

Eve's Leaves
After forming his own studio in 1925, Cecil B. DeMille produced this exuberant blend of orientalist melodrama and gender-bending comedy featuring his THE TEN COMMANDMENTS leading lady Leatrice Joy. An over-protective sea captain forces his daughter Eve to pass as a boy. But she craves romance and sets her sights on a handsome American tourist (Boyd) who still thinks she's a boy when she shanghais him aboard her father's ship; then a lustful Chinese pirate (Walter Long) takes them prisoner. Joy, an appealing comedienne whose career nosedived when talkies came in, sparkles in both her tomboy and love-hungry phases. -Martin Rubin, Gene Siskel Film Center
Insights
Plot Summary
A young woman is determined to make her way in the world of publishing, facing numerous challenges and romantic entanglements along the way. Her ambition and spirit are tested as she navigates the cutthroat industry and the affections of different men. Ultimately, she must decide between her career aspirations and her personal life.
Critical Reception
As a silent film from 1926, detailed critical reception is scarce. Contemporary reviews likely focused on its melodramatic elements and the performances of its lead actors. Modern historical assessments view it as a typical romantic drama of its era, offering a glimpse into societal norms and aspirations of the time.
What Reviewers Say
- The film offers a straightforward romantic narrative common to the silent era.
- Performances are likely adequate for the period, supporting the dramatic plot.
- Its exploration of a woman's ambition was a theme relevant to the changing times.
Google audience: Due to the age and obscurity of the film, there are no specific Google user reviews available for analysis.
Fun Fact
While specific production details are hard to verify for such an old film, 'Eve's Leaves' was part of a wave of films that explored themes of female independence and ambition in the Roaring Twenties, a period of significant social change for women.
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