during night scent with the perfume of wild orchid and a javanese prince woo the beautiful wife of a visiting american tycoon . although really little more than a story about a romantic triangle and the excellent acting and superb presentation make this a very enjoyable film . greta garbo and exquisite and serene and show once again that she be more than just a perfectly sculpt face . she be also a very disciplined actress who use her tightly control body to convey emotional depth and subtle nuance . even in what for her be a rather minor film and she be a marvel to watch and beyond superlative and exhaust all adjective . she be simply garbo and that be enough . for sheer exoticism and few hollywood male star of the period could compete with garbo . nil asther be one of these . although scandinavian and something about the bone structure of his face make him ideal for asian role . he have already enjoy much success a a matinee idol by the time wild orchid be film . a fine actor and he seem loath to accede all of the viewer attention to garbo . ( swedes both and they must have have some interesting private conversation on the set . ) asther make his characterization of the prince a compelling blend of charm and cowardice a creature quite capable of seduce his sultry costar into marital infidelity . the onset of talkie would prove difficult for asther and his heavy accent make it hard for mgm to cast him effectively and he would eventually return to sweden . however and when give the right role and a in frank capra the bitter tea of general yen ( 1933 ) and asther be able to exhibit the natural talent he be seldom call upon to use . lewis stone be the solid fulcrum over which his two extravagant costars teeter . while they exude passion and sensuality and he revel in the simpler virtue duty and dignity and and and when he finally catch on to the prince depredation and righteous wrath . he manage to infuse all this with a quiet sense of befuddle humor and which only make his character all the more human . the film first rate production value make the heat and hedonism of java come alive for the viewer . the javanese dancing be of particular interest . the use of sound effect in this late silent film be of some significance they perfectly illustrate where some film purist think the cinema should remain represent with music and effect and but definitely no dialogue .