Camille

Hollywood Returns to Palm Springs: Dave Karger and Ben Mankiewicz of Turner Movie Classics Join Noted Historian Jim Cook for a One-Night Only Conversation at The Plaza’s Anniversary Screening of “Camille”. 

The Plaza Theatre will honor a landmark moment in its storied history with an 89th Anniversary Premiere Screening of “Camille” on Friday, December 12, 2025; exactly 89 years to the day since the film’s original world premiere took place at the grand opening of the iconic venue in 1936.  

The evening will be hosted by Plaza board member and theatre historian Jim Cook, who will lead a pre-show conversation with Turner Classic Movies hosts Ben Mankiewicz and Dave Karger. Together, they will explore the historical significance of “Camille”, the legacy of director George Cukor, the stars who attended that night, the glamour and complexity of 1930s Hollywood, and the lasting impact of the film’s celebrated premiere on both The Plaza Theatre and the Palm Springs community. 

Starring Greta Garbo and Robert Taylor, “Camille” remains one of MGM’s most enduring romantic dramas and is widely regarded as Garbo’s finest screen performance. Based on Alexandre Dumas fils’ classic novel and play “La Dame aux Camélias”, the film earned Garbo her third Best Actress nomination and continues to be recognized as a masterpiece, appearing on Time magazine’s “All-Time 100 Movies” and AFI’s “100 Years…100 Passions.” 

The film’s original 1936 world premiere at the newly opened Plaza Theatre drew national attention, transforming Palm Springs into a cultural destination and marking one of the most memorable nights in the theatre’s history. The 89th anniversary screening invites audiences to revisit this beloved classic in the very place where it first debuted, celebrating nearly nine decades of cinematic heritage.