she expects the same. She eventually hooks up with a boxer (Nils Asther) but winds up with another man (Johnny Mack Brown) who she marries. Once married the boxer comes back into her life and wants her back. I'm sure this film was dated even by 1929 standards so it certainly doesn't play any better today. This isn't a horrible movie but at the same time everything in it is so bland that you can't help but be bored out of your mind. What's even worse is that the film lasts a short 73-minutes yet even that seems way too long. The only thing that really works here is the beauty of Garbo. She does a nice job in the role and she's easily believable as the "fun girl" every guy would want to be with. I thought Asther was also pretty good and what lively moments the film does have are due to the boat trip between his character and Garbo's. Brown isn't too bad but his role is so predictable that it comes off rather boring. Director Robertson really seems to be asleep at the wheel because there's no energy or life anywhere in the film. I'm not sure if the studio just made this production a quickie until they could find out what to do with Garbo and sound movies but in the end the film just doesn't work.

wes-connors Greta Garbo envies the freedom acceptable for men, but not permissible for women - the sexual "Double Standard". She asked her chauffeur to take her for a ride. When they are caught returning from a rendezvous, the chauffeur is fired; then, he commits suicide. Somewhat disenchanted, Garbo takes off with exciting Nils Asther for a long romantic trip aboard his ship - the "All Alone". Garbo wants to marry, but Asther must travel to China. Back home, Garbo is romanced by, and does marry, millionaire Johnny Mack Brown. Later, Asther returns… Garbo loves Asther, but is married (with child) to Mack Brown. What will she do? "The Single Standard" is beautifully photographed and silently performed. The subject matter must have been considered daring at the time. Today, it's fairly standard stuff. Still - Garbo, the photography, and briefly twisted ending make it look like magic. ******* The Single Standard (1929) John S. Robertson ~ Greta Garbo, Nils Asther, Johnny Mack Brown

nickandrew Garbo is a free-spirited debutante who becomes scandalous for first having an affair with her chauffeur, then artist (Asther), all before she settles for millionaire Brown. Irrational soap opera is enjoyable thanks to Garbo's luminescence. A silent film with original music score.