Garden of Evil 1954

I thought the title of this film had a certain ironic ring, thinking of Under The Volcano, given that it was supposed to have been filmed in the mountains around Cuernavaca according to some commentators! Log 24 Some sources state it was filmed in Uruapan west of Cuernavaca. Gary Cooper Scrapbook

Garden of Evil (1954) is a Western film about three somewhat disreputable 19th-century soldiers of fortune, played by Gary Cooper, Richard Widmark, and Cameron Mitchell, who are hired by a woman, portrayed by Susan Hayward, to rescue her husband. The movie was directed by Henry Hathaway.

En route to California to prospect for gold, Hooker (Gary Cooper), Fiske (Richard Widmark), and Luke Daly (Cameron Mitchell) stop over in a tiny Mexican village. The three men and Vicente Madariaga (Victor Manuel Mendoza) are hired by a desperate Leah Fuller (Susan Hayward) to rescue her husband John (Hugh Marlowe), who is trapped in a gold mine in hostile Indian territory.


During the harrowing journey, the party's already frayed nerves are aggravated when the men become attracted to the woman. The group then arrives at the mine site — called the "Garden of Evil" because the Indians regard it as the domain of evil spirits. They find an injured, but living John Fuller.
As they leave, they are pursued by Apaches. Eventually, only Hooker, Fiske and Leah are left alive. At a narrow point in the road, the two men draw cards to see who will stay behind to hold off the Indians while the other two ride to safety. Fiske "wins" and succeeds in killing or driving off the enemy. After seeing that Leah is safe, Hooker returns to talk with a dying Fiske, who urges him to settle down with Leah.

On another romantic front, Mitchell became infatuated with Hayward. However, Hayward, who was in the process of divorcing her husband, Jess Barker, was not interested in Mitchell. During a New Year's Eve celebration of cast and crew in nearby Cuernavaca, a slightly intoxicated Hayward leaned over to Mitchell and ran her fingernails down his cheek, drawing blood and forcing director Hathaway to delay filming until the facial wounds healed.

On another romantic front, Mitchell became infatuated with Hayward. However, Hayward, who was in the process of divorcing her husband, Jess Barker, was not interested in Mitchell. During a New Year's Eve celebration of cast and crew in nearby Cuernavaca, a slightly intoxicated Hayward leaned over to Mitchell and ran her fingernails down his cheek, drawing blood and forcing director Hathaway to delay filming until the facial wounds healed. Wikipedia

Susan Hayward later went to a jammed cafe in Cuernavaca with the cast to celebrate New Year's Eve. After a few brandies she leaned over to Mitchell, knowing his attraction to her, and ran her long fingernails deeply along his cheek, drawing blood and leaving wounds that caused director Hathaway to delay further shooting until the scabs vanished. Mitchell was scarred for life. Hathaway had a difficult time with Hayward, who delayed productions and often walked off the set when annoyed with his brusque ways. The film went over budget and beyond schedule, although Cooper remained mute about the temperament his costar displayed; Hayward was then one of the top box-office actresses. Movies TV Guide