Greta Garbo was born in Södermalm, Stockholm, Sweden. She was the third and youngest child of Anna Lovisa (née Karlsson, 1872–1944), a housewife who later worked at a jam factory, and Karl Alfred Gustafsson (1871–1920), a laborer. Garbo had an older brother, Sven Alfred (1898–1967), and an older sister, Alva Maria (1903–1926). Her parents met in Stockholm, where her father had been visiting from Frinnaryd. He moved to Stockholm to become independent and worked in various odd jobs—street cleaner, grocer, factory worker and butcher's assistant. He married Anna, who had recently moved from Högsby. The Gustafssons were impoverished and lived in a
Greta Garbo "Romance" (1930). After filming ended, Garbo—along with a different director and cast—filmed a German-language version of "Anna Christie" that was released in December 1930. The film's success certified Garbo's successful transition to talkies. In her follow-up film, "Romance" (1930), she portrayed an Italian opera star opposite Lewis Stone. She was paired opposite Robert Montgomery in "Inspiration" (1931), and her popularity was used to boost the career of the relatively unknown Clark Gable in "Susan Lenox (Her Fall and Rise)" (1931). Although the films did not match Garbo's success with her sound debut, she was ranked as the most popular female