Timeline continuted...   beginnings garbo conquers hollywood garbo talks garbo laughs garbo unofficially retires   November 1925 -  Garbo begins work on her first American film, The Torrent.  February 21, 1926 - The Torrent is released and is a smashing success. MGM realizes that although Garbo may look ordinary in real life, she transforms herself when on screen. March 1926 - Mauritz Stiller is assigned as director for Garbo's next film The Temptress but he is dismissed in April because of his lack of experience in Hollywood filmmaking.  He is replaced by Fred Niblo. April 21, 1926 - Greta's sister Alva dies of lymphatic cancer. As Leonara in The Torrent   Lars Hanson, Garbo and John Gilbert in a sexually charged triangle in Flesh And The Devil. August 1926 - Filming is completed on The Temptress but Garbo is unhappy to hear that her next project is playing yet another vamp.  She reports to work on August 17 for Flesh And The Devil. September 1926 - Gilbert and Garbo begin a romantic relationship and she spends most of her time at his Tower Road house.     Garbo and Gilbert on the MGM lot October 1926 - Following the completion of Flesh And The Devil, Garbo goes on strike to protest the poor scripts being offered to her and her $750 a week salary.  January 9, 1927 - Flesh And The Devil opens to record breaking business.  March 30, 1927 -  After months of failed negotiations, MGM unveils a new contract for Garbo.  It is a five year contract, two films per year, with her pay starting at $2,000 per week and escalating to $7,000 by the fifth year. May 1927 - Garbo begins filming Love, an adaptation of Tolstoy's Anna Karenina. Her co-star - John Gilbert.  September 28, 1927 - Production begins on The Divine Woman.  October 1927 - Mauritz Stiller, along with fellow Swede Lars Hanson leave Hollywood to return to Sweden.  Summer 1928 - Garbo is romantically linked to actresses Lilyan Tashman and Fifi D'Orsay.  August 1928 - Garbo's sixth film, The Mysterious Lady, opens with a synchronized soundtrack.  Sound is taking Hollywood by storm.    A picnic with Swedish friends Karin Molander, her husband Lars Hanson and Mauritz Stiller  November 8, 1928 - Mauritz Stiller dies in Sweden after several months of ill health. Garbo receives the news on the set of Wild Orchids where she almost collapses.  December 1928 - For the first time since her arrival in Hollywood, Garbo returns to Sweden for Christmas.  January 19, 1929 - Garbo's latest film, A Woman Of Affairs, is released to wide acclaim.  It is her first film in which she portrays a modern woman and audiences love it!  April 1929 - John Gilbert proposes for the third and last time to Greta.  She again refuses. In May, Gilbert marries actress Ina Claire.  There is no comment from Garbo. A joyous reunion with her mother as she returns to Sweden in December 1928   July 27, 1929 - The Single Standard is released.  Despite audiences clamoring for sound pictures, Garbo's latest silent picture does killer business.    September 1929 - Garbo completes her final silent film, The Kiss.  October 1929 - It is announced that Anna Christie will be the first sound film for Garbo.    Garbo Talks!...   With the incredibly sexy Nils Asther on the set of The Single Standard