Environment (1927 film)


Environment is a 1927 Australian silent film about a woman who poses for a revealing painting. It was one of two films produced by Vaughan C. Marshall, the other one being Caught in the Net.
Unlike many Australian silent films, a copy of it survives today.

Plot

Mary Garval is forced by poverty into posing semi-nude for a painting, L'Environment. The painter's assistant, Arthur, tries to seduce her but she runs away after finding out he is married.
Mary seeks refuge in the country and falls for a farmer, Jimmy. They get married but Arthur, seeking revenge, sends a Jewish friend to spy on them. He sends Jimmy a copy of the painting as a wedding present. Jimmy eventually forgives Mary and decides to destroy the painting, but discovers a lost will in the frame, which reveals Mary to be the heiress to a lost fortune.

Cast

The movie was shot in early 1927 in and around Melbourne, particularly in the suburb of Hawthorn. Marshall tried to woo Melbourne society while making the film, looking for investment. The director, Gerald Haye, made industrial films in Melbourne for several years.

Reception

The film appears to have only been screened in Victoria.