Wild Orchids (1929 film)
Encyclopedia
Wild Orchids is a 1929
drama film
directed by Sidney Franklin
and starring Greta Garbo
, Lewis Stone
and Nils Asther
. Only these three stars received cast credit.
This was Greta Garbo's 15th film, the 8th of her Hollywood career and her 7th silent movie after the emergence of talkies. It was also her 1st collaboration with also Swedish actor Nils Asther, with whom she would star again in The Single Standard
in the same year, and the 2nd of seven collaborations between Garbo and Lewis Stone.
Aboard a ship, Lillie witnesses a scene of cruelty — a passenger hits one of his servants. The violent man is immediately taken by the beauty of this mysterious woman and will endeavor all to make her acquaintance. Therefore, he contacts the husband, whom he attracts with his deep knowledge of the javanese tea market. John presents his new friend, the young and handsome Prince de Gace (Nils Asther) to his wife, who immediately recognizes the violent man. Multiple situations offer the Prince a chance to approach Lillie, who spurns him. He then uses force to kiss her - Lillie tries to talk to her husband, in vain.
In Java, the couple are hosted by the Prince, at this vast estate. Lillie avoids being alone with the Prince — she even wishes to join her husband in his professional investigations, which he refuses. Finally, Lillie and the Prince are alone for a few hours, and his efforts intensify. He forces himself upon her again, and she finally yields and returns his kiss.
John returns to surprise the kiss in Chinese shadows, raising the question of whether the woman embracing De Gace is his wife. His suspicion confirmed by a misplaced earring, the men go on a tiger hunt. The Prince is hurt. John decides to return to the US alone, but his wife reaffirms her love for him.
film A Man's Man. Production stills photographs were made by James Manatt and production portraits were taken by Ruth Harriet Louise on October 1928.
The New York Times
called it "a pleasingly imaginative picturization of a special screen contribution from the pen of John Colton", praising the thespians' performances:
.
released a DVD version on its Vault Collection - The Warner Archive Collection, on July 1, 2009. A VHS version was released on September 1, 1988 (NTSC). A Laserdisc edition exists on a set containing also Garbo's Love
, The Torrent and the surviving segment from The Divine Woman
.
1929 in film
-Events:The days of the silent film are numbered. A mad scramble to provide synchronized sound is on.*January 20 - The movie In Old Arizona is released. The film is the first full-length talking film to be filmed outdoors....
drama film
Drama film
A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...
directed by Sidney Franklin
Sidney Franklin (director)
Sidney Franklin was an American film director and producer. His brother Chester Franklin also became a director during the silent film era best known for helming the early Technicolor film Toll of the Sea....
and starring Greta Garbo
Greta Garbo
Greta Garbo , born Greta Lovisa Gustafsson, was a Swedish film actress. Garbo was an international star and icon during Hollywood's silent and classic periods. Many of Garbo's films were sensational hits, and all but three were profitable...
, Lewis Stone
Lewis Stone
Lewis Shepard Stone was an American actor.Born in Worcester, Massachusetts, son of Bertrand Stone and Philena Heald Ball. Stone's hair grew gray by the time he was twenty. He fought in the Spanish-American War, then returned to a career as a writer. He soon began acting...
and Nils Asther
Nils Asther
Nils Anton Alfhild Asther was a Danish-born Swedish actor active in Hollywood from 1926 to the mid 1950s, known for his beautiful face and often called "the male Greta Garbo"...
. Only these three stars received cast credit.
This was Greta Garbo's 15th film, the 8th of her Hollywood career and her 7th silent movie after the emergence of talkies. It was also her 1st collaboration with also Swedish actor Nils Asther, with whom she would star again in The Single Standard
The Single Standard
The Single Standard is a 1929 romantic drama film directed by John S. Robertson and starring Greta Garbo, Nils Asther, and Johnny Mack Brown....
in the same year, and the 2nd of seven collaborations between Garbo and Lewis Stone.
Plot
John Sterling (Lewis Stone) takes his young wife Lillie (Greta Garbo) to Java where he plans to invest in tea plantations. Beyond the difference in years between the two, he is neglectful, which creates reactions of frustration from his romantic young wife.Aboard a ship, Lillie witnesses a scene of cruelty — a passenger hits one of his servants. The violent man is immediately taken by the beauty of this mysterious woman and will endeavor all to make her acquaintance. Therefore, he contacts the husband, whom he attracts with his deep knowledge of the javanese tea market. John presents his new friend, the young and handsome Prince de Gace (Nils Asther) to his wife, who immediately recognizes the violent man. Multiple situations offer the Prince a chance to approach Lillie, who spurns him. He then uses force to kiss her - Lillie tries to talk to her husband, in vain.
