Death in the Garden

Shark (Georges Marchal), a soldier of fortune, arrives in the South American diamond-mining village of Cacazu during a revolt by prospectors against the fascist government. After making advances toward Maria (Michèle Girardon), an innocent deaf-mute, Shark goes to bed with Djin (Simone Signoret), a prostitute who steals his money and turns him over to the military police as a revolutionary. Eluding the authorities, Shark blows up the army ammunition dump and, in the ensuing riot, escapes to a boat on the river. There he encounters Maria and her father, Castin (Charles Vanel), an outlaw rebel; Gina; Father Lizardi (Michel Piccoli), the village priest; and Chenko (Tito Junco), the skipper. Forced to flee the boat when Chenko betrays them, the group is led by Shark on a dangerous trek through the jungle.