The Temptress (1926 film)

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The Temptress
Film poster
Directed byFred Niblo
Written byDorothy Farnum
Based onLa Tierra de Todos
1922 novel
by Vicente Blasco Ibáñez
Produced byIrving Thalberg
StarringGreta Garbo
Antonio Moreno
Lionel Barrymore
CinematographyWilliam H. Daniels
Tony Gaudio
Edited byLloyd Nosler
Music byMichael Picton
Distributed byMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date
  • October 10, 1926 (1926-10-10)
Running time
117 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageSilent (English intertitles)
Budget$669,000, estimated.

The Temptress is a 1926 American

romantic drama film directed by Fred Niblo and starring Greta Garbo, Antonio Moreno, Lionel Barrymore, and Roy D'Arcy. It premiered on October 10, 1926. The film melodrama was based on a novel by Vicente Blasco Ibáñez adapted for the screen by Dorothy Farnum.[1]

Plot summary

The film

Cast

  • Greta Garbo as Elena, who uses her physical beauty to "tempt" and manipulate the opposite sex.
  • Antonio Moreno as Manuel Robledo, is an Argentine engineer on leave in Paris from a dam building project back home in Argentina.
  • melodramatic
    fashion by drinking poisoned wine in public.
  • Lionel Barrymore as Canterac
  • Armand Kaliz as Marquis de Torre Bianca, a Frenchman and the husband of Elena, but also the close friend of Robledo.
  • Roy D'Arcy as Manos Duras, a local Argentine bandit who, like Robledo, falls for Elena when she arrives in Argentina.
  • Robert Anderson as Pirovani
  • Francis McDonald as Timateo
  • Hector Sarno as Rojas
  • Virginia Brown Faire as Celinda
  • Steve Clemente as Salvadore (uncredited)
  • Roy Coulson as Trinidad (uncredited)
  • Louise Emmons as Newspaper Vendor (uncredited)
  • Inez Gomez as Sebastiana (uncredited)
  • Bob Kortman as Duras Henchman (uncredited)
  • Ethan Laidlaw as Caballero (uncredited)
  • Annabelle Magnus as Little Girl (uncredited)
  • Chrispin Martin
    as Argentine Ranch Hand (uncredited)
  • Louis Mercier as Newspaper Vendor (uncredited)
  • Alys Murrell as Josephine (uncredited)
  • Constantine Romanoff as Duras Henchman (uncredited)
  • Charles Stevens as Argentine Reveler (uncredited)
  • Mauritz Stiller as Undetermined Secondary Role (uncredited)

Production

Garbo and Moreno

Mauritz Stiller was originally set to direct Greta Garbo's second film for MGM. However, after struggling working as a director within the Hollywood studio system, he was removed from directing and replaced by Fred Niblo.[2] The film's sets were designed by the art director James Basevi.

Despite its filming difficulties, The Temptress proved to be a success, showing early signs of Garbo’s career potential. It grossed $587,000 domestically and $378,000 internationally, its worldwide gross was $965,000, though loss $43,000.[3]

After Louis B. Mayer viewed the finished picture, he was so depressed at the ending, that he ordered an alternate, happier ending to be made. Theaters at the time had the option of which ending to show, depending on what they felt were the tastes of their audience.[4]

Reception

Mordaunt Hall said "In many respects this picture is a distinguished piece of work, wherein Fred Niblo, the director, keeps the audience on the qui vive. It is a photodrama in which the producers do not pander to popular appeal by portraying a happy ending."[5]

Home media

The film was released on DVD on September 6, 2005 by

Warner Home Video as part of the Greta Garbo collection also featuring the film Flesh and the Devil
on the same disc. The alternate ending was included as well.

References

  1. ^ Progressive Silent Film List: The Temptress at silentera.com
  2. ISBN 978-1-138-91364-6
    .
  3. ^ "The Temptress".
  4. ^ Commentary by Robert Osborne on Turner Classic Movies, March 5, 2012.
  5. ^ Hall, Mordaunt (October 11, 1926). "Another Ibanez Story. (Published 1926)". The New York Times.
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