Plot: What’s it about?
Domini Enfilden (Marlene Dietrich) is a beautiful woman, but she has not been seen much, as she has lived in seclusion with her father. As he became ill and closer to his death, Domini remained by his side and took care of him, the best she could manage. Soon after his death, she ventures to another country, in an effort to begin a new life and leave her old behind. En route to her new home, she bumps into Boris Androvsky (Charles Boyer), who is also looking to leave his past behind him and move on. He has run away from a monastery and this has him in deep sorrow, as he has already taken his vows and the whole nine yards. But he keeps his past a secret as he travels and soon, he takes a path different than Domini. Later on, the two meet once again when he saves her life, which causes a bond to take shape between them. The two become close friends and it seems like perhaps more, but when a man appears who knows of Boris’ past, he could ruin all they have worked for. Should Boris remain true to his vows and leave Domini behind, or is his current path the one meant for him?
The Garden Of Allah was made in a time when classics were produced left and right, but it would stretch to label this film as such. The star power seems present, the budget was a nice one, there’s an epic feel, and the use of color is tremendous, but this seems more like a “B” movie to me. That isn’t an insult either, as I think this is a fun movie to watch, but the basic elements of classic cinema are absent. So don’t expect a true classic here, just expect to have fun while you watch. This disc is one that gives me serious issues, as far as to make my recommendations. The movie is good, the transfer is excellent, and the audio is decent, but the supplements are non existent. I know it can be hard to find bonus materials for some older films, but this would have been a good disc for a film scholar’s commentary track or perhaps even some basic production notes, though neither has been included. A lobby card issue insert with chapter stops and nothing else, which means there is little added value with this release. If Anchor Bay has included some type of supplements here, I might have recommended a purchase, but as it stands, I think a rental will be more than enough.
Wow. Talk about bad casting choices, The Garden Of Allah has them and then some. The film needs a strong bond between its lead characters, but the two stars signed just don’t have the sparks, to say the least. Charles Boyer (The Constant Nymph, Casino Royale) and Marlene Dietrich (Blonde Venus, The Devil Is A Woman) are fine performers in their own right, but together here, it almost hurts to watch them. The two have as little chemistry as possible between leads and as such, it is hard to take their romantic efforts within the film as reality. But it doesn’t throw off the whole film in the end, it just elicits a few chuckles for some really bad moments. The rest of the cast seems to fare better and includes Basil Rathbone (The Woman In Green, Dressed To Kill), Joseph Schildkraut (The Greatest Story Ever Told, Cleopatra), C. Aubrey Smith (Rebecca, The White Cliffs Of Dover), John Carradine (The Ice Pirates, Satan’s Mistress), and Tilly Losch (Duel In The Sun, The Good Earth). The director of The Garden Of Allah was Richard Boleslawski, who also helmed such films as The Gay Diplomat, Hollywood Party, Beauty For Sale, Fugitive Lovers, and The Painted Veil.
Video: How does it look?
The Garden Of Allah is presented in the intended full frame aspect ratio. This film has some intense visuals, especially when it comes to the colors, so I worried about this transfer would hold up. But after a few minutes, I knew the film was in safe hands, as the colors look excellent and the film’s visuals come across in fine form. The Technicolor process is allowed to shine here, as the hues stream across the screen, almost flowing right into the room with the viewer. This is some potent use of color, so I am pleased the transfer never stumbles. The contrast has no trip ups either, detail is high and the shadows look terrific. The source print shows some signs of wear, but not nearly to the extent you would expect from a film this old. All in all, a superb looking presentation, this is how all classics should be treated.
Audio: How does it sound?
This is an older mono track and it shows, but the basic nuts & bolts are present and in decent form. The dialogue seems clean at lower volumes, although turning the volume up much causes some hiss, which is common on much older mono options. The hiss is a real bummer, but when at a normal level, you can hardly even notice and then not enough to distract the viewer. The music and sound effects sound good as far as mono goes, which is all you can ask for in the end. It might show some signs of age, but this old mono track still gets the basics covered.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This release contains no bonus materials.
