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Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Gary Cooper plays the oldest of three brothers who join the French Foreign Legion to cover a mysterious theft, and are soon caught up in high adventures. The opening scene in a fort full of corpses sticks in the memory forever, and Brian Donlevy's role as a sadistic sergeant makes a striking impression as well. Director William Wellman (Wings), a veteran pilot of World War I, drew--as he often did--upon the authenticity of his own experiences in battle to give this film a measure of reality. --Tom Keogh
Product Description
Academy Award winners Gary Cooper and Ray Milland star along with Robert Preston in the epic adventure Beau Geste. When three brothers join the Foreign Legion to escape a troubled past, they find themselves trapped under the command of a sadistic sergeant deep in the scorching Sahara. Now the brothers must fight for their lives as they plot mutiny against tyranny and defend a desert fortress against a brutal enemy. Nominated for 2 Academy Awards, Beau Geste has been universally acclaimed by generations of critics and audiences alike as a true motion picture classic.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
41 of 43 people found the following review helpful
Format:VHS Tape
"Beau Geste" is a magnificent adventure story for any age group and the 1939 version, Mr. Maltin's opinion not withstanding, is probably the best version of this tale I have ever seen. The cast is top-notch and the action never wavers. This is a film that I grew up with and it is one that can withstand the years. Above all, it is so much better than the 1966 version--please see this incredible film!
27 of 31 people found the following review helpful
Format:VHS Tape
Beau Geste, a melodramatic 1939 period piece depicts the comradery of three brothers during Victorian times. It falls short of a 5 star rating as it lacks the high degree of drama seen in similar type classics such as Gunga Din and Four Feathers.
The wholesome Gary Cooper along with Robert Preston and Ray Milland play three brothers, Beau, Digby and John Geste, adopted into the affluent baronial lifestyle of English Lord and Lady Brandon. When the lord threatens to sell the family's most precious possession, the Blue Water, a huge cerulean sapphire, to finance his gambling, one of the brothers absconds with it. In a chivalrous gesture the three brothers flee and enlist in the French Foreign Legion and get shipped to North Africa.
While in the foreign legion they are cruelly commanded by star of the movie Brian Donlevy, who plays the facially scarred, sadistic heavy Sergeant Markoff. The brothers strive to survive the elements, the Arabs and Markoff while they protect the secret of the prized sapphire.
The flick is hopelessly dated but still remains hugely entertaining to a classic movie buff. A youthful and ravishing Susan Hayward plays Milland's love interest, Isobel Rivers, a ward of Lady Brandon in one of her earliest starring roles.
23 of 26 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Since 1926, there have been three Beau Geste films, plus one TV miniseries and a Marty Feldman spoof called THE LAST REMAKE OF BEAU GESTE (1977). It's not as amusing as the latter, yet the 1939 PARAMOUNT edition of "Beau" is far and away the finest of the lot.
William Wellman's picture (loosely based on the 1924 P.C. Wren novel) is in part a who-dun-it but primarily an adventure yarn. The story begins with all the men stationed at a desert fort lying dead from combat. A letter confessing to a crime is found on the body of one of them.
Flashback to Michael ("Beau") and his brothers as children (Beau is portrayed by 12-year-old Donald O'Connor). The three orphaned Gestes and Isabel Rivers were adopted when very young by the boys' aunt, Lady Patricia Brandon. They all live at Brandon Abbas with Aunt Pat and her son Augustus.
In raising the four adoptees, Aunt Pat exhausts her estate's finances. To pay debts she determines to sell a family heirloom, the Blue Water sapphire but first Pat shows it to all for the last time. The lights suddenly go out and when they're restored, it's discovered that Lady Brandon's precious gem has vanished. Suspicion falls on the three Gestes, so the young men join the French Foreign Legion to escape accusations or embarrassment.
The Saharan portion of this film is the lion's share. We meet several members of the Gestes' outpost. Later attacks by Arabs make it clear that their fort is doomed-- the only question is when all will die. The Legionnaires' valiant struggle against daunting odds is one you won't soon forget. A great cast, story and cinematography make this Beau Geste a genuine classic, and one of the best films of that superlative year of 1939.
Related item:
"Beau Geste" is also available on UNIVERSAL/MCA's bargain-priced GARY COOPER COLLECTION, along with four others: "Design for Living" (1933), "The Lives of a Bengal Lancer" (1935), "Peter Ibbetson" (1935) and "The General Died at Dawn" (1936).
