Beau Geste le baroudeur

OK, so, it's not a classic, nor is it a masterpiece, but let's be fair here: it' entertaining and in my own personal opinion, underrated. Some historic inaccuracies are indeed blatant, but hey, it's an adventure movie, not a historic one. If you wish to watch a history based one look elsewhere, but if you like to see Telly Savalas in his heyday, and as usual rather strong and harsh performance, then this movie is really made for us.

Strangely, when I watched the movie (made one year earlier than the "Dirty Dozen"), I couldn't help thinking at parallelisms with Lee Marvin's depiction of. Major Reisman, who was indeed a tough cookie and a S. O. B., just as the character Savalas plays in this one.

One cannot but wonder how Telly Savalas finally got to play Major Wright in the last two sequels to the original "Dirty Dozen" bunch. Probably because someone may have seen his role in this movie.

The rest of the cast does a competent and convincing job, and even Leslie Nielsen (who went in his later days to play. Frank Drebin in the successful Comedy series "The Naked Gun" among others), did depict the Commander of the Foreign Legion's Regiment with distinctiveness.

But as said, if you expected a faithful retelling of the original story you came to the wrong place. This take is quite different and depicts probably a bit better, without romantic interludes, the harsh and cruel realities that made out the Foreign Legion.

One could consider it a forerunner to the later produced "March or Die" (1977), starring Gene Hackman, Terence Hill and Catherine Deneuve, but as stated, without any female participation.

As such I consider it a discreet movie that should be left as a solo effort, without comparing it to any other similarly titled film.

In my view, the only mistake the producers and director made, was indeed to name it "Beau Geste". They could easily have changed the names in it and titled it "The hard life of the Legionnaires", which would indeed have had more honesty in it. Another title that comes to mind could have been "Lost in a Dream of Freedom".

But whatever other title would have been given to it, it would certainly have attracted audiences of the time to go and watch it.

Sometimes it is the wrong choices that make some movies appear as either bad pictures, or as poor productions, when in reality there a many other worse examples, both in story telling, as well as in performance.

This indeed is a worthy movie to be watched as it is, since if one forgets for a moment the so called realism, and tries to take in the moral values that it attempts to convey, one might find that this film actually succeeded in its projection of this message.

I for one enjoyed it as one of the better small movies made in the mid-sixties, particularly for the interaction among all the characters, which came through as honest without all the "schmaltz" (sweetness) that similar movies try to infuse in such stories.

Try to watch it in this spirit, forgetting both the title and its original source and you will see that in the end you will be satisfied by it.

For those who watch the Cooper version, similarities will be made. The Cooper version is probably a bit better for most of us, and evokes more of the "childhood fantasies meet horrid realization" motif.

This film is good on its own merits. This film is completely the opposite of the other in the brothers who are killed. In fact, the third brother never even speaks, and we don't even know he is there if we watch the film. The second brother arrives late, and still serves as a character, but the entire focus is on "Beau" himself.

This film also gives us more of the sadistic NCO, played by Telly. He is not only cruel, but sadistic, as he even punishes those loyal to him.

The character of Beau is the motif of the story, however, and is what makes the film worthwhile. He is an "everyman", but yet "the man of mystery". True to life, the "man of mystery" is not someone who embarks on a ego trip, but someone who just lives life. It is not someone who tries to con, cheat, and confuse others, because Life does enough of that on its own (which makes such a person look like an inept fool to others), but someone who is honest and tries to do his job. Life ALWAYS makes such men look like "men of Mystery", because there are just too many oddities that occur.

This is what happens in "Cool Hand Luke", as Newman's character is made into a legend, yet from the beginning he tells the prison guard he doesn't want to make trouble, and he doesn't. His honesty is what turns him into a legend.

So it is here. Beau is miscast as a crusader and assassin, playing the "Inspector General" so to speak, both to the leaders, and to the men. He never tries to confuse any of them. He merely glides along, and that is what makes this film so breathtaking, and makes the action come so alive.

An adventure and thrilling movie about the reckless legend of the foreign legion battling in the Morocco desert. Adventure movie about the Foreign legion in a remote location in North Africa . At the begining contains a memorable opening with an impregnable fort , an outpost named Zinderneuf , garrisoned by corpses and the high adventure tone carries on from there . As an army of the French Foreign Legion crosses the desert to the relief of a far Fort , at a desert oasis. The major approaches the men on the walls and hails them, but they do not respond. He realizes that they are all dead, some shot in the head. He sends his bugler into the fort, but the man does not return. Entering the fort, he finds no life . Earlier and flashback , "Beau" Geste (Guy Stockwell) leaves his country in disgrace , enlists French army and joins the infamous Foreign Legion fighting Berber and Tuareg tribes . Shortly after , at assembly, Sgt. Dagineau (Telly Savalas) addresses several recruits , including Boldini (Mauro) , who is known to the Sergent from a prior enlistment , Krauss (Leo Gordon) , Rostov (Michael Constantine) , Beau , among others . Later on , Beau is reunited with his brother (Doug McClure) in North Africa, both of whom face off desert wars and a despictable sergeant . As they they confront greater danger from their own psychotic commander (Telly Savalas) than from the rebellious Arabs . After that, the regiment of legionnaries under command of a lieiutenant (Leslie Nielsen) and a first sergeant , become involved into an ambush in the sunny desert by the nasty Tuaregs .The World's Immortal Adventure! . Thundering drama ! Again ...the three Gestes face a thousand dangers of the Sahara for each other. Hard lives, quick deaths, undying courage! .Two against the world...brothers and soldiers all!

