In 1926 Olive starred in the comedy Fig Leaves. It was one of her first leading roles in a silent film. Olive made this movie while she was under contract at Fox. The studio spent more than $50,000 on the costumes which were designed by Gilbert Adrian. One sequence of the movie was filmed in Technicolor. During filming Olive was dating her leading man George O'Brien. She and George met when they costarred in the western Three Bad Men. Fig Leaves was directed by Howard Hawks. This was the second film that Howard directed. It was released on August 22, 1926. The movie was a huge hit and Olive's performance earned rave reviews. Fig Leaves made her one of Fox's biggest stars but she left the studio in 1927 over a salary dispute.
Cast:
Olive Borden ... Eve Smith
George O'Brien ... Adam Smith
Phyllis Haver ... Alice Atkins
André de Beranger ... Josef André
William Austin ... André's assistant
Heinie Conklin ... Eddie McSwiggen
Eulalie Jensen ... Madame Griswald
Plot:
The movie begins with a humorous look at how Adam and Eve lived in the Garden of Eden. Eve's biggest complaint is "I have nothing to wear". The story moves to the 1920's where we meet a modern day Adam and Eve Smith. Adam is a hard working plumber who does not want his wife to work. Eve desperately wants new clothes but Adam can't afford to buy her any. One day Eve is involved in a traffic accident with fashion designer André. He believes Eve is his muse and asks her to start modeling for him. Eve takes the job but keeps it a secret from Adam. She begins buying expensive clothes and hides them from Adam. Eve's neighbor Alice encourages the deception while secretly plotting to steal Adam. When Adam discovers Eve's secret life as a model he walks out on her. Alice uses this opportunity to get Adam drunk and tries to seduce him. In the end Eve gives up her modeling job and Adam returns to her. The story goes back to the Garden of Eden where Eve is happy but she still doesn't have anything to wear.
Here is an article about the movie -
THOROUGHNESS IS REASON FOR STARS SUCCESS
George O'Brien and Olive Borden Pay Attention to Little Details
A reason for the success achieved by George O'Brien and Olive Borden on the screen is the thoroughness of their preparations for roles and their unflagging interest in every bit of "business" called for in the script. Before starting work in "Fig Leaves", an exceptionally beautiful Fox photoplay. O'Brien was given three weeks vacation. He spent three days with his family in San Francisco, where his father, Dan O'Brien, is the police chief. Then he quietly went to work for two weeks in his uncle's plumbing shop - for he's a plumber in the picture. Miss Borden, who is Eve Smith. the wife, in "Fig Leaves", values her mother's opinion in great degree. She had but one questions to ask her as she came out from the glare of the studio lights upon completion of a scene - an old questions dating back to her childhood in Virginia. "How was it, pardner? Am I doing this right?".
* Phyllis Haver was one of the most popular actresses of the 1920's appearing in more than one hundred silent films. Like Olive she had started her career as one of Mack Sennett's bathing beauties. Phyllis retired from acting in 1930 after she married millionaire William Seeman. Tragically on November 19, 1960 she committed suicide at the age of sixty-one.
Click Here To See The Fig Leaves Gallery
