Setting aside all the implausible elements in the story, it's a pretty good, briskly told yarn, made exciting by the way the plot actually becomes more complicated as the film careens wildly to its conclusion. So it's easy to watch, first of all, this garden of unholy criminals in the middle of nowhere working through their mutually broken honor among thieves. Pre-code, you'll find only the hint of a bosom flashing from a very minor female character. Otherwise the sexual innuendos are largely verbal. Like another reviewer, I too appreciated the hotel-in-the-desert ambiance and its effervescent symbolism. And the strangely obsequious Arab natives flitting about never intrude upon the Westerners. Meanwhile Ronald Colman and ever-pleasantly baby-fatty Fay Wray may not be the last word in chemistry, but they do get the job done nicely.

Main Title: Ronald Colman, The Stud Sub-Title: The Usual SuspectsThe attraction here is seeing the (relatively) young Ronald Colman in action. Colman had made 29 silent films, more than half of which have not survived...at least 1 in 1925 was one of the earliest Technicolor films. "Unholy Garden" was only Colman's 5th talkie, and what a wonderful and distinctive voice he had.Here, a too suave English thief (Colman) escapes to a sleazy settlement in the Sahara Desert, where he accidentally meets up with an accomplice -- an all too dumb Warren Hymer, whom you'll probably recognize. He and other crooks at the decrepit desert hotel soon find a new target -- an old and blind baron who may have his own stash of stolen money. Colman sets out to grab the money, but to do so begins romancing the daughter -- Fay Wray (sans King Kong, and at the peak of her career). But word of his plan escapes, and Colman begins to seriously fall in love. No surprise there! Colman gets the money, but gives it to the daughter, and then separates from her.As young and studly as Colman seems to be here, he was already 40! But he is smooth and sophisticated, as always. The main drawback to this film is the supporting cast of thieves. All so very clichéd. And to think that this group would end up at a hotel in an Arabian desert...preposterous. It's a decent film, but decidedly old-fashioned and very dated film (hence the rating of "6"). If we were living in the 30's I would rate it as a "7". The real reason to watch this film is, as usual, Colman.

RONALD COLMAN spent a fair share of his early career as a criminal on the loose. RAFFLES and THE UNHOLY GARDEN are some prime examples. Unfortunately, neither one of these films is rated high on any list of Colman's film resume.THE UNHOLY GARDEN gets its title from the swarm of criminals and thieves residing at a seedy hotel in the Sahara Desert, where a beautiful young girl (FAY WRAY) is trying to keep her father's hidden wealth from the prying hands of a bunch of hoods determined to get their hands on the loot. Along comes gentleman RONALD COLMAN, himself a thief, who charms the girl but makes the mistake of falling in love with her. He finds his conscience before the final reel.It's all played in a wildly overacted fashion with actors given to the kind of emoting that went out with silent pictures. Colman is credible in the lead but everyone else seems to be playing to the balcony.The plot is similar to many other such crime capers, one in particular being a film made around the same time called SAFE IN HELL, whereby a young woman runs away from authorities to a South Seas island and must stay at a run-down hotel surrounded by unsavory criminals.Nothing distinctive here about the story's treatment. Its only interest is giving the viewer a chance to see the young Ronald Colman playing a romantic lead.

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.