As You Desire Me
Synopsis
Bar entertainer Zara is a discontented alcoholic who is pursued by many men but lives with novelist Carl Salter. One day, Tony shows up on Salter's estate claiming that Zara is actually Maria, the wife of his close friend Bruno, claiming that her memory was destroyed during World War I. Zara doesn't remember but leaves with Tony to Salter's dismay. Bruno, now an officer in the Italian Army, tries to coax Maria's memory back on his large estate. No one is really sure if Zara is Maria, and when Salter shows up with a mental case from Trieste that he claims is the real Maria, everyone on Bruno's estate is desperately searching for the truth.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Greta Garbo and Melvyn Douglas (As You Desire Me, 1932)
Type: Clip • Published 2012-05-08
Top Cast
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Greta Garbo
Zara, a.k.a. Maria
Melvyn Douglas
Count Bruno Varelli
Erich von Stroheim
Carl Salter
Owen Moore
Tony Boffie
Hedda Hopper
Ines Montari
Rafaela Ottiano
Lena
Warburton Gamble
Baron
Albert Conti
Captain
William Ricciardi
Pietro
Roland Varno
Albert
Reginald Barlow
Dr. Reinhardt
Max Barwyn
Cafe Headwaiter
Edmund Breese
Friar
William Orlamond
Waiter
Nella Walker
Lucia Marco
George Davis
Salter's Butler
Release History & Theatrical Window
May 28, 1932
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$461K
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$1.4M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
2.96x
+$901K net gain
Theatrical Status
Profitable
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- George Fitzmaurice
- Screenplay & Story
- Gene Markey, Luigi Pirandello
- Original Score
- William Axt
- Original Title
- As You Desire Me
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 10m
- Production Budget
- $461K
- Worldwide Gross
- $1.4M
- Production Studios
- Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
George Fitzmaurice
Gene Markey, Luigi Pirandello
William Axt
William H. Daniels
George Hively
George Fitzmaurice, Irving Thalberg
Department Leadership Roster
George Fitzmaurice
Director
Gene Markey
Writer
Adrian
Costume Design
George Hively
Editor
George Fitzmaurice
Producer
William H. Daniels
Director of Photography
Irving Thalberg
Producer
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for As You Desire Me.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring As You Desire Me.
Pre-Code Hollywood
Pre-Code Hollywood films, 1929 to 1934.
50 films, Adaptations from Classic Stage Plays
WWI
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Frequently Asked Questions About As You Desire Me
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is As You Desire Me about?
Bar entertainer Zara is a discontented alcoholic who is pursued by many men but lives with novelist Carl Salter. One day, Tony shows up on Salter's estate claiming that Zara is actually Maria, the wife of his close friend Bruno, claiming that her memory was destroyed during World War I. Zara doesn't remember but leaves with Tony to Salter's dismay. Bruno, now an officer in the Italian Army, tries to coax Maria's memory back on his large estate. No one is really sure if Zara is Maria, and when Salter shows up with a mental case from Trieste that he claims is the real Maria, everyone on Bruno's estate is desperately searching for the truth.
Who directed As You Desire Me?
As You Desire Me was directed by George Fitzmaurice.
Who stars in As You Desire Me?
The principal cast of As You Desire Me includes Greta Garbo, Melvyn Douglas, Erich von Stroheim, Owen Moore, Hedda Hopper.
When was As You Desire Me released and how long is it?
As You Desire Me was released in 1932 with a total runtime of 1h 10m.
What was the box office and production budget of As You Desire Me?
As You Desire Me had a reported production budget of $461K and grossed $1.4M at the worldwide box office (2.96 return on budget, classified as a commercial hit).
Who composed the musical score for As You Desire Me?
The original motion picture soundtrack for As You Desire Me was composed by William Axt.