The 1939 B/W version of "Beau Geste" retained from the meandering novel by Percial Christopher Wren all the childhood scenes that set up the later activities of the four children involved vis a vis a jewel theft, plus the departure of several, and their later adventures in the French Foreign Legion. Here, that portion has been omitted. This makes it difficult to compare the fast-paced and well-acted color version about two brothers who join the Foreign Legion with its earlier and more-pretentious counterpart. This is a film not about characters in a noir situation as the earlier version was, but more about characters under stress. Its theme is "do what you have promised, whatever it takes." Here any man who has some self-control or who is honest, gets respect even if he lacks several other qualities. Or in the case of Sergeant Major D'Agineau, he is a sadistic monster but a damned good soldier. The story introduces brother Beau, played quite straightforwardly by Guy Stockwell as a new man in the Legion, one who is rapidly accepted as a natural leader by the hard-bitten others. he stands up to the Sergeant-M ajor and is whipped for it. When his brother is posted to the group too, he proves to be a nice guy but no leader. The alcoholic Captain likes beau, played here by Leslie Nielsen in near-award-level style a few notches too-quiet; but the Sergeant-Major, powerfully brought to the screen by Telly Savalas does not. Others in the cast include David Mauro as a sexually ambiguous sycophant, strong Leo Gordon, intelligent Robert Wolders, fine actors Malachi Throne, Joe de Santis and Michael Constantine, X. Brands, Michael Carr and George Keymas. Douglas Heyes wrote the sturdy screenplay and also directed, and very well indeed. There is a fine march by Hans Hopper and music by Hans J. Salter, lucid cinematography by Bud Thackery, notable art direction by veterans Alexander Golitzen and Henry Bumstead, set decorations by John McCarthy Jr. and James Redd and fine costumes by expert Rosemary O'Dell. The story-line, as with the original novel involves a jewel theft that caused the brothers to disappear, but that is where the resemblance ends. There is no third brother, and an entirely different "beau geste'--or beautiful, meaningless gesture, which is what beau performed by disappearing to take the blame for someone else. The ending, contrary to what a few have said, is well-prepared for; when D'Agineau dies--since the brothers have talked about a Viking funeral, which they used to do in their youth, throughout the film--the survivor Beau gives such a funeral to his brother, with the Sergeant-Major as the obligatory 'dog'. This is a very powerful and physical film, that stands comparison with Phil Karlson's and Sidney Lumet's best. A true "B" color adventure standout when it was released, and now.
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ma-cortes14 August 2019An 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 .... -
spookyrat125 August 2018Having never read the book or seen any of the earlier versions, I have to admit being pleasantly surprised with this, the third version of the famous tale. It can't really be said to boast an A-list cast, though Telly Savalas arguably dominates most scenes as the sadistic Dagineau. This time the ostensible lead Guy Stockwell, gets to play a much more personable and loyal brother than the one he plays in his earlier War Lord, where his screen brother is the regularly heroic Charlton Heston.
What impressed me was how good the film looks and how convincing a substitute Arizona and a Universal backlot is for the Sahara. Sorry, but after appreciating the vivid technicolours in this film, I don't think anyone could convince me (as many of the other reviewers here try to do so), that the earlier black and white versions (with the 1926 version being silent for goodness sake) are more enjoyable watching. The other thing that I found unexpectedly good were the handling of the battle scenes primarily in the second half of the film. For a 1966 movie, they are quite realistic, suspenseful and intense, with some liberally spilt blood thrown in for good measure.
