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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 silent 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

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The film

Cast

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.

See also

References

  1. ^ Progressive Silent Film List: The Temptress at silentera.com
  2. ^ Balio, Tino (2018). MGM. New York City: Routledge. p. 47. 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.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to The Temptress.
Films directed by Fred Niblo
Irving Thalberg
Vicente Blasco Ibáñez
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