It wouldn’t surprise me to find out that the script was written in crayon. This one belongs on the worst ever list. Dean Jagger is more wooden that a 2 x 4. For a mysterious atmosphere the movies relies on the superimposed eyes of Bela Lugosi from 1931’s “Dracula.”
It’s World War One. Armand Louque (Dean Jagger) brings an old priest from Cambodia to the Franco-Austrain frontier. He tells General Duval he knows how to create an army of robots or zombies. The General thinks he’s nuts until it happens. Bullets can’t stop them.
Saying it’s for the good of humanity the General has the priest put in solitary for life so the secret doesn’t get out. Colonel Mazovia kills the priest in his cell and steals a parchment showing where the secret formula can be found.
After the war an expedition is sent to Angkor Wat to destroy the secret. Armand goes along with the group that includes his pal Clifford Grayson and Claire Duval. Armand falls for her and announces their marriage. Too bad she’s never gotten over Grayson and she eventually calls off the wedding.
Armand gets a change of attitude and decides to become ruthless. He steals some secret tablets and finds the formula. He tries it out on his servant. It works. Now he can bend anyone to his will. He creates an army to do his bidding. His next goal is the fair Claire. When the revolt finally comes it gives a bunch of extras a chance to run around breaking stuff.
It is strange seeing future Oscar winner Jagger totally inept. He won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar in 1949 as Major Harvey Stovall in “Twelve O’Clock High.” On TV he was Albert Vane on “Mr.Novak” (1963-65)
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