''Peacock Alley'' is a 1922 American silent drama film starring

Monte Blue Gerard Montgomery Blue (January 11, 1887 – February 18, 1963) was an American film actor who began his career as a romantic lead in the silent era; and for decades after the advent of sound, he continued to perform as a supporting player ...

and Mae Murray. The film was directed by Murray's husband at the time, Robert Z. Leonard. An incomplete print survives at the Library of Congress. Peacock Alley lobby card

Plot

As described in a film magazine, 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.

Cast

* Mae Murray as Cleo of Paris *

as Elmer Harmon * Edmund Lowe as Phil Garrison *William J. Ferguson as Alex Smith (credited as W.J. Ferguson) * Anders Randolf as Hugo Fenton (credited as Anders Randolph) *

William H. Tooker William H. Tooker (September 2, 1869 – October 10, 1936) was an American stage and film actor. Tooker acted with the Tivoli Comic Opera Company in San Francisco. On Broadway, he performed in ''The Coronet of the Duchess'' (1904) and ''The Gove ...

as Joseph Carleton (credited as William Tooker) *Howard Lang as Abner Harmon *William Frederic as Mayor of Harmontown *M. Durant as Monsieur Dubois *

Jeffreys Lewis Mary Jeffreys Lewis (abt. 1852–1926) known professionally as Jeffreys Lewis was a British-born American actress whose career lasted long after her popularity as a leading lady had faded. Early life Mary Jeffreys Lewis was born in London, Engla ...

as Toto *Napoleon the Dog as Napoleon

Reception

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.

References

External links

*
Progressive Silent Film List: ''Peacock Alley''
at silentera.com *
Lobby poster
1922 films 1922 drama films Silent American drama films American silent feature films American black-and-white films Films shot in New York City Films set in Paris Films directed by Robert Z. Leonard Films with screenplays by Ouida Bergère Tiffany Pictures films Metro Pictures films 1920s American films {{1920s-silent-drama-film-stub