Parenthetical number preceding title is a 1 to 10 viewer poll rating found at a film resource website.
(7.9) Beau Geste (1939) - Gary Cooper/Ray Milland/Robert Preston/Brian Donlevy/Susan Hayward/J. Carrol Naish/Albert Dekker/Broderick Crawford/Charles Barton/Donald O'Connor
William Wellman's picture (loosely based on the 1924 P.C. Wren novel) is in part a who-dun-it but primarily an adventure yarn. The story begins with all the men stationed at a desert fort lying dead from combat. A letter confessing to a crime is found on the body of one of them.
Flashback to Michael ("Beau") and his brothers as children (Beau is portrayed by 12-year-old Donald O'Connor). The three orphaned Gestes and Isabel Rivers were adopted when very young by the boys' aunt, Lady Patricia Brandon. They all live at Brandon Abbas with Aunt Pat and her son Augustus.
In raising the four adoptees, Aunt Pat exhausts her estate's finances. To pay debts she determines to sell a family heirloom, the Blue Water sapphire but first Pat shows it to all for the last time. The lights suddenly go out and when they're restored, it's discovered that Lady Brandon's precious gem has vanished. Suspicion falls on the three Gestes, so the young men join the French Foreign Legion to escape accusations or embarrassment.
The Saharan portion of this film is the lion's share. We meet several members of the Gestes' outpost. Later attacks by Arabs make it clear that their fort is doomed-- the only question is when all will die. The Legionnaires' valiant struggle against daunting odds is one you won't soon forget. A great cast, story and cinematography make this Beau Geste a genuine classic, and one of the best films of that superlative year of 1939.
Related item:
"Beau Geste" is also available on UNIVERSAL/MCA's bargain-priced GARY COOPER COLLECTION, along with four others: "Design for Living" (1933), "The Lives of a Bengal Lancer" (1935), "Peter Ibbetson" (1935) and "The General Died at Dawn" (1936).
Parenthetical number preceding title is a 1 to 10 viewer poll rating found at a film resource website.
(7.9) Beau Geste (1939) - Gary Cooper/Ray Milland/Robert Preston/Brian Donlevy/Susan Hayward/J. Carrol Naish/Albert Dekker/Broderick Crawford/Charles Barton/Donald O'Connor
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Beau Geste
movie was a gift for my father he loved it I seen it some 20 years ago and I remembering liking it also
Published 1 month ago by scott sterba
5.0 out of 5 stars
Beau Geste (Universal Backlot Series)
This movie was one my husband requested for Christmas. He enjoyed Gary Cooper and he was glad to get this for his collection.
Published 1 month ago by Charlene A. Kennedy
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Classic
The movie is an under-rated classic that should be seen by more people. What it has to say about war, family and loyalty still resonates. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Martin T. Wegner
5.0 out of 5 stars
Beau Geste
One of my favorite all-time movie greats...bought it as a gift and will consider doing so again.
It makes a great gift for any movie buff.
It makes a great gift for any movie buff.
Published 2 months ago by mary bolas
5.0 out of 5 stars
TRUE Stars
When the Hollywood "backlots" made REAL GOOD movies.....
Bob
(you say I require 11 more words for this rateing)
Solid story - Capital acting -... Read more
Bob
(you say I require 11 more words for this rateing)
Solid story - Capital acting -... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Martha A. Cole
2.0 out of 5 stars
A quality DVD "classic"
Beau Geste,(Gary Copper). This meets the CLASSIC requirements. True to a store plot and it's order of events. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Elroy Jetson
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great classic movie
This is one of my husbands favorite movies. I got it for his birthday, replacing our videotape copy. The novel is great, too.
Published 11 months ago by Starr
4.0 out of 5 stars
DVD-"Old Time" Movie-BEau Geste
Many "moons" ago I saw this in college and loved it. So finally, I bought it some 30 years later. Still great movie with Gary Cooper.
Published 14 months ago by JJMI
5.0 out of 5 stars
Memories
As an 8 year old I saw this film in 1939 in Coventry England. It had remained in my memory since but in 2011 on a whim I googled Gary Cooper Beau Geste and lo and behold found the... Read more
Published 21 months ago by Charles of Darwin
5.0 out of 5 stars
Possibly the single best film from the single best year in the history...
Yes, we're talking about 1939!
In all honesty, `Beau Geste' is one of the best films I've ever seen. Read more
In all honesty, `Beau Geste' is one of the best films I've ever seen. Read more
Published 22 months ago by Andrew Ellington
