The Garden of Allah

After the death of her invalid father, Domini Enfilden returns to Le Couvent de Ste. Cecile seeking Mother Josephine's counsel about her loneliness. The Mother Superior tells her that only in the solitude of the Sahara Desert might she discover herself. Domini leaves with a sense that a journey into the desert could hold the answer she seeks.

At el Lagarnine in Tunis, Captain de Trevignac visits the Trappist monastery and samples the famed Lagarnine liqueur. The visit hints at a deeper history tied to the monastery and its secrets. His presence foreshadows the events to come, including the mysterious Boris.

Brother Antoine, keeper of the Lagarnine liqueur's secret formula, flees the monastery with the prized knowledge. The departure sets in motion a chase that drags Domini into a perilous path. The secret's loss also explains the weight of Boris's later confessions.

On the way to Beni Mora, Domini encounters Antoine on a train; he remains silent, a man hiding more than his words reveal. The encounter plants the seed for the complex bond that will form between them. The journey marks Domini's first step toward the desert and Boris's true identity.

In a cafe, Antoine is entranced by the exotic dancer Irena. When Irena brandishes a knife on Hadj, Antoine helps Domini escape and introduces himself to her as Boris Androvsky. The moment marks the first public cue that this man harbors a dangerous secret.

The next day, Domini and Boris ride to the Oasis of Azur, where Count Ferdinand Anteoni warns Domini not to enter the desert until the urge is very strong. The locals admire Boris's cross, which he discards by tossing it into the water, revealing a deeper rebellion against faith. The desert city greets them with tension and mystery.

Anteoni's warning and the Arabs' admiration for his crucifix show Boris's enigmatic past and his shocking antipathy to religion. He refuses to acknowledge God, which casts a shadow over their desert pilgrimage. The seed of his inner conflict is planted early.

Weeks pass as Domini and Boris fall in love, yet Boris keeps his past a secret from her. A sand diviner foretells something glorious for Domini, but also warns of danger ahead. The couple's bond deepens amid the desert's silent tests.

They arrive at a church where Father J. Roubier notices Boris's fear and anger toward religion. Although the priest warns Domini against Boris, the couple swear their love and the priest agrees to marry them the next day. The wedding's shadow hints at a future reckoning with Boris's past.

After their wedding, Domini and Boris join a desert caravan with Batouch and Hadj. The journey into the dunes marks the couple's commitment and the start of Boris's deeper exposure of his past. Sand and wind mingle with their vows as the desert closes in.

One night Domini lights a torch to guide Boris back to the camp, inadvertently aiding a lost patrol that has been stranded for three days. Among the rescuers is Captain de Trevignac, who recognizes Boris and recoils at the memory. The revelation ties Boris's monastery past to the present peril.

At dinner, Anteoni recounts the Lagarnine secret, shocking Domini; Boris breaks down, admitting his life at the monastery under the vow of silence. He explains how he first spoke in adulthood and why he left the monastery's hotel role. Domini's compassion leads her to accept that he must return to confront his past.

Believing that love should redeem rather than condemn, Domini agrees that Boris must return to the monastery to make reparations. They pledge to be together forever, even as the path ahead leads away from each other for a time. The couple's promise ends with a quiet, hopeful grasp of fate.

At the gates of the monastery, Boris embraces Domini for the last time before returning to his vows. The moment crystallizes the film's central conflict between love and faith, and foreshadows a future separated by impossible choices.