Beau Geste (1966 film)
| Beau Geste | |
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| Directed by | Douglas Heyes |
| Produced by | Walter Seltzer |
| Written by | Douglas Heyes |
| Based on | novel Beau Geste by P.C. Wren |
| Starring |
Doug McClure Leslie Nielsen Telly Savalas |
| Music by |
Hans J. Salter Hal Hopper (Beau Geste March) |
| Cinematography | Bud Thackery |
| Edited by | Russell F. Schoengarth |
| Distributed by | Universal Pictures |
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Release date
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Running time
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103 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $2.5 million |
Beau Geste is a 1966 film based on the novel by P. C. Wren filmed by Universal Pictures in Technicolor and Techniscope near Yuma, Arizona and directed by Douglas Heyes. This is the least faithful of the various film adaptations of the original novel. In this version, there are only two brothers, rather than three, and there are no sequences showing Beau's life prior to his joining the Legion.
A column of the French Foreign Legion arrives at the remote Fort Zinderneuf, having been assigned to relieve the legionnaires who had been defending the fort. Upon their arrival, they find that the fort has been ravaged by Tuareg attacks and American Beau Graves () is the only survivor. After his badly injured arm is amputated, he is asked what has happened and his story is revealed in flashback.
Beau's column had been serving under Lieutenant De Ruse (Leslie Nielsen) and Sergeant Major Dagineau (Telly Savalas), the latter of whom is notorious for his harsh treatment of the men under his command. He is especially tortuous on Beau's class of recruits, hoping this will get them to reveal to him which of the men is the author of an anonymous letter Dagineau has received threatening his life. Although he has no proof, he suspects Beau, which earns Beau particularly brutal treatment. To ferret out more information, Dagineau uses the services of the slimy toady Boldini, who has reenlisted in the Legion promoting him to Corporal as reward for his spying on the men.
Beau's background leads De Ruse to nickname him Beau "Geste". Specifically, Beau had run away and joined the Legion after having falsely confessed to an embezzlement actually committed by his business partner. Beau had taken the blame for the sake of his partner's wife, whom Beau also loved. His noble gesture (French: beau geste) had proven futile, however, as the partner confessed and committed suicide just a few months later. That development prompts the suggestion that Beau might reclaim his lost love upon returning home. But he deems it unfair to ask her to wait for him, as he is now committed to a five-year enlistment, with no guarantee he'll survive it. Over brandy, De Ruse informs Beau of Dagineau's background as a former St. Cyr educated officer who was broken to the ranks when his entire command deserted from his leadership.
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Wikipedia