In Java, the couple are hosted by the Prince, at this vast estate. Lillie avoids being alone with the Prince — she even wishes to join her husband in his professional investigations, which he refuses. Finally, Lillie and the Prince are alone for a few hours, and his efforts intensify. He forces himself upon her again, and she finally yields and returns his kiss.
John returns to surprise the kiss in Chinese shadows, raising the question of whether the woman embracing De Gace is his wife. His suspicion confirmed by a misplaced earring, the men go on a tiger hunt. The Prince is hurt. John decides to return to the US alone, but his wife reaffirms her love for him.
Cast
- Greta GarboGreta GarboGreta Garbo , born Greta Lovisa Gustafsson, was a Swedish film actress. Garbo was an international star and icon during Hollywood's silent and classic periods. Many of Garbo's films were sensational hits, and all but three were profitable...
- Lillie Sterling - Lewis StoneLewis StoneLewis Shepard Stone was an American actor.Born in Worcester, Massachusetts, son of Bertrand Stone and Philena Heald Ball. Stone's hair grew gray by the time he was twenty. He fought in the Spanish-American War, then returned to a career as a writer. He soon began acting...
- John Sterling - Nils AstherNils AstherNils Anton Alfhild Asther was a Danish-born Swedish actor active in Hollywood from 1926 to the mid 1950s, known for his beautiful face and often called "the male Greta Garbo"...
- Prince De Gace
Production
Production took place between October and November 1928, in Hollywood, California (USA). During production, Garbo spent one day filming a cameo appearance for the James CruzeJames Cruze
James Cruze was a silent film actor and film director.-Life:Cruze was born as Jens Vera Cruz Bosen. The Vera Cruz middle name came from the battle of Vera Cruz. He was raised in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but did not practice the religion after his teenage years...
film A Man's Man. Production stills photographs were made by James Manatt and production portraits were taken by Ruth Harriet Louise on October 1928.
Critical response
The film received 2.5 stars at All Movie Guide.The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
called it "a pleasingly imaginative picturization of a special screen contribution from the pen of John Colton", praising the thespians' performances:
"Miss Garbo's acting is well-timed and, as usual, effective. It is not an easy rôle but she succeeds in imparting to it no small amount of subtlety. Nils Asther is capital as the Prince, a persistent individual who appears to be sadly lacking in caution. Lewis Stone, who is the villain of The Trial of Mary Dugan, does splendidly as the somewhat short-sighted husband of this silent film."
Box office
The film garnered receipts of US$1,165,000 ($622,000 in the US and $543,000 abroad), versus a budget of $322,000. It was one of the top grossing films of the year1929 in film
-Events:The days of the silent film are numbered. A mad scramble to provide synchronized sound is on.*January 20 - The movie In Old Arizona is released. The film is the first full-length talking film to be filmed outdoors....
.
Home Media
TCMTurner Classic Movies
Turner Classic Movies is a movie-oriented cable television channel, owned by the Turner Broadcasting System subsidiary of Time Warner, featuring commercial-free classic movies, mostly from the Turner Entertainment and MGM, United Artists, RKO and Warner Bros. film libraries...
released a DVD version on its Vault Collection - The Warner Archive Collection, on July 1, 2009. A VHS version was released on September 1, 1988 (NTSC). A Laserdisc edition exists on a set containing also Garbo's Love
Love (1927 film)
Love is a film directed by Edmund Goulding and released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. MGM made the film in order to capitalize on its winning romantic team of Greta Garbo and John Gilbert who had starred in the 1926 blockbuster, Flesh and the Devil....
, The Torrent and the surviving segment from The Divine Woman
The Divine Woman
The Divine Woman is an American silent film directed by Victor Sjöström and starring Greta Garbo. Produced and distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, it was Garbo's fifth Hollywood film. Only a single nine-minute reel is currently known to exist of this otherwise lost film...
.
External links
- http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9E06E7DF1630E33ABC4953DFB2668382639EDEWild Orchids review at The New York TimesThe New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
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