Peacock Alley | |
---|---|
Directed by | Robert Z. Leonard |
Written by | Edmund Goulding Robert Z. Leonard Fanny Hatton (titles) Frederic Hatton (titles) |
Story by | Ouida Bergère |
Produced by | Robert Z. Leonard |
Starring | Mae Murray Monte Blue |
Cinematography | Oliver T. Marsh |
Production company | |
Distributed by | Metro Pictures |
Release date |
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Running time | 80 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | Silent (English intertitles) |
Peacock Alley is a 1922 American silent drama film starring Monte Blue and Mae Murray. The film was directed by Murray's husband at the time, Robert Z. Leonard. [1] An incomplete print survives at the Library of Congress. [2]
As described in a film magazine, [3] the board of directors for the main manufacturing company in the American village of Harmonville send young Elmer Harmon (Blue) to Paris to obtain a contract with the French government. In Paris Elmer meets the dancer Cleo of Paris (Murray), who casts aside her rich, would-be sweethearts and falls in love with him. When his business affairs appear hopeless, she helps him secure his contract, and the couple are married and return to Harmonville. A gala is given in Elmer's honor for having saved the village's prosperity, and citizens are shocked by Cleo's Parisian fashion. Elmer sells his interests and the couple move to New York City. To give Cleo the luxuries to which she is accustomed, Elmer in a moment of weakness forges his uncle's name and is arrested. Endeavoring to get Elmer out of trouble, Cleo returns to the stage, but in so doing she breaks a promise made to her husband. Elmer is released from jail after promising his uncle to have nothing more to do with Cleo, but then immediately tries to look her up. He finds her in what appears to be a compromising but innocent situation and decides the bad things that have been said about Cleo are true. He returns to Harmonville and the heartbroken Cleo returns to France and seeks seclusion in Normandy. Three years later Elmer finds Cleo there along with her little son who is named for him. They have a reconciliation.
The film was one of Murray's most successful films, and one of the biggest hits of 1922. The film was so successful it was the only silent film of Murray's that she remade as the "talkie" Peacock Alley , though major changes were made to the plot.
The character "Cleo of Paris" was a parody of Cléo de Mérode. Upon learning of the film and its portrayal of her as a courtesan, de Mérode was unhappy about the portrayal, stating, "I lead and have always led the quietest of lives, I do not seek any publicity, and I really do not wish to be given any against my will, especially that sort of publicity." [4] She went on to attempt to sue the filmmakers for 100,000 francs in damages, alleging that the film injured her reputation and was defamatory. The case was unsuccessful. [5] [6]
Mae Murray was an American actress, dancer, film producer, and screenwriter. Murray rose to fame during the silent film era and was known as "The Girl with the Bee-Stung Lips" and "The Gardenia of the Screen".
Cléopâtre-Diane de Mérode was a French dancer of the Belle Époque. She has been referred to as the "first real celebrity icon" and the "first modern celebrity". She was also the first woman whose photographic image, due in particular to photographers Nadar and Léopold-Émile Reutlinger, was distributed worldwide.
Peacock Alley is a 1930 American pre-Code musical romantic drama film directed by Marcel de Sano, and starring Mae Murray and George Barraud. The film is a remake of the 1922 silent film of the same name in which Murray also stars. Aside from Murray being cast in the lead, the remake was largely different from the 1922 silent film. While Murray's character in the 1922 film was named Cleo, she was renamed Claire Tree in this film. George Barraud replaced Monte Blue as the male lead, who is now named Clayton Stoddard.
Married Flirts is a 1924 American silent drama film directed by Robert Vignola and starring Pauline Frederick, Mae Busch, and Conrad Nagel. The screenplay, written by Julia Ivers, is based on Louis Joseph Vance's 1923 best seller Mrs. Paramor. The drama was considered quite daring at the time as the story centered on husbands being lured away from their wives. One scene has well known Hollywood stars playing themselves at a party.
