Beau Geste (Universal Backlot Series)

A sad story of survival with legionaires Gary Cooper, Ray Milland, Robert Preston, Brian Donlevy Broderick Crawford and others fighting Arab Tuaregs at desert fort.

A great story of brothers who love each other and go all out backing that up .One of my favorite movies .

William Wellman's BEAU GESTE (1939) is generally considered the best film adaptation of P. C. Wren's novel.. It follows very closely the 1926 silent version with Ronald Colman as Beau and Noah Beery as the sadistic French (not Russian) Sgt. Lejaune. But the remake benefits enormously from added sound and a newly built Fort Zinderneuf., as is often noted when describing the opening scenes underscored by Alfred Newman's eerie music. There's a telling line in this BEAU GESTE that has fascinated me ever since I first saw it way back when. That's where Rasinoff says of Markoff, “He is a madman. He was expelled from the Siberian penal colonies for cruelty.” Kino Lorber's blu ray has a slightly larger picture than that on the fine DVD in Universal's Backlot Series, and consequently there is a slight, but not indiscernible, loss of focus. To me, however, the blue ray is quite worth owning if only for its commentary track, which is bursting with goodies for film buffs. On a sad side note, the child actor Martin Spellman who plays Digby as a boy passed away on May 6, 2020 at age 94. He may have been the last living member of cast and crew.

In the Saharan desert sits an oasis and a fort surrounded by a sea of sand.The oasis offers its visitors protection from the desert: palms shade you from the hot equatorial sun, low barriers block the wind-blown sand from stinging your eyes, and a sip from its cool blue water can wet your parched tongue.The fort offers its men protection from attack of the human kind, but in this case, these men no longer need protection because they are all dead, or are they?Reinforcements arrive too late; they find only the dead defend the fort. But then, two shots are fired from the fort, one of the Major's men disappears, and two of the dead disappear. Before he could solve these mysteries, they come under attack and they only have time to run for cover in the oasis. The situation is dire and Major de Beaujolais sends two men for more reinforcements.Life is not easy in the Foreign Legion. Who would want to join? Legend has it, that if you are a thief, murderer, or just want a place to hide, and you are looking for a little adventure at the same time, the Foreign Legion is for you.The Geste brothers have always had a thirst to join the Foreign Legion and when a famous jewel vanishes in their presence and the police are about to be called, Beau, Digby, and John vanish as well.Strangest scene: The troops are planning a mutiny. Sergeant Markoff learns of the plan, and he and several loyal men enter the barracks at night, wake up the mutineers, and march them outside into broad daylight!Picture: good. No cropping. Sound: good. Volume: normal.

This was an old movie back in the 1950's when I first saw it on the 5 O'Clock Movie on KDKA in Pennsylvania.Not having watched the movie in several years and unable to find it available to stream, I decided to buy my own copy. it came today (a da earlier tha expected) so I sat down and watched it. This is one of the Universal Back Lot Series, its got a clear picture and good sound, I'm quite pleased with the quality.

no problem with service but this version is missing a couple of important scenes, especially right at the beginning

I first saw this film years and years ago. I won't spoil it for anyone who hasn't seen it. But I couldn't get the beginning scene out of my mind. I googled - "black and white 1930's b/w film with eerie and unforgettable beginning." Thank God TCM had a showing several years which brought it all back into focus. There are already great reviews on the site here. Donlevy gives a career level performance. Some of his brutal scenes had to take guts just to get through. An interesting aside is that this was first filmed in the silent era near the CA/AZ border in the desert. The fort burned down. It was rebuilt on the same spot for this the 1939 edition and left standing more or less when production was done. A small group of San Diego State Students found this standing fort, had costumes made, bought a camera, and filmed their own 45 minute version. Separate, fun, and interesting story if you are interested.

For me this classic ranks up there with Casablanca, Citizen Kane, Wonderful Life, Sullivan's Travels or any other top notch classic film. Pay close attention to the mysteries presented in the beginning, overlook some dated devices and get a great resolution at the end. Yes, it is dated, as are the other classics I have offered in comparison, but if you can put that aside you will be rewarded with a well crafted story.

Excelente actuación

Very good

Purchased this DVD as a gift for a family member who is deaf because the Blu Ray version came with English subtitles. Despite having a "Multi Region" Blu Ray DVD player could not play this DVD. When trying to play this DVD message appeared that it would only play on "Region A" players. Very disappointing.

This is the first time one of your DVDs can't be played as its the "Wrong Region" Mum is so disappointed!! my DVD player can't change the region! Please help her!! Many thanks!Richard Simpson.

my 83 year old dad has just gone to watch this over xmas and it does not workwha a shame