Michael "Beau" Geste leaves England in disgrace and joins the infamous French Foreign Legion. He is reunited with his two brothers in North Africa, where they face greater danger from their own sadistic commander than from the rebellious Arabs. Three boys grow up together with a wealthy family. Whilst young, one of the boys overhears his mother discussing the sale of the "Blue Sapphire", a jewel that belongs to the family. It is replaced with a fake and the household continues on. Many years later the family is in financial trouble and the sale of the "Blue Sapphire is discussed". Knowing it is a fake and wanting to save their mother from the shame it is stolen moments before being revealed during a black out. The boys are given to the morning to own up but when morning comes the eldest has left a note confessing and has gone to join the foreign legion. His brothers, knowing his sacrifice, also leave notes confessing and join the legion. The three brothers are stationed together until the middle one is sent away to separate the three. The general in charge of the outpost is considered a mad man with no respect for the dead. His plan is to prop dead soldiers up on the walls so the Arabs will think they have lots of men. When one of the brothers is killed the other fights to have his body respected and buried instead of used and shot up. With the return and subsequent death of the middle brother just moments before a final attack,the youngest is the only one to make it home back to his mother. I absolutely loved this, quite literally, "Boy's Own" adventure of three brothers' lifelong devotion and appetite for adventure. I liked so much about it and also found it well constructed with its clever play on "circular time" where the mystery of the apparently lifeless fort at the beginning is cleverly cleared up and the touching "Viking funeral" afforded Beau by his grieving brother and the neat way the secret of the missing diamond was resolved too.<br/><br/>In between, there was strong characterisation (although I was disappointed not to see a re-appearance by the boys' childhood pet hate, Gussie, before the end) some good action scenes and fine cinematography in recreating the vastness of the desert and the wretched conditions the Legionnaires had to endure. I may be seeing something that wasn't there but with the death of Digby, I was strongly reminded of the famous and then recent picture by Robert Capa of the death of a soldier in the Spanish Civil War.<br/><br/>Best of all though, was the marvellous acting, not just Cooper in one of his archetypal strong silent types, with a hint of gaucheness, naturally, but also Preston and Milland as his gallant, supportive brothers and especially Brian Dunlevy as the sadistic Sergeant Markoff.<br/><br/>1939 in hindsight has been considered an "annus mirabilis" for Hollywood productions, with so many wonderful films turned out that year from "Gone With The Wind" on down. "Beau Geste" seems to me to be among the best of the very best and as good an adventure film as you could hope to see. 1939, what a great year for movies! One of my all time favorites, and I have seen it several times. A 10, and I seldom give that score. The blazing rifles of the Foreign Legion, the swarming Tauregs, the endless desert… an unforgettable backdrop for this great film. <br/><br/>The three principals are wonderful as is a fine supporting cast. Brian Donlevy is simply terrific as the evil Sgt. Markoff. His "I sentence you to six in the belly," said to Gary Cooper, is unable to be executed for at that second, news arrives that the Tauregs were about to attack the fort. It is later fitting that Markoff is the "dog" placed at the dead Cooper's feet in the Viking tradition.<br/><br/>What also is memorable is the hysterical laughter of the crazy legionnaire in the tower, and also the dead men propped up at the loopholes to fool the tribesmen.<br/><br/>At one time I visited a high school and at end of one hallway was a barricade and a sign, "Fort Zinderneuf". I had to tell the teacher that I was well acquainted with the place.
This is one of the classic and oldest film I ever watch. I learned a lot from the time back then, even the cinematography specially the styles, from acting to storyline they are very different from today's era. But it is still interesting and entertaining. Anyway if you are interested to games, check and you know why this game trending now, click to more like this.
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291 weeks ago