The Green Goddess is the third Sidney Olcott directed feature I've viewed, the other two being "Little Old New York"(1923) and "Monsieur Beaucaire"(1924). Kevin Brownlow, in his book Hollywood The Pioneers(1980), stated that Olcott as being 'pedestrian'. Well, YES! Much of my opinion of Olcott is in the Monsieur Beaucaire review so it need not be repeated here. As an Arliss silent, we're lucky to have The Green Goddess at all. The Green Goddess is a pseudo-adventure contrivance that was a stage success for George Arliss after years of playing Disraeli on Broadway. I saw a screening of TGG recently and it was provided with live music. My review is based on this screening. Arliss made this picture in 1923, two years after making a silent adaptation of "Disraeli". "Disraeli"(1921) is sadly a lost film. Arliss would later remake The Green Goddess as his debut sound film in 1929. The music for the screening of TGG is obliging but not scored music to the image and story. Olcott's direction needs everything it can get. A live orchestra or small ensemble of winds & brass with a score would've helped this movie, indeed help all silent movies. The movie is nicely tinted and toned throughout and lives up to it's title when the cast enters the temple scene which is bathed in a deep green tint. Sam Goldwyn distributed this picture but it was produced by Arliss's Distinctive Pictures. Distinctive had also made "Disraeli"(1921) released by United Artists and "The Devil"(1921) released by Pathe. This production of TGG is a lot more lavish than the quick Warner Brothers produced remake made in 1929 which was rushed through to take advantage of sound. This movie is also one of the few movies that is available to view a David Powell performance. Powell, a handsome Scottish actor(no relation to The Thin Man's William Powell), had been a stage actor before entering movies in the years before WW1. His movie career comprised of supporting many star actresses of the period. Powell died in 1925 two years after The Green Goddess was released. As trite as this subject matter is, it could've been livened up with a better director, maybe Lubitsch, Vidor, DeMille or Murnau. Also, Arliss, a unique kind of actor is hardly believable as an 'Indian' ruler. But he and the cast give us the best they got, all in front of lavish sets. Alice Joyce, who plays the female lead here, would be the only cast member to return with Arliss in the sound remake. Powell would be dead, his part played by Ralph Forbes and Harry Morey's part would be played by veteran stage actor H.B. Warner.
Review of The Green Goddess
