The bad babe who gave Destry such a hard ride? Or Lola Lola, The Blue Angel? Or Bijou Blanche, one of The Seven Sinners? Or Concha, The Devil (who) Is a Woman? Well, it was indeed Marlene Dietrich, the great actress. She must have been one if she could so convincingly play such a vulnerable, sweet, unworldly, deeply religious woman in The Garden Of Allah, when she was happily typecast in the movies as a trollop and was likewise dedicated to that role in real life. A down and dirty slut and proud of it, who abandoned a husband and daughter in Germany to run off to Hollywood with Joseph Von Sternberg and pursue fame, fortune, and sin. Who would drop her drawers for any willing actor, along with a few actresses, and, if we believe her claims, for President Kennedy in the White House when she was sixty years old! Yes, that Marlene, contrary to what some other reviewers have alleged, gives a moving performance as a convent-raised good Catholic girl, who falls in love with a runaway Trappist monk (Charles Boyer). He is tormented by having broken his vows, even more so after he marries her without telling her his secret. When she finds out, she joins the torment, her own deep faith at war with her passionate love for him. There is a bit more to the plot than that, but it mainly hinges on the spiritual conflict between faith and the world.
And it is beautifully realized in this beautifully filmed early (1936) perfected Technicolor picture. This is fine movie, and not just because of the spectacular color cinematography. Yet it is not for everyone, and has obviously gone over the heads of most of IMDb reviewers and voters as well as other critics, not to mention the audiences of 1936. In fact it is surprising a movie of this type ever got produced. Hollywood usually avoided a serious approach to religious subjects, but then David O. Selznick was an independent producer who went his own way. While most will appreciate the stunning visual impact of The Garden Of Allah, its storyline is too Christian and its dialog too literary and philosophical for most tastes. This is a movie that can be fully appreciated and enjoyed only by Christians who have had deep spiritual experiences. Perhaps only by those who have had and continue to have deep spiritual experience but also continue to enjoy the sensual pleasures of the world. For most of us Christians, it is a lifelong struggle. The Garden Of Allah paints a poignant and rewarding portrait of this conflict.
Irrelegious types and lowbrows who are only looking for sex and violence may wish to skip this one. It is doubtful that Marlene Dietrich, who once described herself as having no religion, ever wanted to see this particular picture of hers. But, if she had no religion, why then did she say that one should make the sign of the Cross when speaking Orson Welles's name? Perhaps somewhere inside the big whore Marlene, there was a little shriveled up Marlene who knew God.
And it is beautifully realized in this beautifully filmed early (1936) perfected Technicolor picture. This is fine movie, and not just because of the spectacular color cinematography. Yet it is not for everyone, and has obviously gone over the heads of most of IMDb reviewers and voters as well as other critics, not to mention the audiences of 1936. In fact it is surprising a movie of this type ever got produced. Hollywood usually avoided a serious approach to religious subjects, but then David O. Selznick was an independent producer who went his own way. While most will appreciate the stunning visual impact of The Garden Of Allah, its storyline is too Christian and its dialog too literary and philosophical for most tastes. This is a movie that can be fully appreciated and enjoyed only by Christians who have had deep spiritual experiences. Perhaps only by those who have had and continue to have deep spiritual experience but also continue to enjoy the sensual pleasures of the world. For most of us Christians, it is a lifelong struggle. The Garden Of Allah paints a poignant and rewarding portrait of this conflict.
Irrelegious types and lowbrows who are only looking for sex and violence may wish to skip this one. It is doubtful that Marlene Dietrich, who once described herself as having no religion, ever wanted to see this particular picture of hers. But, if she had no religion, why then did she say that one should make the sign of the Cross when speaking Orson Welles's name? Perhaps somewhere inside the big whore Marlene, there was a little shriveled up Marlene who knew God.