Ronald Colman made no bones about it, The Unholy Garden with a most unbelievable story and situation just could not be carried even under the dulcet civilized tones of Ronald Colman. Although with his performance as Raffles in that film I can see why he was cast in The Unholy Garden.
Many westerns have had as plot situation the existence of an outlaw town where the forces of law and order for some reason are stymied and outlaws find refuge in a particular location. That's what we have here in the Sahara Desert in what I guess is either inner Algeria or French West Africa as it was known at the time. There's a town at an oasis and a big castle where fugitives who instead of joining the foreign legion take refuge. The Foreign Legion and/or the regular French Army just can't be bothered with just cleaning out, sheer laziness more than likely.
Anyway Colman who is a Raffles like thief is headed there. And when he arrives some of the others are conspiring against Tully Marshall who is blind cripple in a wheelchair and his daughter Fay Wray. Marshall embezzled money and the others get a hold of a letter saying if he brings back all or some part of the money not already spent, he can get a pardon and his daughter can live once again in Paris. As opposed to this place, who wouldn't.
But the fact that a fortune could be squirreled away has the rest plotting and scheming. Colman figures he can woo Wray and find out, but as things usually happen in the movies, he falls for the woman he's supposed to con.
I think you'll agree especially if you've seen The Unholy Garden that this is one ridiculous plot. Colman really has to stretch his cultured British charm to make this one plausible. Best in the cast just may be Estelle Taylor the sexy native girl who Colman also takes a shine to.
Not much grows in this Unholy Garden, especially entertainment.
Many westerns have had as plot situation the existence of an outlaw town where the forces of law and order for some reason are stymied and outlaws find refuge in a particular location. That's what we have here in the Sahara Desert in what I guess is either inner Algeria or French West Africa as it was known at the time. There's a town at an oasis and a big castle where fugitives who instead of joining the foreign legion take refuge. The Foreign Legion and/or the regular French Army just can't be bothered with just cleaning out, sheer laziness more than likely.
Anyway Colman who is a Raffles like thief is headed there. And when he arrives some of the others are conspiring against Tully Marshall who is blind cripple in a wheelchair and his daughter Fay Wray. Marshall embezzled money and the others get a hold of a letter saying if he brings back all or some part of the money not already spent, he can get a pardon and his daughter can live once again in Paris. As opposed to this place, who wouldn't.
But the fact that a fortune could be squirreled away has the rest plotting and scheming. Colman figures he can woo Wray and find out, but as things usually happen in the movies, he falls for the woman he's supposed to con.
I think you'll agree especially if you've seen The Unholy Garden that this is one ridiculous plot. Colman really has to stretch his cultured British charm to make this one plausible. Best in the cast just may be Estelle Taylor the sexy native girl who Colman also takes a shine to.
Not much grows in this Unholy Garden, especially entertainment.