Gary Cooper in “Beau Geste” At Avon

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23052, 21 June 1940, Page 5

Gary Cooper in “Beau Geste” At Avon

The P. C. Wren story “Beau Geste” V,ES been filmed again and the picture %vill be seen at the Avon to-day. tary Cccper, in a role greater than c i his former great roles, Ray t Hand in the most vigorous character! ation he has ever brought to the ccrecn. and Robert Preston, adding to the 'laurels heaped on him after his performance in “Union Pacific,” form a magnificent starring trio :or “Beau Geste.” the story, from P. C. Wren’s famous novel, of three gallant brothers whose loyalty leads them to high adventure in the French Foreign Legion. Cooper has portrayed an adventurer many times in previous pictures, but his role in “Beau Geste” gives him greater scope than any of his previous parts. Cooper, of course, is cast in the title role as Beau, eldest of, the three Geste brothers. Milland. who turned in one of the top performances of last year in “Men With Wings,” gets a bigger and better chance to prove his calibre as John, while Preston, as the youngest of the Gestes. Digby, proves

that he is a most promising young player. Beau leads his brothers to adventure in the French Foreign Legion when a valuable sapphire, the “Blue Water,” is stolen from their guardian. Each of the brothers joins him in turn in order that no one of them shall be suspected of having stolen the jewel. They are reunited at a legion training • post. At the post, a sneak thief, Rasinolf (J. Carrol Naish), hears each- of the brothers jokingly boast that he has the jewel. A brutal half-mad sergeant, Markoff (Brian Donlevy), wrings the information out of Rasinoff. Markoff plots to get the jewel for himself, and his chance to separate the brothers comes when he is ordered to select troops for duty at Fort Zinderneuf. From this moment the action becomes dangerous and tense and leads to a climax that will always be one of the best in film history. The supporting cast includes Susan Hayward, Donald O’Connor, and James Stephenson.