Your time won't be wasted spending a couple of hours with Beau Geste. -
This one always used to appeared in the TV Guide as "a surprisingly good version". That's understandable, given the casting of Telly Savalas and Doug McClure. It's easy to dismiss it outright based on their reputations, but this movie was made when both were doing movies, before their TV careers, well before Telly started sucking lollipops and saying "who loves ya, baby?", and before Doug's string of truly awful B (or C) movies. Guy Stockwell is fine as the stalwart elder brother, and Leslie Neilsen a surprise as the drunken commanding officer. The plot is straightforward and serviceable, the action is exciting, the set pieces and themes well handled. I saw this movie first as a young man, and was taken by the action. I saw it again when I was a little older, and came to appreciate Telly Savalas' performance (indeed, it's about the only performance from him that I liked). I would watch it any time it was on. I tried the original, 1939 version, but found it too slow and talky for my tastes, like a great many old classics. Having never read the book, I was unoffended by the changes made to the story line. On its own merits, it's a good actioner. I admit I played "Beau Geste" with my Airfix soldiers in the sandbox, pitting the Bedouins against the Legionaries. It was one of those movies that left an indelible impact on my young mind. I wish it would get more consideration than it gets, because I would like for it to come on once in a while still, or be made available on VHS, if not DVD.
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Beau Geste joins the Foreign Legion to escape the authorities and becomes a man that his fellow soldiers look up to, because of his leader-like qualities and his ability to stand up for himself. The tyrant Sargent Major Dagineau receives an unnamed threatening death letter by one of his men, so he treats everyone with the same intent, until the men rat the culprit out. Naturally he believes it to be Geste, but he wants proof before he does anything and make his life hard-going. So he must face overwhelmingly crafty Arabs, but also his major Sargent. Soon his brother finds where he's at and joins him, as they stand-off at a garrison against their enemies with little hope of surviving.
This coloured entry is more so an action-orientated and to-the-point venture, then that of the "1928" and "1939" versions of Percival Christopher Wren's novel. The story and it's groundwork comes off second best, as it goes ahead by making some changes and also leaving segments out. Everything is played out in the desert with the stressful and violent Foreign Legion input winning out. The tightly strapping screenplay (written by Douglas Heyes) draws up the notion "you'll get respect for what you're good at and that won't be taken away, for who you are". It begins with the ending, then the narrative falls into recount flashback of what had happened. The whole reason why Beau is there is kept quite cloudy and never given much insight when its brought up. This is because of a new plot device (the letter), which can rally up interest and throw a real curve ball. The impulsive action spurts have that excitingly dirty and grim touch about it, but a hopelessly jarring air of doom is effectively generated from this situation. Douglas Heyes' sure-footed direction is nicely judged and the pacing passes by in no time. On show is a strong supporting cast. Telly Savales is mercilessly left off the leash with his larger than life Sargent Major Dagineau. Who constantly enjoys breaking down his men. A stoic Leslie Nielsen is impressive in his small part as the mostly drunk, but proud Lieutenant De Ruse. Making up the solid support cast is Leo Gordon, David Mauro, Robert Wolders, Michael Constantine, Malachi Throne and so on. A smoothly good Guy Stockwell is acceptably hard as nails as Beau Geste and Doug McClure provides colour to his ace portrayal of Beau's brother John. The set-production is workably vintage and costumes are convincingly drummed up. The effulgent cinematography is executed with many potent angle shots and the persistently rapid music score is fitting to the air.
A totally different interpretation and style on the material, but still makes for a riveting viewing because of some noticeable performances and well-constructed action scenes. -
bkoganbing1 October 2011This 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. -
mark.waltz1 September 2023Sadly, the brothers here (Guy Stockwell as Beau and Doug McClure as John) are secondary in interest when compared to the evil French Legion sergeant (Telly Savalas) who has his eyes on destroying Stockwell even though they are supposed to be on the same side. An evil leader like Savalas doesn't need a motive outside the abuse of power, at one point having four of his men (including Stockwell) marching blindfolded back and forth near a high cliff, pulling others back as he temptingly has Stockwell closer and closer to the edge than the others, basically Javert in the desert.
