If you're a fan of Greta Garbo you'll love this movie because it gives her a chance to act all over the place - play coy, funny, tragic, romantic, sexy, etc. Camille is a dream part for an older woman - you get to wear fantastic clothes, all the men pant over you (including a handsome elder one and dashing younger) and you get to die and have all the sympathy.
It's done with MGM gloss which means plenty of over the top costume and sumptuous production design; the censor has pulled back on what Camille does for a living but it's still clear to adults what's going on.
The performances of Lionel Barrymore and Robert Taylor have been much criticised. Barrymore was indeed irritating - all ham and self righteousness, barnstorming his way around the set as he scolds Garbo; Taylor I went easier on - he wasn't a very good actor but he does his best and he's got the looks. Henry Daniell is superb and there is some garishly overly the top support from character actors like Laura Hope Crews.
I didn't really get into this and the finale, where Camille kicks the bucket, left me cold. Maybe I'm shallow. But like I say if you enjoy Greta Garbo you'll get into it.
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