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Wow! Such a good movie.

So much average

The movie is wonderful and true, an act of love in all its contradictions and complexity

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

The story had such good potential, but the talents of the leading actors were simply wasted. Future Academy Award winners, Gary Cooper, Ray Milland, Robert Preston, and Susan Hayward, unfortunately, were given scripts that were totally amateurish and wooden.By strange irony, however, Brian Donley is brilliant as the sadistic sergeant Markov. Blessed by a powerful script, Donley gives one of the finest best supporting roles in Hollywood history. Whenever I watch this movie, I often just fast forward to the scenes featuring Sgt. Markov ... so deliciously evil with his cocked eye and imposing demeanor.

This film is one of the masterpieces of movie-making. It is the prototypical French Foreign Legion film. It has been redone and copied numerous times. Start with the cast. Gary Cooper, Ray Milland, and Robert Preston are the principle characters. Then we have a who's who of character actors who fill the spaces. Then we take a mystery that spans decades, where everyone is implicated in some way. Where is that missing jewel and why was it taken? Put that aside and simply create the great dangers of the Sahara and all its challenges as the the three brothers cast their fates to the wind. The scene at the fortress where dead bodies are used as props and the oasis scene are some of the best that Hollywood has ever created. There is nothing pat or simple about the way all this plays out, but I won't ruin it for anyone. See this film if you never have. See it again if you have.

Having heard about this movie for the last 30 years, I finally got around to watching this on DVD that I borrowed from the library. The main reason I'm watching this now is because I've been on a hook to watch various of Donald O'Connor's movies in chronological order, what I can find of them anyway. So when I found out he's in this one as Gary Cooper's character's younger self, I knew I had to watch this one pronto! Anyway, he appears with his co-star from Tom Sawyer, Detective-Billy Cook. With them are two kid stars from 1938's The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (made by Selznick, not Paramount which made the TSD movie as well as the one I'm now reviewing)-David Holt and Ann Gillis. Their scenes were fun to watch which extended when we first watch some of them as adults when portrayed by Gary Cooper, Ray Milland, Robert Preston, and Susan Hayward-before she became a leading star herself. By the time those men-who are brothers in the film-join the Foreign Legion, there's some great drama concerning them and their encounter with their sadistic sergeant played perfectly by Brian Donlevy. There's more but I think I'll just stop there and just say I highly recommend this version of Beau Geste.

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.