Directed by: Paul Naschy (as Jacinto Molina)
Stars: María José Cantudo, Ágata Lys, Paul Naschy
Language: Spanish | Subtitles: English
Country: Spain | Imdb Info

Also known as: El huerto del Francés

Description: In early-20th-century Andalusia, a charming yet ambitious man named Juan Andrés Aldije “El Francés” (Paul Naschy) runs a countryside inn that hides a far darker secret. Beneath the respectable façade of gambling tables, fine wine, and beautiful women lies a murder ground — where wealthy patrons vanish without a trace, their bodies buried among the orange trees.

Based on the true story of the infamous “Frenchman’s Garden Murders” that shocked Spain in 1904, Paul Naschy’s film blends historical crime, erotic intrigue, and gothic dread. As both director and star, Naschy delivers one of his most nuanced performances — a portrait of obsession, greed, and moral decay. Alongside him, Julia Saly, Ágata Lys, Silvia Tortosa, and María José Cantudo bring sultry presence and tragic allure to this tale of lust and betrayal.

With moody cinematography by Leopoldo Villaseñor, an evocative score by Ángel Arteaga, and a haunting execution finale that lingers long after the credits, The Frenchman’s Garden stands as one of Naschy’s most accomplished and personal works — a somber reflection on corruption, passion, and punishment in the shadow of Spanish history.