The White Orchid

The White Orchid is a 1954 American adventure film directed by Reginald Le Borg and written by Le Borg and David Duncan. The film stars William Lundigan, Peggie Castle, Armando Silvestre, Rosenda Monteros and Jorge Treviño. The film was released in November 1954 by United Artists.

Plot
Robert Burton, an archeologist, hears about, and decides he is going to find, a hidden civilization where little has changed in hundreds of years. Burton is accompanied on the trip by photographer Kathryn Williams. In Mexico they meet vanilla bean plantation owner Juan Cervantes who has knowledge about the forbidden city. He declines to help, not wishing to offend the natives. Williams pretends to be interested in Cervantes and is invited to his plantation. Williams tells Burton that Cervantes has agreed to guide them to the hidden civilization. They set off to Cervantes' vanilla bean plantation.

At the plantation Cervantes' sweetheart Lupita is jealous of his interest in Williams. She warns Cervantes that the woman will be the death of him. Cervantes nevertheless is talked into taking Burton and Williams to the hidden civilization. He demands that no weapon be taken, but Burton conceals a small gun that he uses to shoot a wild tapir that had startled Williams. A son of the hidden village's chief is accidentally killed by a knife set in a trap just as Williams takes his photo.

The natives believe the knife and camera together were responsible for the death, and the three intruders are taken to the hidden village at spear point. Williams is to become a human sacrifice atop a great pyramid. Burton and Cervantes free themselves from their bonds and flee with Williams. To distract the natives Cervantes shoots the gun, revealing his whereabouts. Burton and Williams escape.

Cast

 * William Lundigan as Robert Burton
 * Peggie Castle as Kathryn Williams
 * Armando Silvestre as Juan Cervantes
 * Rosenda Monteros as Lupita
 * Jorge Treviño as Arturo
 * Alejandro de Montenegro as Miguel
 * Miguel A. Gallardo as Pedro
 * Ramon S. Fernandez as Baytab
 * Ballet Moderno de Mexico as Native Dancers