The Right to Love is a 1920 American silent drama film directed by George Fitzmaurice. It stars Mae Murray, David Powell and Holmes Herbert. The film is based on the French novel L'Homme qui assassina, by Claude Farrère and the play of the same name by Pierre Frondaie. A copy of the film is preserved in the Nederlands Filmmuseum.
Fascination is a 1922 American silent drama film directed by Robert Z. Leonard and starring his then wife Mae Murray. The film is based on an original story by Edmund Goulding who was soon to be a prolific film director.
Jazzmania is a 1923 American silent drama film directed by Robert Z. Leonard and starring his then-wife Mae Murray. In keeping with Murray's previous films and a few of her succeeding films, the movie possesses some of the most provocative attire worn by an actress in film up to that time. As with Fascination, Edmund Goulding wrote the original screen story and screenplay.
Broadway Rose is a 1922 American silent romantic drama film released by Metro Pictures and directed by Robert Z. Leonard. It stars Leonard's then-wife Mae Murray and Monte Blue. The film is based on an original story by Edmund Goulding written for star Murray, and was produced by Leonard's and Murray's production company Tiffany Pictures.
Mannequin is a 1926 American silent romantic drama film produced by Famous Players–Lasky and distributed by Paramount Pictures. James Cruze directed and Alice Joyce, Warner Baxter, and Dolores Costello were the stars. The film is still extant.
The Paliser Case is a 1920 American silent mystery drama film produced and distributed by Goldwyn Pictures. Directed by William Parke, the film stars Pauline Frederick, Albert Roscoe, and James Neil. The film is now considered lost.
The Lion and the Mouse is a lost 1919 American silent drama film produced and released by the Vitagraph Company of America. It was directed by Tom Terriss and based on the famous Charles Klein play. Alice Joyce starred in the film.
The Bride's Awakening is a 1918 American silent drama film released by Universal Pictures and produced by their Bluebird production unit. Robert Z. Leonard directed the film and his then-wife Mae Murray was the star. A print of the film is housed at the EYE Institute Nederlands.
The Easiest Way is a 1917 American silent film starring Clara Kimball Young and directed by Albert Capellani. It is based on a 1909 play, The Easiest Way by Eugene Walter, staged by David Belasco and starred Frances Starr as Laura Murdock. Belasco and Starr revived the play in 1921. It is not known whether the film currently survives.
The Woman in Room 13 is a lost 1920 American silent mystery drama film directed by Frank Lloyd and starring Pauline Frederick. It was produced and distributed by Goldwyn Pictures and is based on a Broadway play of the same name, The Woman in Room 13. The film was remade at Fox in 1932 as a talkie.
The Peace of Roaring River is a lost 1919 American silent Western film produced and distributed by Goldwyn Pictures and starring Pauline Frederick. Hobart Henley and Victor Schertzinger directed the production.
The Probation Wife is a 1919 American silent comedy-drama film directed by Sidney Franklin and starring Norma Talmadge. Talmadge served as her own producer with distribution through Select Pictures.
The Law and the Woman is a lost 1922 American silent drama film directed by Penrhyn Stanlaws and starring Betty Compson. This film is a version of Clyde Fitch's play The Woman in the Case and a remake of a 1916 silent version The Woman in the Case starring Pauline Frederick. Jesse Lasky produced.
Her Final Reckoning is a lost 1918 American silent drama film directed by Émile Chautard and written by Jules Claretie and Charles E. Whittaker. The film stars Pauline Frederick, John Miltern, Robert Cain, Warren Cook, Joseph W. Smiley, and James Laffey. The film was released on June 23, 1918, by Paramount Pictures.
Poppy is a 1917 American silent adventure drama film directed by Edward José and starring Norma Talmadge, Eugene O'Brien, and Frederick Perry.
Headlines is a 1925 American silent adventure and crime drama film directed by Edward H. Griffith and starring Alice Joyce and Malcolm McGregor. It was distributed through Pathé Exchange.