"Gimme a whiskey—ginger ale on the side. And don't be stingy, baby."
When Greta Garbo uttered those words in 1930, it wasn't just a line of dialogue. It was an earthquake. The silent film goddess finally had a voice, and it was deep, smoky, and perfect for the gritty world of Eugene O'Neill. But the cast of Anna Christie isn't just a footnote in Garbo’s career. This play has been a magnet for every heavy hitter in acting history for over a century. If you want to see an actor really prove they’ve got "it," you put them on a foggy coal barge and tell them to start shouting about the "old davil sea."
The thing about this story is that it's deceptively simple. A prostitute returns to her estranged father, falls in love with a shipwrecked sailor, and then everything blows up when the truth comes out. But to make that work, you need a cast that can handle the thick, sometimes borderline-ridiculous accents O'Neill wrote. You need people who can be both terrifying and incredibly vulnerable at the exact same time.
The Original 1921 Broadway Heavyweights
Before the movies, there was the 1921 stage premiere. It was a massive hit. Honestly, most people today haven't heard of Pauline Lord, but back then, she was the definitive Anna. She brought a specific kind of "broken but resilient" vibe that won O'Neill a Pulitzer.
The most interesting thing about that original production was George F. Marion playing the father, Chris Christopherson. He was so good that he became the connective tissue for almost every early version of the story. He played the role on Broadway in 1921, then again in the 1923 silent movie, and again in the famous 1930 talkie with Garbo. Talk about job security.
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"Garbo Talks!" — The 1930 Cinematic Turning Point
If you search for the cast of Anna Christie, the 1930 film is what hits you first. It’s iconic. MGM literally used the tagline "Garbo Talks!" to market the movie because the world was dying to know if their Swedish Sphinx would sound like a cartoon character or a queen.
She sounded like a queen. Here is who filled out that legendary lineup:
- Greta Garbo (Anna): She played the role with a world-weary exhaustion that felt real. She wasn't just playing a "fallen woman"; she was playing someone who was genuinely sick of men’s nonsense.
- Charles Bickford (Mat Burke): He was the brawny, Irish sailor who falls for Anna. Bickford had this rugged, no-nonsense energy that acted as a great foil to Garbo's ethereal gloom.
- Marie Dressler (Marthy): This is the performance that often steals the show. Dressler plays the aging, whiskey-soaked companion of Anna’s father. It’s funny, tragic, and messy. She basically invented the "charitable drunk" trope.
- George F. Marion (Chris): As mentioned, he returned to play the father, obsessed with the "old davil sea" that he blames for all his misfortunes.
Interestingly, they actually filmed a German-language version at the same time with a different director (Jacques Feyder) but kept Garbo. She actually preferred the German version because she felt it was less "theatrical" and more gritty.
The 1993 Revival: A Real-Life Romance
Fast forward to the 90s. The Roundabout Theatre Company decided to bring the play back to Broadway, and the cast of Anna Christie for this run became legendary for a totally different reason.
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This is where Liam Neeson and Natasha Richardson met.
The chemistry between them as Mat Burke and Anna was so electric it was almost uncomfortable to watch from the audience. They fell in love during the production and eventually married. Neeson was this towering, physical force of nature, and Richardson played Anna with a sharp, modern edge that made the character feel relevant again.
They weren't alone in the excellence department. Rip Torn played the father, Chris, and Anne Meara (yes, Ben Stiller’s mom!) took on the role of Marthy. It won the Tony for Best Revival, and for good reason. It proved that O'Neill's weird, dialect-heavy writing could still move a modern audience if the actors were brave enough.
The 2011 Donmar Warehouse Powerhouse
More recently, in 2011, the Donmar Warehouse in London put on a production that people still talk about in hushed tones. Why? Because the cast of Anna Christie featured Jude Law and Ruth Wilson.
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Jude Law went full "beefcake" for the role of Mat Burke. He grew a massive beard, hit the gym, and spent most of the play soaking wet and screaming Irish curses. It was a massive departure from his usual "pretty boy" roles. Ruth Wilson, meanwhile, was praised for being "raw and luminous." She has this way of looking like she’s seen too much, which is exactly what you need for Anna. David Hayman rounded it out as Chris, playing him with a wiry, superstitious energy that felt genuinely old-world.
Why Does This Cast Keep Changing?
Every generation gets the Anna Christie it deserves. In the 20s, it was about the tragedy of the "fallen woman." In the 30s, it was a vehicle for a superstar’s voice. In the 90s, it was a high-octane romance. By 2011, it was a gritty, physical exploration of gender and trauma.
Even as recently as the 2020s, we've seen actors like Michelle Williams take on the role at St. Ann’s Warehouse, alongside Brian d'Arcy James and Tom Sturridge. The play refuses to die because the roles are "actor bait." They are loud, messy, and require a massive emotional range.
If you're looking to dive into this story, don't just stick to one version. The 1930 film is essential for the history, but the 1993 Broadway recordings (if you can find snippets) or the reviews of the 2011 London run tell a much more visceral story.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Watch the 1930 Film: It’s available on most classic cinema platforms (like TCM or Criterion). Pay attention to Marie Dressler; she’s the secret MVP.
- Compare the "Entrances": Look for clips of Garbo’s first line versus how Ruth Wilson or Michelle Williams handled the same moment. It’s a masterclass in how acting styles have shifted from "presentational" to "psychological."
- Read the Script: If you're a theater nerd, actually read O'Neill's stage directions. He describes the fog and the sea as if they are characters in the cast themselves. It helps you understand why the human actors have to work so hard to stand out.