Entertaining , rousing Legion/Arab adventure set in Morocco where our starring Guy Stockwell is mistreated , wounded and along the way fighting Tuaregs and a ruthless sergeant . Being freely based on Christopher Wren novel screen-written by director Douglas Heyes himself . It contains up-roaring adventures , thrills , noisy action, battles and an exciting competition . This retelling leaves out one of the brothers , usually 3 , in the story of Beau Geste and how his attempt to save the family honor , equally the theft jewel issue is abandoned . Even their names aren't adequate " "Beau Geste" is a nickname given to Beau Graves -Guy Stockwell- by his commanding officer -Leslie Nielsen- , and Beau's brother -Doug McClure- is named John . The highlight climax at the fort littered with dead man from the classic movies 1926 , 1939 to today gave rise to a thousand comedy skilts . Universal International Picture intended making a lavish production, it had schemed to use a star-studded British cast , but it was eventually considered to be too an expensive, large-scale production so instead was shot on a medium budget on the studio backlot at Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, and in the Yuma desert , Arizona, USA . Guy Stockwell gives an acceptable acting in his ordinary style as the brave legionnaire . He is suitable strong in his usual gentle and taciturn as Beau , eldest of two brothers who join the Legion. Stockwell starred some adventure movie as The war lord , Sword of Zorro and The king's pirate along with Doug McClure ; as well as other genres as Western : Gatlin gun , Plainsman and warlike : Tobruk . But is really Telly Savalas who leaves one of his most memorable screen portrayals , providing the most lasting impression as the sadistic and violent first sergeant .This is an inferior version , though being professionally directed by Douglas Heyes . Douglas was a craftsman who directed a lot of episodes of notorious TV series , such as : Rin-Tin-Tin: Hero of the West , Highwayman ,City of Angels , McCloud , Cimarron , Cheyenne, Alias Smith and Jones, The Virginian , Baretta , Switch , Outlaws , Maverick , The Bold Ones: The Lawyers , The Americans , Laramie , 77 Sunset Strip , Conflict , Colt 45 , Markhan , The naked city , among others . And occassionally directing a few films such as : Powder Keg , Kitten with a whip ,The Lonely Profession and this Beau Geste .

There are several versions about this novel written by PC Wren dealing with heroism in the Foreign Legion and it was a much-copied epic : The first rendition 1926 by Herbert Brenon with Ronald Colman , Neal Hamilton , Ralph Forbes , Alice Joyce , Noah Beery . The finest of various screen versions , considered to be a true classic Hollywood adventure in which Geste takes the blame for a jewel theft was made in 1939 by William A Wellman with Gary Cooper , Ray Milland , Robert Preston , Donald O'Connor, Susan Hayward and Brian Donlevy as a scarred sergeant . And the others were made as The Last remake of Beau Gest (1977) , hilarious retelling by Marty Feldman , Michael York , Ann-Margret , Peter Ustinov , James Earl Jones ,Trevor Howard ....

This third film version of Beau Geste has its place in film history though it can't be compared to the star versions with Ronald Colman in 1927 and Gary Cooper in 1939. No big box office names are in this film just journeyman players who know their trade.

The third brother was dropped as well as the entire story line about just why the brothers are in the French Foreign Legion. Guy Stockwell goes first and winds up in a post where the ultra-sadistic Sergeant Major Telly Savalas holds sway. Later on Stockwell's brother Doug McClure joins him and they are unsuccessful in hiding the fact they are brothers.

We never do know exactly why the brothers or at least Stockwell is in the Legion as McClure is ostensibly along for the ride. There are some cryptic hints in some of the conversation. The last stand with troop at Fort Zinderneuf follows along the paths laid out by the more classic versions of Beau Geste.

One interesting part is that of David Mauro playing Boldini the snitch among the men to Savalas. There are some definite homoerotic overtones in his performance and watch Mauro's scenes with Savalas. Remember there are no women to be had anywhere near where these guys are stationed. So a guy like Boldini might be popular in some quarters even if he's an informer.

Of course there was a satirical remake in the next decade of Beau Geste with Michael York, Marty Feldman, and Peter Ustinov. It could probably use another version, it certainly is overdue. I'm surprised Tom Cruise or Brad Pitt never took up the story.

The 1939 Beau Geste was almost completely faithful to the early 20th century romantic novel with much more skillful, nuanced acting and plot development. This version transforms the three Geste brothers into Americans and substitutes a very vague, underdeveloped story line regarding their presence in the Foreign Legion.

However, this is a much better action movie. Telly Savalas is superb as the sadistic sergeant, and the almost thirty year time span between films allowed for a more explicit depiction of the sexual aspect of his twisted behavior. The battle scenes are brutally realistic and the uniforms, equipment, and methods of fighting are much more accurately portrayed here.

The most serious problem with the 1966 version is an absolutely horrid soundtrack. One of the worst ever. The traditional Legion march "Le Boudin" is converted into Lawrence Welk style dentist office Muzak, even though the original, at 171 years old, has long been in the public domain and is featured in most Foreign Legion movies. Actually, "boudin" was a sausage ration issued in the old Legion. The original lyrics are pretty silly (more recent stanzas not so), but, in it's original form, the march is most stirring.

Both films are quite entertaining. Those who want a more coherent story line, more intricate acting, and stronger characters, will no doubt prefer the 1939 version. But for action and realism, this one definitely gets the nod.