Product Details

• Region: Region 4 (Read more about DVD formats.)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000HQT2UG
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #183,181 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Underrated and Forgotten Classic Western, October 25, 2006

By	gobirds2 (New England) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

GARDEN OF EVIL is a Western rich with characterization that seems stereotypical on the surface, but on analysis, runs much deeper. Susan Hayward (an enigmatic heroine) hires a group of stranded travelers in a Mexican waterfront town to follow her to a remote mine where her husband is trapped. The adventurous group is comprised of Gary Cooper (the upright, moralistic hero), Richard Widmark (a cynical witticism spouting gambler), Victor Manuel Mendoza (the good-natured Mexican guide) and Cameron Mitchell (the back-shooting kid gunslinger). They must traverse perilous and dangerous Indian territory to get to the mine, but their motives are unclear. Is it the trapped man, the lure of gold or the subdued sexual attraction that Hayward exudes that drives them? The narrative is a study of personalities in conflict, their motivations, loyalties, cowardice and heroism. Richard Widmark's character comes off as the most interesting. He lingers in the viewer's mind long after the film is over and the question is raised - which is the more honorable: the moralistic hero or the dubiously elegant yet noble rogue? Henry Hathaway is a director known for atmosphere, character and authentic locations. He combines mood and action. This film has all those elements. It is beautifully photographed, yet the picturesque landscapes are juxtaposed with disturbingly photographed death scenes, menacing ever-lurking Indians (always photographed from a distance) and even mysterious looking set designs. The church bell tower sprouting up from the dried lava is all that remains of the town outside the mine and is symbolically ominous in appearance. Frank Fenton's screenplay is filled with vague dialog and only adds to the total feeling of uneasiness that permeates this film. Bernard Herrmann's score accentuates the moodiness of this haunting adventure tale, itself also vague and non-specific. It is very untypical of the Hollywood Western. He achieved a recurrent sense of ominous fate throughout this entire film without the score ever entering into the psychological realm. This is by no means a minor score by Herrmann and I rank this as one of his great scores. GARDEN OF EVIL under Henry Hathaway's direction intelligently yet emotionally integrates the psychological aspects of his characters and even the threatening locale into the action elements found in the standard Western genre to create an unnerving and very thought provoking experience.

Why is there still no Region 1 version of this DVD?

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "GARDEN OF EVIL", January 16, 2008

By	L. Dequesada (JAMAICA,, NY United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

"Garden of Evil" (Color 1954)is definitely among the very best westerns ever produced by Hollywood. This virtually forgotten star studded western epic is among Hollywood's unique and very best western classic films. Gary Cooper, Richard Widmark, Susan Hayward, Cameron Mitchell, Hugh Marlowe, Victor Manuel Mendoza and Rita Moreno as the singing girl in the cafe in Mexico's "Puerto Miguel".
As Hayward rides into town and seeks help to get her trapped husband out of a collapsed mine, where they were digging for gold, as they agree to go with her, the entire group also realizes that this could be a one way trip because they must go into Mexico's hostile Apache territory. Their timing couldn't be worse as they go during a time of year when the local apaches are hunting for white men or anyone else whom they see as prowlers into their territory.
Why was this film never released first on videocassete VHS format and then on DVD Region 1 format by its owner 20th Century or at least licensed to someone who would want to reproduce it and there are many who would, remains another one of those unexplained Hollywood's mysteries.
The all-star cast alone "is definitely worth the ticket" and the dramatic plot is unique and makes it a rare and fabulous western film. Now they have released in Pal region 4 when it more than deserves to be also released on DVD Region 1 format, which I think will now happen sooner or later. Definitely a collector's classic which I highly recommend.