WILD ORCHIDS (1929) Greta Garbo, Lewis Stone & Nils Asther | Drama, Romance | B&W | Timeless Film

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Wild Orchids is a 1929 American synchronized sound drama film from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer directed by Sidney Franklin and starring Greta Garbo, Lewis Stone and Nils Asther. Only these three stars received cast credit. While the film has no audible dialog, it was released with a synchronized musical score with sound effects using both the sound-on-disc and sound-on-film process. The plot is very similar to Garbo's later sound film, The Painted Veil (1934).

Synopsis:

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 his 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 necklace, the men go on a tiger hunt. The Prince is hurt. John decides to return to the United States alone, but his wife reaffirms her love for him.

Cast & Crew:

Greta Garbo as Lillie Sterling
Lewis Stone as John Sterling
Nils Asther as Prince De Gace

Directed by: Sidney Franklin
Written by: Hanns Kräly, Ruth Cummings, Willis Goldbeck, Richard Schayer
Based on: Heat (novel) by John Colton
Produced by: Irving Thalberg
Cinematography: William Daniels
Edited by: Conrad A. Nervig
Music by: William Axt (uncredited)
Distributed by: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release Date: February 23, 1929
Running Time: 100 minutes
Country: United States
Languages: Sound (Synchronized), English Intertitles
Budget: $322,312.12 (approx. $5.9 million today)
Box Office: $1,165,000 (approx. $21.3 million today)