Garden of Evil (1954)

A trio of American adventurers marooned in rural Mexico are recruited by a beautiful woman to rescue her husband trapped in cave in Apache territory

Director:

Henry Hathaway

Writers:

Frank Fenton (screenplay), Fred Freiberger (story),

Stars:

Gary Cooper, Susan Hayward, Richard Widmark

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Gary Cooper	...	Hooker
Susan Hayward	...	Leah Fuller
Richard Widmark	...	Fiske
Hugh Marlowe	...	John Fuller
Cameron Mitchell	...	Luke Daly
Rita Moreno	...	Cantina Singer
Víctor Manuel Mendoza	...	Vicente Madariaga (as Victor Manuel Mendoza)

Storyline

Three Americans are headed by ship around the cape to the California gold fields when they are put ashore for several weeks in a sleepy little Mexican village. While there, they are offered the job of following a lady deep into the indian infested mountains of Mexico to rescue the ladies husband trapped by a cave-in at their gold mine. For the job they are promised two thousand dollars each. While each contemplates their own chances for getting the lady and /or the gold mine, if they can survive to enjoy it.

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Plot Keywords:

gold | gold mine | mexico | mine | apache | 

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Taglines:

Takes you beyond the land of the Black Sand!

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Drama | Romance | Western

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

9 July 1954 (USA)

Also Known As:

Der Garten des Bösen

Filming Locations:

Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min 96 min (FMC Library Print)

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (35 mm magnetic prints) Mono (Western Electric Recording) (35 mm optical prints)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.55 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This is the only Western for which Bernard Herrmann composed a score.

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Goofs

The firearms being used belong to the period from about 1870 to 1880. If this film was set during the California gold rush period of 1849 the weapons should all be percussion cap and black powder. Repeating rifles weren't developed until late in the Civil War.

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Quotes

Fiske: Believe nothing a woman says, but everything she sings
Hooker: Who told that?
Fiske: Me.

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Soundtracks

"La Negra Noche"
by Emilio D. Uranga

User Reviews

A SUPERIOR, UNROCOGNIZED WESTERN.

While Garden of Evil is not known to most film fans, it is a favorite of many. Everything about this film is great. The scenery, the music, the incredible cast. Unlike today's films it has lots of say about greed, heroism, love between men, loyalty, and betrayal. It also has more great lines than most movies - all

delivered brilliantly by Susan Hayward, Gary Cooper and Richard Widmark.Here are some as I remember them (not necessarily accurate). Susan to Coop: You need me. Because without me, Mister, you're lost. And when you're lost in this country, you're dead. Widmark to Coop: See that. Every night the sun goes down, and it always takes someone with it. Tonight it's me. Coop to himself: If the earth would made of gold, men would kill for a handful of dirt.

This should be on list of the ten best westerns, right up there with Shane and The Searchers