"Beau Geste" is a story of the three Geste brothers Michael, Digby and John who end up in the French Foreign Legion and their adventures therein.
The film has a creepy opening sequence where a relief battalion led by Major de Beaujolais (Norman Trevor) arrive at an isolated desert fort and find it apparently deserted. On further inspection, Major Beaujolais finds dead soldiers propped up at each of the openings of the rampart and no apparent survivors within. His trumpeter scales the wall and disappears as do two of the bodies.
To solve the mystery, we go to the flashback of the three brothers and Isabel Rivers playing war games as children. Michael, who is called "Beau" and Digby make a death pact that if one of them dies before the other, the survivor will give the deceased a Viking funeral.
The brothers grow up to be Ronald Coleman (Beau), Neil Hamilton (Digby) and Ralph Forbes (John). John and Isabel (Mary Brian) are a couple. Lady Paricia Brandon (Alice Joyce) has raised the boys following her sister's death. She is experiencing financial difficulties and is forced to bring out the family treasure, the "Blue Water" sapphire with a view to selling it.
The jewel is stolen at a family gathering. Beau takes the blame and flees in disgrace to join the foreign legion. Digby soon follows. He also takes the blame for the theft. John soon follows and catches up with his brothers at the Legion's recruiting station. United once again the brothers meet fellow recruits Hank (Victor McLaglan), Buddy (Donald Stuart) and snake in the grass Boldini (William Powell).
At the fort the men are introduced to sadistic Sgt. Lejeune (Noah Beery). Boldini overhears the boys discuss the Blue Water and believes that Beau has the jewel. He tries to rob Beau one night and is caught. Through him Lejeune learns of the priceless jewel and vows to get it for himself. He then separates the brothers with Beau and John going with him. Digby, Hank and Buddy are sent to another fort.
Some of the soldiers plan a mutiny against Lejeune but he learns of it. As he plots his revenge a large scale attack by Arab forces begins and..........................................
At the film's climax, all of the missing points in the film's opening scenes are explained and the mystery of the Blue Water's disappearance is solved.
The performances in the film are outstanding. Although Ronald Coleman is the star, he doesn't get all that much to do. To me, the film is stolen by Noah Beery as Lejeune. He dominates the action and is feared by all who know him. The battle scenes are amazing. The Arabs on the desert look like a colony of ants scurrying about.
A great film. Remade in 1939 and 1966.
The film has a creepy opening sequence where a relief battalion led by Major de Beaujolais (Norman Trevor) arrive at an isolated desert fort and find it apparently deserted. On further inspection, Major Beaujolais finds dead soldiers propped up at each of the openings of the rampart and no apparent survivors within. His trumpeter scales the wall and disappears as do two of the bodies.
To solve the mystery, we go to the flashback of the three brothers and Isabel Rivers playing war games as children. Michael, who is called "Beau" and Digby make a death pact that if one of them dies before the other, the survivor will give the deceased a Viking funeral.
The brothers grow up to be Ronald Coleman (Beau), Neil Hamilton (Digby) and Ralph Forbes (John). John and Isabel (Mary Brian) are a couple. Lady Paricia Brandon (Alice Joyce) has raised the boys following her sister's death. She is experiencing financial difficulties and is forced to bring out the family treasure, the "Blue Water" sapphire with a view to selling it.
The jewel is stolen at a family gathering. Beau takes the blame and flees in disgrace to join the foreign legion. Digby soon follows. He also takes the blame for the theft. John soon follows and catches up with his brothers at the Legion's recruiting station. United once again the brothers meet fellow recruits Hank (Victor McLaglan), Buddy (Donald Stuart) and snake in the grass Boldini (William Powell).
At the fort the men are introduced to sadistic Sgt. Lejeune (Noah Beery). Boldini overhears the boys discuss the Blue Water and believes that Beau has the jewel. He tries to rob Beau one night and is caught. Through him Lejeune learns of the priceless jewel and vows to get it for himself. He then separates the brothers with Beau and John going with him. Digby, Hank and Buddy are sent to another fort.
Some of the soldiers plan a mutiny against Lejeune but he learns of it. As he plots his revenge a large scale attack by Arab forces begins and..........................................
At the film's climax, all of the missing points in the film's opening scenes are explained and the mystery of the Blue Water's disappearance is solved.
The performances in the film are outstanding. Although Ronald Coleman is the star, he doesn't get all that much to do. To me, the film is stolen by Noah Beery as Lejeune. He dominates the action and is feared by all who know him. The battle scenes are amazing. The Arabs on the desert look like a colony of ants scurrying about.
A great film. Remade in 1939 and 1966.