Wild Orchids (Silent)

Wild Orchids (Silent)
Customer Review: Garbo At Her Exotic Best In A Passionate Silent Melodrama
The Greta Garbo of the silent era is a fascinating creature to watch on screen in so many ways. Often during the late 20's playing a vamp, femme fatale, or adulterious wife her work in this early period makes a most interesting contrast to her later roles as the tragedy queen of MGM's glossy 1930's historical pieces and romantic melodramas. "Wild Orchids", coming from 1929 is what is called a "transitional talkie", meaning that it was one of the very last silent films produced and had sound effects incorporated into the sound track which makes for interesting viewing if only to witness first hand this very brief interlude in movie making before sound came fully in. Indeed Garbo was deliberately held back from talkies by MGM because of fears of what her accent would do to her loyal public's perception of her. "Wild Orchids", really can be viewed as the epitome of the lavishness expected from the legendary 1920's. Indeed the word "exotic", best sums up this production from the final period of the silent era that sees Garbo really in command of the screen in a tale of romance, infidelty, and revenge; the sort of melodrama that quickly went out of fashion once the 1930's and the depression got underway. Teamed with frequent co star veteran character actor Lewis Stone as her elderly husband and the handsome Danish actor Nils Asther as her Javanese lover Garbo still manages to command both the screen and the viewers attention with that very special screen presense that was uniquely her's. Based on a story by John Colton, "Wild Orchids", opens with a ship ready to sail to Java and we are introduced to John Sterling (Lewis Stone), and his much younger wife Lillie (Greta Garbo). Later on we learn that the very joyful departure at the dock hides the fact that Lillie is a frustrated and neglected wife as John pursues all of his many business ventures. Lillie is joining John on this trip to Java in the hope it might make her more a part of John's life. On board the ship the Sterlings make the acquaintance of the Javanes Prince de Gace (Nils Asther), who is travelling back to his country. The Prince is instantly smitten with the beautiful Lillie and begins to pursue her. Lillie at this time is intent on keeping her marriage intact and she continually rejects the attentions of this handsome stranger. Becoming very friendly with John the Prince invites the couple to stay in his palace in Java from where John will travel out to inspect some tea plantations he intends to buy. Once staying with the Prince Lillie finds that John really views her presence on this business trip as a nuisance and no place for a woman. Lillie feels rejected and the exotic lure of Java begins to weave its magic between Lillie and the Prince. Lillie in a last attempt to get her husband's love dresses up in a magnificent Javanse costume she admired from one of the performances the Prince staged for their entertainment however when John abruptly orders her to take it off the way is open for the Prince to show his love for a more willing Lillie. The pair fall in love and begin an affair however things start to go wrong when they are all out on an exursion to some distant tea plantations and get caught in the rain and stop at one of the Prince's properties. After returning from one of his visits John learns of the pairs affair after seeing them together and he begins to plot his revenge. Having stated that he wants to go on a tiger hunt he urges the Prince to arrange one however he has an ulterior motive for wanting to go on it as he plans to try and kill the Prince. When a tiger is heard near their camp that evening John insists that the Prince come out with him in the dark to try and trap it. However once out in the jungle and in sight of the tiger the Prince discovers his gun has been tampered with and that he is at the mercy of the tiger. He is mauled by the animal and near death and Lillie manages to get him back to the camp. Regretting what he has done in his desire for revenge John gets the Prince back to the palace where he is cared for by the staff and begins to recover. Deciding to leave and guessing that Lillie in the light of what he has done would not want to return to the United States with him, John is surprised that Lillie does want to return and that her husbands love has always been what she has wanted. The pair reconcile and leave in the hope that despite what has happened they can work at repairing their marriage. Everything about "Wild Orchids", despite the at times rather predictable story is the best that a major studio like MGM could offer. Garbo has never been more superbly displayed in her silent efforts than here as the frustrated wife of a much older man. It seems that no matter how predictable or absurb a story might be Garbo by her sheer effort and magnetism could make it work. While "Wild Orchids", is far from her best role she really adds so many extra elements to he rplaying to make thi swoman almost seem at times like a real person. Teamed with frequent co star Lewis Stone, he and Garbo despite the age difference always worked well together. Here as neglectful husband and lonely unfulfilled wife they have never been better together and Lewis Stone still best remembered as Judge hardy in the Andy Hardy series of films really shows his dramatic worth in the climatic tiger hunt revenge scene when he is pure evil in his jealousy over his wife's affair. Nils Asther was probably a strange choice to play a Javanese Prince but he does well as the seductive lover here and would go on to team with Garbo again in her next effort "The Single Standard" right at the end of the silent era. The production of "Wild Orchids", is of much interest in many ways most importantly for its extremely interesting synchronised sound effects that take the form of crowd noises, car horns, market scenes etc. Only really used in the early part of 1929 it is a rare experience to watch what is a silent film but one which has sound incorporated into it despite there still being no spoken dialogue. Another important relationship developed further with this film and that was Garbo's famed collaboration with MGM designer Adrian who here creates one of Garbo's most famous visual images of her entire career when she dresses in the gold lame Javanese outfit supposedly to arouse so passion in her husband. Garbo has never been more exotic than in this one brief scene on screen and it marked the start of a wonderfully creative working relationship between star and designer. Directed by veteran Sidney franklin "Wild Orchids", of course is very much a product of its time and might not appeal to all movie watchers however the films performances are lively and move along at a good pace. The slowly building elements of suspicion and then revenge are well handled by Sidney Franklin and despite the films rather too convenient "happy ending" it is guaranteed to hold your attention despite the films very long running time of just under two hours. For all lovers of exotic screen melodramas and certainly for students of this closing period in Hollywood's silent era "Wild Orchids", makes fascinating viewing. Greta Garbo delivered a special kind of magic on screen even in her early days during the silent era and she has one of her best early roles here as the woman torn between her responsibilities as a wife and the passion she feels for the handsome young man paying her some much needed attention. Interest in alot of these early silent efforts seems to be reviving after many decades of neglect and thankfully we have preserved many of these early efforts by legendary performers like Greta Garbo. For a taste of Hollywood's idea of the "exotic", orient peopled with attractive individuals driven by passion "Wild Orchids", makes most enjoyable viewing and I recommend it to all fans of early Hollywood.
Customer Review: A Silent on the Verge of Sound
This 1929 silent film is almost a "talkie" with its synchronized sound and fitting music, making it an interesting viewing experience, whether you are used to silent films or only 'talkies'. The sound effects are things like a cheering crowd, slamming doors and hand clapping, and the music is quite varied, according to the mood and scenes, such as Javanese natives performing their tribal dances (though it's not authentic Javanese music; only a Hollywood version of 'something exotic'!) This aspect alone makes this silent film worth experiencing, but add to that the excellent performances by the principle players: Greta Garbo, the wife who longs for more romance and attention from her husband; Lewis Stone, the 'blind' husband who only has his business on his mind; and Nils Asther as the enigmatic Javanese prince who tries to seduce the neglected and frustrated wife. Greta Garbo goes through many emotions, all of which she plays wonderfully, and each of the characters is solid and realistic. The story is, in fact, just like Erich von Stroheim's "Blind Husbands", only more detailed and sophisticated, and in a more exotic setting. Even if the storyline is familiar or somewhat simple, the actual telling of the story, the acting performances and visual -and audio! - experiences make up for it very nicely.