Aedonerre I gave this film a 9 out of 10, because it was exactly what I expected it to be.

Grimossfer Clever and entertaining enough to recommend even to members of the 1%

Helllins It is both painfully honest and laugh-out-loud funny at the same time.

Bessie Smyth Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

HotToastyRag '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.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, who gives an Oscar-nominated performance. 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.

jc-osms I absolutely loved this, quite literally, "Boy's Own" adventure of three brothers' lifelong devotion and appetite for adventure. I liked so much about it and also found it well constructed with its clever play on "circular time" where the mystery of the apparently lifeless fort at the beginning is cleverly cleared up and the touching "Viking funeral" afforded Beau by his grieving brother and the neat way the secret of the missing diamond was resolved too.In between, there was strong characterisation (although I was disappointed not to see a re-appearance by the boys' childhood pet hate, Gussie, before the end) some good action scenes and fine cinematography in recreating the vastness of the desert and the wretched conditions the Legionnaires had to endure. I may be seeing something that wasn't there but with the death of Digby, I was strongly reminded of the famous and then recent picture by Robert Capa of the death of a soldier in the Spanish Civil War.Best of all though, was the marvellous acting, not just Cooper in one of his archetypal strong silent types, with a hint of gaucheness, naturally, but also Preston and Milland as his gallant, supportive brothers and especially Brian Dunlevy as the sadistic Sergeant Markoff.1939 in hindsight has been considered an "annus mirabilis" for Hollywood productions, with so many wonderful films turned out that year from "Gone With The Wind" on down. "Beau Geste" seems to me to be among the best of the very best and as good an adventure film as you could hope to see.

dougdoepke Three brothers join the Foreign Legion following the mysterious disappearance of a valuable sapphire.This movie came out the same year (1939) as that other masterpiece of colonial adventure, The Four Feathers. Both make first-rate use of family bonds and family honor to create a strong emotional context to all the colorful combat. Those bonds really work here, establishing a strong sense of one for all and all for one. Plus the fact that the brothers have been adopted by the kindly Lady Brandon (Thatcher) not only lends poignancy, but makes the central twist work really well.As good as Cooper-Milland-Foster are, it's really Donlevy's movie. His cruel martinet has stayed with me over the decades—the military haircut, the perfectly squared shoulders, the command voice. He not only commands his legionnaires, he commands the movie, as well. And, when he falls, I still have mixed emotions, despite his many acts of cruelty. It's a crackling good story, but it's his imposing presence that makes the adventure memorable. No wonder Donlevy was Oscar-nominated, a near-perfect blend of character and actor.Two minor reservations. Cooper's fine in Beau's role, more animated than usual. However, at nearly forty, he appears a shade too old for the youthful part. Also, I've never been able to reconcile to the relative ease with which the mutiny is put down. There's like five guys with guns facing a hundred guys who stand to be executed for their planned mutiny, yet they meekly give up, especially after Schwartz (the great Albert Dekker) has so powerfully roused them to action. To me, director Wellman's staging here is less than convincing.Nonetheless, the mix of mystery, emotion and action remains superbly entertaining, and is ironically, one of the few movies that actually lives up to its title.

MartinHafer It is an amazing testament to the power of the 1939 offerings from Hollywood that a film as superb as "Beau Geste" could not be considered one of the very top offerings of the year! But, with films like "Gone With the Wind", "Goodbye, Mr. Chips" and "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" you can perhaps understand why. It was a very, very tough year to get noticed and if I named all the great films of this year, I'd have quite a few more to add! This tale begins in a wealthy home where three brothers are inseparable and lovers of adventure. However, when they are older, a crisis strikes when it appears that one of them has stolen an incredibly valuable jewel that belongs to the family. In reaction to this, each of the three runs off to join the Foreign Legion--hoping that they can take blame for the theft and allow the others to preserve their honor. However, it turns out all three have joined separately and just happen to be stationed in the same place (yes, I know this is practically impossible). They don't realize, however, that the Legion is not all it's cracked up to be--thanks to a sadistic Sergeant who takes pleasure in making his troops miserable and on the verge of mutiny. In the end, you learn the secret--one which one of the brothers kept from everyone until after his death.This movie has it all--a great cast (with Gary Cooper, Ray Milland and Robert Preston), a wonderful script and a great desert location shoot. I would say that it's a bit better than another great and similar adventure tale, "Gunga Din"--also from 1939!! And, just for fun, here are a few other films from this amazing year: "The Wizard of Oz", "Stagecoach", "Midnight", "Ninotchka" and "The Women"! By the way, when you watch this film, note the chubby guy with a beard and pipe when he dies. The sadistic Sergeant (Brian Donlevy--in his best role of his career) props the dead guy up to make it look like he's alive. Look closely--he's obviously breathing! Also, a moment later in a scene that is NOT a mistake, watch as one of the dying guy goes into spasms. This is pretty cool--something you don't see in films very often.