''Forbidden Paradise'' is a 1924 American silent

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. The drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular ...

, directed by

Ernst Lubitsch Ernst Lubitsch (; ; January 29, 1892November 30, 1947) was a German-born American film director, producer, writer, and actor. His urbane comedies of manners gave him the reputation of being Hollywood's most elegant and sophisticated director; a ...

, produced by Famous Players–Lasky, and distributed by

Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation, commonly known as Paramount Pictures or simply Paramount, is an American film production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the flagship namesake subsidiary of Paramount ...

. The film is based on a 1922 Broadway play, ''The Czarina'', by Edward Sheldon, who adapted the Hungarian-language book by Melchior Lengyel and

Lajos Bíró Lajos Bíró (; born Lajos Blau; 22 August 1880 – 9 September 1948) was a Hungarian novelist, playwright, and screenwriter who wrote many films from the early 1920s through the late 1940s. Life He was born in Nagyvárad, Kingdom of Hunga ...

. The play starred

Doris Keane Doris Keane (December 12, 1881 – November 25, 1945) was an American actress, primarily in live theatre. Early life and family Keane was born in Michigan to Joseph Keane and Florence Winter. She was educated privately in Chicago, New York, Pa ...

, in one of her last stage roles, as

Catherine the Great Catherine II. (born Princess Sophie of Anhalt-Zerbst; 2 May 172917 November 1796), most commonly known as Catherine the Great, was the reigning empress of Russia from 1762 to 1796. She came to power after overthrowing her husband, Peter I ...

. Basil Rathbone costarred with Keane. The film stars Pola Negri as Catherine the Great and Rod La Rocque in the Rathbone role.

Clark Gable William Clark Gable (February 1, 1901November 16, 1960) was an American actor often referred to as the "King of Cinema of the United States, Hollywood". He appeared in more than 60 Film, motion pictures across a variety of Film genre, genres dur ...

makes his second appearance on film.

Plot

As described in a review in a film magazine, Catherine (Negri), the Czarina of a small European country, decides to give audience in person to the French Ambassador (Malatesta) when she learns he is a favorite with the Parisian ladies. In the meantime, Alexei (La Rocque), a young officer in a border town discovers a revolution is in progress and hurries to the palace, forcing an entrance into the Czarina’s presence. So impressed is she that she forgets the revolution and the Ambassador and bestows her favor on Alexei, who finds himself a popular favorite and is made captain of the royal guard. Alexei neglects his fiancé Anna (Starke), one of the queen’s ladies-in-waiting. At a banquet he discovers four other officers wearing the insignia of the queen’s favor and, when he reproaches her, she chides him to avoid scandal. Disillusioned, he joins the revolution and tells the queen she is under arrest. The Chamberlain has bought off the leaders and Alexei is court-martialed and sentenced to death. The Czarina, unable to win him back, graciously pardons him even knowing that he will marry Anna. The French Ambassador is ushered in and soon reappears wearing one of the telltale decorations.

Cast

* Pola Negri as Catherine (the Czarina) * Rod La Rocque as Capt. Alexei Czerny * Adolphe Menjou as Chancellor * Pauline Starke as Anna * Fred Malatesta as French ambassador * Nick De Ruiz as The General * Carrie Daumery as Lady-in-Waiting *

as Soldier in Czarina's guard (uncredited) * Carlton Griffin as Officer (uncredited) * William Quinn (uncredited) *

Leo White Leo White (November 10, 1873 – September 20, 1948), was a German-born British-American film and stage actor who appeared as a character actor in many Charlie Chaplin films. Biography Born in Germany to Julius White and Ida Berg White, White g ...

as Driver (uncredited)

Preservation

Complete prints of ''Forbidden Paradise'' are located in the George Eastman Museum Motion Picture Collection,

Museum of Modern Art The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is an art museum located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, on 53rd Street (Manhattan), 53rd Street between Fifth Avenue, Fifth and Sixth Avenues. MoMA's collection spans the late 19th century to the present, a ...

, Cinematek, and EYE Film Institute Netherlands.Library of Congress American Silent Feature Film Survival Database: ''Forbidden Paradise''
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References

External links

* 1924 films 1924 drama films 1920s American films 1920s biographical drama films 1920s English-language films American biographical drama films American black-and-white films American films based on plays American silent feature films category:English-language biographical drama films Films about Catherine the Great Films based on adaptations Films based on Hungarian novels Films directed by Ernst Lubitsch Films set in Russia Paramount Pictures films Silent American drama films Surviving American silent films {{1920s-silent-drama-film-stub

Plot

Cast

Preservation

See also

References

External links