With Leslie Nielsen as Savalas's commanding officer, too cowardly to stop him even though on the surface he's desperately trying, and Robert Wolders as Savalas's spy, snitching on Stockwell any opportunity he comes across, this action packed remake is colorful and tightly edited, quite different than the 1939 Gary Cooper remake. It's perfect Saturday matinee material, old fashioned in spirit, but quite cinematic in appearance. Savalas sneers deliciously, twirling his mustache metaphorically even though he's clean shaven. Grabs the viewer and never lets go. -
jlpicard1701E24 April 2023OK, 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. -
dinky-49 April 1999This qualifies as a tolerable "time-killer" largely because it's the kind of movie which, alas, Hollywood hardly ever makes anymore, but it pales in comparison to the 1939 version with Gary Cooper or the 1926 version with Ronald Colman. Guy Stockwell and Doug McClure play brothers, (the third one having been deleted from the story), and while both are agreeable actors, they seem too "modern" and "American" for this kind of period piece. (It's set in 1906.) However, these two good-looking and athletic actors fit nicely into the movie's blatant and unapologetic penchant for "beefcake in bondage." McClure, stripped to the waist, is punished by being locked into a sweat-box, and boy does he sweat, while Stockwell, also stripped to the waist, suffers a flogging -- which ranks 85th in the book, "Lash! The Hundred Great Scenes of Men Being Whipped in then Movies" -- as well as a punishment which has him buried to the neck in the sun-scorched sand. (Just one year later, Stockwell and McClure were re-teamed for "The King's Pirate." In that movie, McClure was the one who got to feel the sting of a whip across his bare back.) Telly Savales is given free rein to snarl and glower but he's almost too well-cast as the villainous sergeant. The ending borders on the laughable with its high fatality rate for actors entirely dependent on their rank in the movie's official billing.
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Sorry to be the apple of discord here, but being a fan of the book (which I've read time and time again throughout the years), I cannot like this film. As an adventure film coincidentally named like the book, maybe. But that's it. The beautiful story of courage and honor (when such things still existed and came before self), which is the essence of the story, is sadly missing. As others said, Savalas is great as Lejaunne. The rest of the acting is sort of pedestrian.
If you want to see yet another film about hardships in army life and fighting, please yourself. If you want to do yourself a favor, read the book. -
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. -
inspectors716 May 2021It would have been a nice gesture (Get it, Beau Geste?) for the folks at Universal to say, "Hey, let's not make a crappy remake of story that's been done-better-a couple of times!"
Crickets.
I saw Douglas Heyes' version of the P. C. Wren's novel when I was, probably 12, a half-century ago. What was passable entertainment to a sixth-grader on a Saturday afternoon on KHQ in Spokane has not passed the test of time.
Which brings me to the passage of time. As a rule, bodies decompose. I'm watching Beau Geste on Tubi a couple of days ago, and the dead Legionnaires are all propped up in the fort's gunners' slots (to scare off the Apache-er-Arabs), and some of these guys have been dead for a couple of days.
Apparently, decomposition is not allowed in the French Foreign Legion.
Clear eyes, no pecking birds, no flies, and damned if the dead dudes didn't just collapse in a stinky swamp of gassy bacteria.
It's 1906, in Algeria-I think-and the laws of bio-chemistry do not apply.
Neither does talented, coherent, well-acted story-telling.
See how smoothly I segued right into calling this TV-ish, cheapjack mess of pointless cliches what it is, "decomp?"
I love movies. I can't get enough great stories. The way a screenplay is laid down like a ship's keel, and then the hull and the crew and the launching and the christening happen. A great movie floats, ready to do great things as it moves across the screen.
Let me continue with my nautical metaphor before it sinks: Consider John McIntyre laying his ear against the new ship in "Away All Boats!" The old yard worker tells the young naval officer that "You can hear her settling into place. She's singing."
We anthropomorphize inanimate objects to make them more understandable. As social creatures, we relate to things that aren't alive when we make them life-like. A ship is a she. Your car is a he (I had an ancient Ford Fairlane 500 I called "Joe," after Joe Friday in Dragnet).
I think of great movies as being flesh and blood and humanity at its best and worst. I gag at superhero flicks because there is no humanity, just so much technology, pixelated rubber fruit.
Ugh.
A good movie has characters, protagonists and antagonists and everything in between that we can care about, that we can understand. There can be lots of special effects, but I want to know the folks the story is about. I like an interesting hero, but I demand a fascinating bad guy.
What are they doing; why are they doing it?
