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Poster for Beau Geste

Beau Geste

Seen it?

1939 | 112 min | Adventure, Drama, War

Sunday Safe Betearly rating

Why it’s a Sunday Safe Bet

Critics loved it (92% on Rotten Tomatoes), though it had soft box office. A safe bet when you want something reliable.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it
Made for adventure fans and history buffs. If you loved The Great Escape or All Quiet on the Western Front, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
The mood
Intense.
The pace
Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 52 min.
What might put you off
  • Made in 1939: an older pace and style.
  • Audiences were cooler on it than critics.

Brothers Beau, John and Digby Geste join the Foreign Legion, where they fall under the rule of tyrannical Sergeant Markoff. Beau and John are assigned to Fort Zinderneuf, where Markoff tries to break their spirit, aware of a dark family secret concerning a fabulous jewel one of them carries. As tensions rise, Arabs attack the fort and rivalries must be thrown aside in a desperate battle for life.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsVery strong

    92% on Rotten Tomatoes

  • AudiencesSolid

    7.0 out of 10

  • AwardsSolid

    Nominated for 2 Oscars.

  • Reach & staying powerBelow par

    Streaming release that reached a small audience so far; still draws a steady audience long after release

  • Buzz & cultural impactSolid

    About 47K people sought it out in the past year

Trailer

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Cast & crew

Directed by William A. Wellman

  • Gary CooperBeau Geste
  • Ray MillandJohn Geste
  • Robert PrestonDigby Geste
  • Brian DonlevySergeant Markoff
  • Susan HaywardIsobel Rivers
  • J. Carrol NaishRasinoff
  • Albert DekkerSchwartz
  • Broderick CrawfordHank Miller
  • Charles BartonBuddy McMonigal
  • James StephensonMajor Henri de Beaujolais