This movie stars Gary Cooper in the title role. "Beau Geste" is French for "gallant gesture," and Coop, as the title character, definitely lives up to his name.
The story is a screen adaptation of P.C. Wren's novel of the same name. We are all familiar with the story of the young man who runs away to join the French Foreign Legion, and Coop does just that, appearing to be the thief of the "Blue Water," a gem which constitutes the major wealth of his family's dwindling fortune. The only problem is, that Coop's younger brothers, played by Robert Preston and Ray Milland follow him to North Africa as legionnaires in order to spread the suspicion around!
The three Geste brothers are reunited in the Legion Barracks at Sidi-bel-Abbis North Africa, under the watchful eye of the brutish Sergeant Markoff, aptly portrayed by Brian Donlevy, one of Hollywood's premier villains. Broderick Crawford plays an American cowboy, run away to the Foreign Legion, "Shorty," who becomes fast friends with the Geste brothers.
There is action aplenty in battles with the savage Arab tribesmen in the Sahara and finally with Sgt Markoff. The viewer is saddened when Gary Cooper, and later, Robert Preston are killed, leaving Ray Milland as the sole surviving Geste.
The ending resolves the fate of the "Blue Water" but the cost of the young mens' lives seem scarely worth it. This is a classic movie and only is hampered by the fact that it had some slow spots, switching around, trying to keep up with all the characters various doings, instead of focusing on Beau. Ray Milland and Robert Preston, to a lesser extent, were miscast, as Coop's brothers, in my opinion. Ray, in particular is too typically milquetoast to play a heroic figure like Coop could. Cooper and Donlevy are well worth seeing.
There was a remake of "Beau Geste", in color, starring Guy Stockwell as Beau, and Doug McClure as his brother. Telly Savalas played Sergeant Major Dagineau, every bit as brutal and despicable as Brian Donlevy's Sergeant Major Markoff. Leslie Neilson played the alcoholic Lieutenant whose death puts Dagineau in command of the troop. This version is much more tautly edited, which gives the story a driving beat which the 1939 version lacks. I prefer this version to the Gary Cooper version, and would give it five stars. It is shown on TV quite often. Watch for it!
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