Beau Geste

Not a dull moment awaits the viewer in Beau Geste. Quite honestly, it's never boring. The great action scenes, great story telling, superb acting, fabulous art direction and amazing camerawork hold it up just as well today as in 1926.

Now, I'm not a fan of sweeping epics. I, for one, hate David Lean's work with a passion. But in the silent days, many a great epic film was made, and this in one of them.

Probably the most incredible thing is the sheer size of this movie. The opening scenes of the french troops advancing toward the fort, or later with the arabs doing the same thing, are astounding. Unlike in Lean's work, where crowds of chattering background players rush about in every direction, director Herbert Brennon skillfully weaves his literal army of extras over the sand dunes, obviously going to great lengths to ensure that he gets a breathtaking shot. And cinematographer Roy Hunt captures it impeccably, only as an artist would. I'd like to see more of his.

I saw this movie last night in a restored silent movie theater with live organ accompaniment. The organist, the incredible Dennis James, mentioned that some audience members might feel that they had seen this film before, only that they thought that it was with Gar Cooper. I haven't seen that version, but apparently it's almost a shot-for-shot remake. I'd love to see it if it's even half as good as this one.

The lesser known silent original Beau Geste footprint is a near match of its 39 carbon copy save for a few changes. Not exactly a shot for shot reproduction but filmed on the same locale (Yuma, AZ) with an outstanding cast conveying both high desert adventure along with a sense of desperation within the walls of Fort Zindernuff where a sadistic sergeant fends off a massive Arab assault.

Even without his sonorous voice Colman as Beau exudes a dashing nobility while Noah Beery as the sergeant holding down the fort is the silent equal of the magnificent Donlevy performance in the 39. William Powell as the craven Boldini is surprising effective playing against his usual urbane self.

As silent epic Beau Geste succeeds in nearly every facet with immense production values and fine performances in the key roles. But with a pristine print non-existent and the specter of the more popular sound version where Alfred Newman's score gives even more voice to the desert.

First, the original novel by P.C. Wren is about the most exciting book I've ever read. Though it's generally considered adventure fantasy for adolescent boys, and I was a thirtysomething woman when I got around to reading it, I really couldn't put it down. HOW did all those Legionnaires stand at Fort Zinderneuf? Who stole the Blue Water? And of course I have had a major crush on Ronald Colman since my teens, so I had to buy the movie (on VHS, alas). But I love Gary Cooper, too. Which version to choose? Well, anybody but a Frenchman can join the Foreign Legion, but seeing Cooper and Robert Preston (love him, too) in this very English story just doesn't seem to work. Maybe Cary Grant should have done it.

I'm guessing that if you mention Beau Geste to film fans the 1939 version with Gary Cooper, Robert Preston, and Ray Milland is the one that comes to mind most readily. But this version with Ronald Colman in the title role and Ralph Forbes and Neil Hamilton as the other Geste brothers is the first, the original, and has a whole lot going for it. It holds up well even as a silent film for today's audience. One of the things I liked about it was some of the dialog on screen attributed to Colman's character. As Ronald Colman had one of the great voices in the English speaking world the words he was given fit his heroic English character so well that we came to know when the talkies arrived.

With only minor variations the story from the 1939 version is what you see here so if you've seen that you know what to expect. The Geste boys are all suspected of stealing a precious family jewel and all enlist in the Foreign Legion to cover up the disgrace of the one they think might have stolen the gem.

Once there the brothers fall afoul of the sadistic Sergeant Lejaune played by perennial villain Noah Beery. William Powell who was one of Ronald Colman's best friends in Hollywood plays the sneak informer Boldini who learns of the purloined jewel and inflames Beery with the tale. Powell who also had impeccable diction was playing mostly villains due to his swarthy complexion. His career like Colman's was enhanced when talkies came in.

The film is every bit as exciting as when it was first released in 1926 and holds up very well for today's audiences. All it lacks are the great speaking voices of Colman and Powell.

Beau Geste (BG) is a Classic of the Silent Screen honored in its own time as a movie great. It was remade successfully in one particular sound version that also resulted in similar acclaim. Most (but not all) such silent films involved epic stories that benefitted in their re-telling because of Hollywood's technological advances in better cameras, improvements in the use of color and modern achievements in sound fidelity. In the case of BG, the subsequent sound remake directed by William A. Wellman in 1939 is fondly remembered today by many people. However, it closely follows BG in its unique narrative presentation, and does not surpass the acting and set design accomplishments of the original version.

The list is long of such silent movie classics that were followed by acclaimed remakes. It includes, among others, Ben-Hur (original 1925, remake 1959); Stella Dallas (original also with Ronald Colman 1925, remake 1937); The Ten Commandments (original 1923, remake 1956); The Prisoner of Zenda (original 1913 and 1922, remake also with Ronald Colman 1937); The Man in the Iron Mask (originally titled The Iron Mask 1929, remake 1939); The Thief of Bagdad (original 1924, remake 1940); The Three Musketeers (original 1921, remake 1948); and Disraeli (original 1921 and remake 1929 both with George Arliss). There were other remake versions of these silent film classics, but the ones cited here are the most famous.

As for BG, it was an achievement then praised by the novel's author, Percival Christopher Wren, when he said that "it couldn't have been cast better." The film cost over one million dollars to make in 1926, which was a phenomenal amount of money at that time. Oscars were not first given out until the following year, but BG did win a Photoplay Gold Medal----then Hollywood's most honored competitive award. Shot on location in the Arizona desert outside Yuma (exactly like the 1939 remake), the filming presented a difficult and challenging experience for all concerned. But the final result produced a bona fide timeless classic that thrills us to this very day. It is one of the greatest action films of all time.

BG was also a seminal event in the career of Ronald Colman. In it, he perfected his image of the decent, brave and honorable man of valor, whose code of personal behavior allowed him to reach heights of greatness and nobility of character. He would go on to hone this image in numerous subsequent movies, and do so with considerable charm and charisma. While Leslie Howard also developed somewhat similar qualities in many of his own screen roles, Colman could project more physicality in his performances and therefore was probably the more versatile actor of the two.

Audiences watching BG cannot help but be moved by the power of this film and its rousing narrative. It is not to be missed.