''The Garden of Eden'' is a 1928

silent film A silent film is a film with no synchronized Sound recording and reproduction, recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) ...

starring

Corinne Griffith Corinne Griffith (née Griffin; November 21, 1894 – July 13, 1979) was an American film actress, producer, author and businesswoman. Dubbed "The Orchid Lady of the Screen," she was widely regarded as one of the most beautiful actresses of the ...

Louise Dresser Louise Dresser (born Louise Josephine Kerlin; October 5, 1878 – April 24, 1965) was an American actress. She is perhaps best known for her roles in the many films in which she played the wife of Will Rogers, including '' State Fair'' and ...

and

Lowell Sherman Lowell J. Sherman (October 11, 1888 – December 28, 1934) was an American actor and film director. In an unusual practice for the time, he served as both actor and director on several films in the early 1930s. He later turned exclusively to d ...

. It was adapted from Avery Hopwood's short-lived stage production. A print is preserved in the Library of Congress collection. Also prints held by George Eastman House, UCLA Film and Tv and Filmoteca De Catalunya, Barcelona.The Library of Congress American Silent Feature Film Survival Catalog:''The Garden of Eden''
/ref>

Plot

A Viennese

ingénue The ''ingénue'' (, , ) is a stock character in literature, film and a role type in the theater, generally a girl or a young woman, who is endearingly innocent. ''Ingénue'' may also refer to a new young actress or one typecast in such role ...

named ''Toni LeBrun'', (

), is determined not to be content in her current life, staying with her aunt and uncle and working in their pretzel bakery. The young girl earns a correspondence course degree as an opera singer and dreams of fame on the stage. She decides to leave her small-town life, traveling to

Budapest Budapest (, ; ) is the capital and most populous city of Hungary. It is the ninth-largest city in the European Union by population within city limits and the second-largest city on the Danube river; the city has an estimated population ...

to answer an ad from the ''Palais de Paris''. However, the ad was a sham, a way to get girls for cheap stage shows and more, for its wealthier clientele. When she arrives, Toni is confused when the manager, the lecherous (and quite possibly lesbian) Madame Bauer (

Maude George Maude George (August 15, 1888 – October 10, 1963) was an American actress of the silent era. Biography Born in Riverside, California, in 1888, Maude George is remembered primarily as a regular of director Eric von Stroheim's stock compan ...

), asks her to show her bare legs in lieu of exhibiting her singing voice. She is hired nonetheless, having been deemed sexy enough, while still ignorant of the set-up. She refuses to wear the skimpy costume assigned and is given a white puritan-style costume instead. Before the show, the manager greets aristocrat Henri D'Avril (

), giving him a menu (of sorts) of the showgirls from which to choose. When he asks if there is anyone new, he is directed to Toni's name on the program. When Toni begins her performance in earnest, the audience starts to slumber, given her conservative dress. But the manager directs a lighting change, which causes her translucent clothing become highly revealing and quite nearly see-through. Through their reaction, Toni realizes what has happened and runs off the stage where she is comforted by the wardrobe woman, Rosa (

), the only friend she's made since arriving in the city. However, Madame Bauer is not through with Toni yet, she has arranged a rendezvous for her with D’Avril in a room off the stage. Once locked inside with Toni, he quickly tries to take advantage. She struggles against his advances which are heard by Rosa, who is able to come to her rescue. When Madame Bauer discovers that her client didn't get what he wanted, she fires Toni and Rosa on the spot. Conveniently, Rosa was about to leave on a two-week vacation anyway and persuades the forlorn Toni to go with her. They go to

Monte Carlo Monte Carlo (; ; french: Monte-Carlo , or colloquially ''Monte-Carl'' ; lij, Munte Carlu ; ) is officially an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco, specifically the ward of Monte Carlo/Spélugues, where the Monte Carlo Casino is ...

, but Toni is now suspicious of other people's motives. So when Rosa signs the Eden Hotel register as Baroness & her daughter, Toni accuses her of being no better than Madame Bauer. However, Rosa has documentation which proves that she is in fact a Baroness, and tells Toni that she signed the registration that way because she wishes it were so. Only much of her fortune was lost after the First World War and she can only afford such trips by living frugally for the rest of the year. Later, when Toni is playing the piano in her room, she is spotted through the window from across the courtyard by Richard ( Charles Ray). In an amusing scene, he tries to get her attention by signaling her, turning on & off the lights in his room. As a gag, she responds with same, causing everyone else on his entire side of the hotel to do it too. When Rosa sees it, she stops the nonsense. However, Richard then decides to call Toni's room, but Rosa answers and decides to invite him over to put a stop to it. She plays the piano while she waits for Richard to arrive. But he arrives at Rosa's door, where Toni is. Tired of unwanted suitors, she appears uninterested in his flirting, yet doesn't reveal him when Rosa returns & he hides behind a door. Colonel Dupont (

Edward Martindel Edward Martindel (July 8, 1876 – May 4, 1955) was an American stage and film actor who appeared on Broadway and in more than 80 films between 1915 and 1946. Born in Hamilton, Ohio, he was the son of Dr. and Mrs. Frank Martindell. His si ...

) arrives to call on Rosa, but is instantly entranced by Toni. In the doorway, he asks the two ladies to dinner which is witnessed by Richard, who just moments earlier had escaped from their room via another door. Upon hearing their acceptance, Richard joins them, revealing that the Colonel is his uncle. After the dinner, Richard takes Toni for a walk through the hotel's grounds and garden (the title of the film) and they fall in love, losing track of the time. The rest of the film has Toni being wooed by both Richard and his uncle with a song one of them wrote on the piano. However, there is a surprise involving D'Avril which threatens Toni's happy ending.

Cast

as Toni LeBrun *

as Rosa *

as Henri D'Avril *

as Madame Bauer * Charles Ray as Richard Dupont/Spanyi *

as Colonel Dupont *

Carrie Daumery Carrie Daumery (25 March 1863 – 1 July 1938) was a Belgian-born American film actress. She appeared in more than 60 films between 1908 and 1937. Personal life Daumery was the sister of violinist Eugène Ysaÿe. She was also the widow of B ...

as One of Richard's Aunts *

Eric Mayne Eric Mayne (April 28, 1865 – February 10, 1947) was an American actor. Mayne was born in Dublin and was a star on stage in London in the early 20th century, at the London Lyceum and at Drury Lane. He appeared in the films ''The New York Peaco ...

as One of Richard's Uncles * Hank Mann as Railroad Conductor *

Dot Farley Dorothea "Dot" Farley (February 6, 1881 – May 2, 1971) was an American film actress who appeared in 280 motion pictures between 1910 and 1950. She was also known as Dorothy Farley. Biography Born in Chicago, Illinois, Dorothea Farley was t ...

as Monte Carlo Telephone Operator *

Tenen Holtz Tenen Holtz (born Alex Elihu Tenenholtz; February 17, 1887 – July 1, 1971) was an American actor. He appeared in nearly 60 films between 1926 and 1961. Biography Holtz was born in Imperial Russia, and came to the United States when he wa ...

as Headwaiter at Palais de Paris

References

External links

* *
lobby card for the filmlobby poster
{{DEFAULTSORT:Garden Of Eden 1928 films American silent feature films American black-and-white films 1928 drama films Films set in Budapest Films set in Monaco American films based on plays United Artists films Films directed by Lewis Milestone 1920s English-language films 1920s American films