Beau Geste is a stillborn creation. A ship that sinks the moment it's launched. The movie had no reason to be made.
From the moment I saw the dead guys looking like guys who were alive-but told to hold very still-and from the Lucy Van Pelt psychobabble and the histrionic acting and the inexplicable attacks by hordes of grumpy Bedouins, I knew that the 12-year-old in me had grown up. What had been passable weekend entertainment was now so much tedious sausage-making-throw in the agreements, and churn out a blob of so much fatty boombaladdy in a 100-minute casing.
Beau Geste is bland and barely digestible, but it won't decompose. It's 55 years later, and the bodies of all those recognizable character actors are still lined up there, and nary a one of them is being pecked at by ravens. -
Leslie Nielsen, in one of his few serious actor parts, dies off too quickly in this color extravaganza, leaving Telly to rampage and wreak sadistic treatment on those under his command. Dean Stockwell and Doug McClure, "Americans", try to do their parts well, but, they just didn't strike me as the best choices, at the time, for their roles. The color treatment, uniforms, and action sequences are reminiscent of other blazing gun battle scene loaded movies, but nothing sterling or Oscar-winning here, except, maybe, Savalas, as the contemptible despot. Movie length could also have been better, too much was left out, even for an adapted story from Hollywood. Still, I would like to see this again in widescreen DVD, or even VHS. But, where would I find a good original copy ? It seems to have disappeared from the face of the earth, if it ever existed at all !
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Coffee_in_the_Clink29 December 2021I think this was the third adaptation of the "Beau Geste" story. It looks gorgeous in colour, the desert, the uniforms, the Arabian props, all lend credence to the traditional romantic image of the French Foreign Legion as the story captures. But what this version is seriously lacking is adequate direction and writing. Stockwell in the lead is very wooden as a result. Savalas runs riot, comes across as caricature by times, while Leslie Nielsen ends up giving the best and most believable performance (not something you would equate Nielsen with - a serious performance). The script is very bare and the drama uninspired as a result. We are left with all these great sets and potential, and with the poor directing we end up looking at skirmishes that would have looked more at home in a western from the previous decade. It all becomes very irritating and boring by the end.
If one is looking for the best French Foreign Legion film set in the North African deserts I would highly recommend "March or Die" starring Gene Hackman instead. -
tdanowski5 May 2006Very odd that, as of this date, this very watchable film was never released on tape or DVD, despite other Universal films from the same time period being released directly by Universal or licensed to other companies, particularly Good Times. There's a great supporting cast of mostly actors more familiar from television than from films, so one gets the impression that it's more of a made-for-TV film rather than a theatrical release; however, the action and scope is much larger than the TV movie fare of that time. The film has two nice battle scenes, one occurring at the mid-way point, and the extended climatic siege. It's a little jarring to deal with the constant shifting from the interior filmed fort scenes to the exterior filmed scenes of the Tauregs attacking, but that's my only complaint. The battle itself is well staged and exciting. It's interesting to note that Dougles Heyes, the director, used this same exact story regarding the letter threat against Dagineau in one of the episodes of "Rin-tin-tin" which he directed in the fifties. There, the threat was against Lt. Masters, who a trooper believed caused his brother's death in an Indian battle and wanted Masters to pay. Considering that RTT was a Columbia product and this Beau Geste was Universal, it's surprising some kind of copyright infringement was not noted. All-in-all, this is the kind of film that stands up to repeated viewings if one allows some time to pass in between.
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drystyx9 January 2010For 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. -
ksf-228 December 2021A very frequently remade film. Usually with minor tweaks to the story. The first version that I could find was the silent from 1926, with ron colman. That one says based on the novel by percy wren, who lived from 1875 to 1941. The 1966 version has a 1906 storyline, with two brothers (guy stockwell, doug mcclure) joining the foreign legion in the sahara desert. They serve under major dagineau and lieutenant deruse (telly savalas, leslie nielsen). Dagineau has a rep as a badass, who drives the men without mercy, and is hated for it. But does that anger and tension serve another purpose ? War in the desert.... directed by doug heyes, who did mostly television work.