John Gilbert
Hugh Rand
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Synopsis
Diamond thieves posing as aristocratic visitors kidnap a mine manager and flee into the desert. Heat, desertion and a dwindling water supply gradually reverse the balance of power. Forced to rely on their prisoner's knowledge, the criminals discover that the jewels securing their escape have little value against thirst and mutual distrust.
Cast
DirectorsWilliam Nigh
Historical context
John Gilbert's final feature without spoken dialogue was released with synchronised music and sound effects. Much of its tension comes from changing alliances among three principal characters, using the desert to strip away the social authority the thieves initially pretend to possess.
Sources and availability
The synopsis and editorial text were written for this collection. The references below were cross-checked to identify the film and its copy; each editorial section identifies its reference.
Work catalogued as public domain in the United States.
The reference concerns the original work. Restorations, colorization, translations and other territories may have different conditions. This site uses the player enabled by the channel.
Availability checked on September 10, 2026.
Photograph credit
Photographs cropped, resized and optimized as WebP, displayed in monochrome.
- John Gilbert — MGM studio · Public domain
- Ernest Torrence — Unknown author · Public domain
