Right out of the gate, Alfred Hitchcock shows a knack for pacing, character arcs and energy with the light romantic drama “The Pleasure Garden” (1925). It took the British public a couple years to see this silent film, because it didn’t get a wide release until after “The Lodger” (1927) became Hitch’s first hit.
Only an hour long, “Pleasure Garden” is not deep, but it’s immensely easy to watch. It’s helped by a frolicking score later provided by Lee Erwin on the version that can be found on Amazon Prime. Some Hitchcock trademarks are present, notably the steady burn of suspense as Patsy (Virginia Valli) pursues new husband Levet (Miles Mander) to his job on an African produce plantation, only to find he’s not so faithful.
Duality would become a famous Hitchcock theme, for example Scotty’s interest in two identical-looking women in “Vertigo.” In “Pleasure Garden,” duality is a problem for the viewer. Valli’s Patsy and her new London friend, Carmelita Geraghty’s Jill, look exactly the same. There is a brief moment toward the end when a feverish Hugh (John Stuart) thinks Patsy is his fiancée Jill.
“The Pleasure Garden” (1925)
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Writers: Oliver Sandys, Eliot Stannard
Stars: Virginia Valli, Carmelita Geraghty, Miles Mander
However, generally their identical look – same makeup, hairstyle and hat style – causes unnecessary confusion, and it’s not only me that has this face blindness. The folks at the Good Evening podcast also struggled to tell Patsy and Jill apart.
At least the men are easy to tell apart, since Levet is mustachioed and Mander wonderfully plays him as a lurching drunk in the final act. (Hugh, leading a clean life, is clean-shaven.) And Levet’s African mistress is easy to recognize, although it seems actress Elizabeth Pappritz is a white girl with a tan rather than a true native. Such were the times.
Two types of people
“The Pleasure Garden” begins with dance revue sequences that show off the beauty of Valli (like her character, an American who went across the pond for this movie) and Geraghty (likewise American). At the time showing that much leg might’ve been risqué for cinema, although it’s tame compared to an outright burlesque show.
Today, it’s striking to see how beauty was women’s path to a better life, through either this type of career or a rich husband, or both. However, this ain’t “Rebecca” or “Suspicion.” Pasty and Jill are often smiling and living life to its fullest.
Then we have gatherings at Patsy’s London apartment, where a kindly older couple (Ferdinand Martini and Florence Helminger) and a dog (humorously utilized in the plot and characterization) make for nice housemates. The man is a radio enthusiast, even wearing headphones – a nice peek into the tech of the time.
Considering Hitchcock’s eventual preference for controlled sets, a remarkable amount of later scenes take place outdoors — among the wind-swept canals of Venice and on wild beaches. Two characters even wade into the ocean for an action scene. Later, a rainstorm factors in, although it’s outside a window, so likely it was a controlled environment. Still, perhaps the director began to develop his interest in avoiding weather here.
Based on a 1923 Oliver Sandys novel, “The Pleasure Garden” makes basic observations about how some people are loyal and genuine, and others are untrustworthy and phony. And you can’t always tell by looking at them, especially in the case of the two female leads. One hour is the correct length. That’s both praise of Hitchcock recognizing the story rhythms and criticism in the sense that it doesn’t have more than an hour of substance to explore.
RFMC’s Alfred Hitchcock series reviews works by the Master of Suspense, plus remakes and source material. Click here to visit our Hitchcock Zone.