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SCMP Reporter

Years of speculation about a rumoured love affair between Greta Garbo and socialite Mercedes de Acosta are unlikely to end with last weekend's unsealing of secret letters from Garbo.

 The 25 letters, plus notes that accompanied flowers, telegrams, photos and poems, chronicled a 28-year friendship of ups and downs, but gave no explicit evidence of a lesbian relationship between Garbo and Acosta, said Garbo's grand-niece, Gray Reisfield Horan.

 'I see nothing that refers to a liaison,' said Horan, 40.

 'I don't think there's much here to back it up. I only knew her to be interested in men.

 'Garbo's mystery remains intact.'  The items were first unsealed at the Rosenbach Museum and Library in the US city of Philadelphia last Saturday - the 10th anniversary of Garbo's death at the age of 84 - before museum officials and Horan.

 About half of the letters were on exhibit for the press on Monday. They were opened to public viewing yesterday, and will remain on display until June 4.

 The museum would not allow any excerpts of the letters to be directly quoted, citing the wishes of the Garbo estate, which is reserving the right to publish the material.

 Some of the letters reveal Garbo telling Acosta of her wishes to be left alone and her unhappiness with the acting profession. In one letter, Garbo tells Acosta not to bother her, but a later letter shows them back on friendly terms.

 Acosta gave the letters to the Rosenbach in 1960 with the stipulation that they not be opened until 10 years after the death of Garbo or Acosta, whichever came later. Acosta died in 1968. Garbo died on April 15, 1990.

 The two women sustained an on-and-off friendship from 1931 to 1959. However, biographers, historians and family members of both women have disagreed for years on whether they were also lovers.



Release of Garbo letters fails to solve mystery