mgm be unsure of how to market garbo when she first arrive in hollywood . mayer have a lot of faith in her and her appearance in torrent justify that . she do not speak a word of english so she must have find it difficult to work and also ricardo cortez do not make it very easy for her . the torrent of the title be the river juscar that wind through a sleepy little village in spain . leonora ( greta garbo ) hop someday that her voice will bring great wealth and happiness to her struggle parent . leonora and don rafael ( ricardo cortez ) be in love but he be under his mother thumb and can not get her to consent to his marriage . meanwhile dona brull ( martha mattox ) have evict leonora parent from their home and they send leonora to paris hop to give her a chance to further her sing career . leonora send a note to rafael and urge him to remember his promise and come with her . his mother be enrage and forbids him to go so of course he cave in to her request . year pas . leonora have a new identity she have become la brunna and the toast of the paris opera . rafael have turn out just a his mother wish he be run for office and be court a safe young girl and remedios ( gertrude olmstead ) who be a hog heiress . mack swain play her father . leonora decides to visit her old home and and i agree why hasn not she help her mother out . her mother be still live at the family home and working a a skivvy and take in wash . leonora and rafael meet but leonora be full of ridicule . garbo be so enchantingly beautiful and it be hard to believe that he could be happy with remedios . the dam be burst and the torrent be flood the town . leonora house be in the path of the rag river but when rafael attempt to rescue her he find she be quite safe . they then re kindle their romance . there be a horizontal love scene in this film and very similar to the one in flesh and the devil . dona brull go spread gossip about how leonora really get her wealth and leonora mother believe her and tell leonora to go . rafael meet leonora just before she be about to tour america . again he intend to go with her but again he let her down . he spend so much time listen to other people destroy her reputation what will she do for you but drag you down . the irony be she have just secure a top government job for him if he come with her . they meet again and year later she be a fresh and vibrant a ever he look old than his year and bow down by mediocrity . it be certainly a good film with a positive message to follow your heart . lucien littlefield do a good job a cupido and the barber and leonora old and faithful friend . highly recommended .