*Spoiler/plot- Beau Geste, 1939. Most men join the French Foreign Legion to forget, the three Geste's brothers joined to be forgotten by everyone. They're running from a family scandal of the theft of a missing 'Bue Water' sapphire. But their troubles are overshadowed in the burning Sahara desert under the tyranny of a sadistic sergeant and defending a desert fort from the native uprising Arab riflemen.*Special Stars- Gary Cooper, Ray Millard, Robert Preston, Brian Donlevy, J. Carrol Nash, Broderick Crawford.*Theme- Family is all important.*Trivia/location/goofs- B & W. One of the most remade film stories/plots in film history. Fort was in Yuma, AZ. The French flag is flying before a soldier is ordered to climb the tower to put it up. Several University of San Deigo students discovered the Location of the fort and then shot their own version of Beau Geste in the 40s.*Emotion- This is the best and most memorable version of the Beau Geste script. The wonderfully casted and acted lead roles make this film the hallmark of how the other remakes are judged. A gem of an entertaining and dramatic film that everyone should see at least once.

It is an amazing testament to the power of the 1939 offerings from Hollywood that a film as superb as "Beau Geste" could not be considered one of the very top offerings of the year! But, with films like "Gone With the Wind", "Goodbye, Mr. Chips" and "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" you can perhaps understand why. It was a very, very tough year to get noticed and if I named all the great films of this year, I'd have quite a few more to add! This tale begins in a wealthy home where three brothers are inseparable and lovers of adventure. However, when they are older, a crisis strikes when it appears that one of them has stolen an incredibly valuable jewel that belongs to the family. In reaction to this, each of the three runs off to join the Foreign Legion--hoping that they can take blame for the theft and allow the others to preserve their honor. However, it turns out all three have joined separately and just happen to be stationed in the same place (yes, I know this is practically impossible). They don't realize, however, that the Legion is not all it's cracked up to be--thanks to a sadistic Sergeant who takes pleasure in making his troops miserable and on the verge of mutiny. In the end, you learn the secret--one which one of the brothers kept from everyone until after his death.This movie has it all--a great cast (with Gary Cooper, Ray Milland and Robert Preston), a wonderful script and a great desert location shoot. I would say that it's a bit better than another great and similar adventure tale, "Gunga Din"--also from 1939!! And, just for fun, here are a few other films from this amazing year: "The Wizard of Oz", "Stagecoach", "Midnight", "Ninotchka" and "The Women"! By the way, when you watch this film, note the chubby guy with a beard and pipe when he dies. The sadistic Sergeant (Brian Donlevy--in his best role of his career) props the dead guy up to make it look like he's alive. Look closely--he's obviously breathing! Also, a moment later in a scene that is NOT a mistake, watch as one of the dying guy goes into spasms. This is pretty cool--something you don't see in films very often.

The 1939 version of "Beau Geste" remains the ultimate Foreign Legion movie. That's hardly surprising considering the fact that the director, William Wellman, was himself a Legionaire. "Wild Bill" Wellman didn't become a move director by studying at film school, he began as extra and stunt man during the 1920s. Prior to that he served as a fighter pilot in the French Air Service, during World War I, as a member of the famous Lafayette flying Corps. Like all the other Americans serving in the Lafayette, Wellman entered the French Air Service via the Foreign Legion.Like "The Four Feathers", "Beau Geste" is based on a novel written at the turn of the last century. The world was a very different place then, so some aspects of the story might seem somewhat less than politically correct today. If they did a remake of "Beau Geste" today they would undoubtedly add entirely new sub-plots in an effort to make it more politically correct. In fact, that's exactly what they did do in the 2002 re-make of "The Four Feathers". Needless to say, the result was no improvement over Alexander Korda's spectacular 1939 version of "The Four Feathers". By the same token, it is doubtful that any similar meddling with the plot of "Beau Geste" could possible produce any improvement over Wellman's fabulous 1939 version. "Beau Geste" is a perfect example of how the old Hollywood studio system was able to combine the right material with the right cast and the right director to achieve a level of film making almost impossible to reproduce today.

Gary Cooper, Ray Milland and Robert Preston are brothers who run off and join the foreign legion in order to preserve the honor of the family name in this classic romantic adventure. P.C. Wren's novel about honor, courage and Viking funerals gets its best treatment (there have been three)under the knowledgeable direction of William Wellman the performances of the the leads and an effective supporting cast.After a family scandal involving a stolen gem surfaces the brothers Geste make themselves scarce by entering the French Foreign Legion. Two of the brothers end up at Fort Zinderneuf, a besieged desert outpost run by a martinet sergeant. When the third brother arrives the rumor that one holds the precious gem gets back to Sgt.Markoff who makes plans to extract it from them. Meanwhile inside the walls he sadistically drives his men while marauding Arab Taurogs pose a huge threat outside the walls. The troops mutiny but must quickly turn to defending Zinderneuf when the Taurogs lay siege to Zinderneuf.With two plots driving the story Beau Geste moves along at a steady suspenseful pace after it's rather slow nebulous opening that nevertheless sets the stage for the rousing action and drama ahead. As the title character Gary Cooper might be a tad old to play the youthful idealist but he makes up for it in nobility and courage while remaining stoically conflicted by what Markoff is and represents. Brian Donlevy's Markoff is one of film history's great villains. Both corrupt and courageous he may lust after the gem but it is tenacity and leadership that saves the fort from being overrun. J.Carrol Naish as the craven Rasinoff also registers in a supporting role.The Fort Zinderneuf setting amid the blowing dunes of the desert makes for a dramatic atmosphere that Wellman and his cameraman utilize to full effect. Alfred Newman also adds accent to the dessert's mood and mystery with a score that partners perfectly to the isolation as well as the action and bonding of the brothers.Nearly half a century ago as a child I was mesmerized by this film. While that may no longer be the case, it still stands on its own as an excellent adventure film that can be enjoyed by children of all ages.