Greta Garbo loved to have a lark, unseen footage of film legend reveals

She is remembered as the ultimate reclusive film star after retiring at the height of her success.

- Dalya Alberge

But the enduring image of Greta Garbo is being challenged by a documentary which shows that, far from withdrawing from life - as in her most famous line, "I want to be alone" - she lived it to the full, partying with close friends.

The British film-maker Lorna Tucker has been given access to previously unseen behind-the-scenes footage in which the star, once described as "the most alluring, vibrant and yet aloof character ever to grace the motion picture screen", can be seen larking about and laughing.

"The footage shows a relaxed, silly, funny person," Tucker said. "We see that the most famous woman in the world was actually very silly, very normal. But she also hungered for privacy to live out her life."

The footage has come from one of Garbo's Swedish friends. Tucker was also given access to more than 200 unpublished letters by her grand-nephew, Scott Reisfield, who welcomed the documentary for showing another side to her later life.