I've only rarely had this reaction to a movie before: at the time I'm watching it, I can't wait for it to be over, and days later as it mellows in my head, I realize it was a pretty good movie. Beau Geste is a classic war film, and it's the type of movie that could have been nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars, but it happened to be released during a highly competitive year. Here at Hot Toasty Rag, it was nominated for both Best Picture and Best Director, William Wellman.
Three brothers, Gary Cooper, Ray Milland, and Robert Preston, are close to their aunt, Heather Thatcher. Heather's entire means of support comes from a massive blue sapphire, but when money is tight and she has to make arrangements to sell the family heirloom, the brothers make a move to protect her that has drastic consequences. Someone steals the sapphire, and the other brothers chase after him. All three wind up in the French Foreign Legion, and under the mercy of tough commander Brian Donlevy.
Besides Heather, and a couple of romantic scenes between Susan Hayward and Ray Milland, there are no other women in the movie. This is a macho, brotherly love movie about soldiers and the bonds of friendship being thicker than blood. Brian is the typical tough sergeant we've come to know and love in the movies, but he's incredible smart, shrewd, and a great soldier. Even though he does tend to be heavy handed in his punishments, the audience can't help but admire his war strategy.
One absolutely darling bonus to the movie is a scene early on showing the household growing up as children together. Fourteen-year-old Donald O'Connor plays young Gary Cooper! He's such a doll, you'll wish a more likable counterpart was cast as his grown-up self. I never find Gary very likable, and since he's the title character and responsible for the entire mess of the movie, I couldn't help but wish he'd had better decision-making skills. If someone like Errol Flynn had been cast as Beau Geste, I probably wouldn't mind what he does. Errol's charming, magnetic, and seems like he has good intentions, which is how Beau Geste's character was supposed to be.
If you like war movies that shy away from blood and guts, since it was made in 1939, you'll probably want to rent Beau Geste. It's a classic, and easily confused with Gunga Din, Four Feathers, and Under Two Flags, but there's an enormously eerie scene in the beginning of the film that you'll never forget. What is so bone-chilling, you wonder? You'll have to watch it to find out.
Three brothers, Gary Cooper, Ray Milland, and Robert Preston, are close to their aunt, Heather Thatcher. Heather's entire means of support comes from a massive blue sapphire, but when money is tight and she has to make arrangements to sell the family heirloom, the brothers make a move to protect her that has drastic consequences. Someone steals the sapphire, and the other brothers chase after him. All three wind up in the French Foreign Legion, and under the mercy of tough commander Brian Donlevy.
Besides Heather, and a couple of romantic scenes between Susan Hayward and Ray Milland, there are no other women in the movie. This is a macho, brotherly love movie about soldiers and the bonds of friendship being thicker than blood. Brian is the typical tough sergeant we've come to know and love in the movies, but he's incredible smart, shrewd, and a great soldier. Even though he does tend to be heavy handed in his punishments, the audience can't help but admire his war strategy.
One absolutely darling bonus to the movie is a scene early on showing the household growing up as children together. Fourteen-year-old Donald O'Connor plays young Gary Cooper! He's such a doll, you'll wish a more likable counterpart was cast as his grown-up self. I never find Gary very likable, and since he's the title character and responsible for the entire mess of the movie, I couldn't help but wish he'd had better decision-making skills. If someone like Errol Flynn had been cast as Beau Geste, I probably wouldn't mind what he does. Errol's charming, magnetic, and seems like he has good intentions, which is how Beau Geste's character was supposed to be.
If you like war movies that shy away from blood and guts, since it was made in 1939, you'll probably want to rent Beau Geste. It's a classic, and easily confused with Gunga Din, Four Feathers, and Under Two Flags, but there's an enormously eerie scene in the beginning of the film that you'll never forget. What is so bone-chilling, you wonder? You'll have to watch it to find out.