REGENT THEATRE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 84, Issue 86, 13 April 1940, Page 9

REGENT THEATRE

“BEAU GESTE.” A roaring, lusty tale of the indomitable gallantry of three loyal brothers, Paramount's great new production oi “Beau Geste” opened yesterday at the Regent Theatre. Gary Cooper, Ray Milland, and Robert Preston are starred in this glorious picturisation of the great P. C. Wren novel. The supporting cast is headed by Brian Donlevy, Susan Hayward, J. Carrol Naish, Donald O’Connor, and James Stephenson. As indicated by the nature of the production, thousands of other players round out the cast, serving as legionaires and members of wild desert tribes. With Cooper, Milland, and Preston cast as the three “Geste” brothers, “Beau,” “John,” and “Digby,” respectively, the picture tells how they join the French Legion to avert having the finger of suspicion at any of them as guilty of the theft of a valuable sapphire, the “Blue Water,” from their guardian. In the legion, there is desperate conflict between the brothers and a mad, brutal sergeant, “Markoff,” played by Brian Donlevy, who, suspecting that one of the brothers has the gem in his possession, determines to get it for himself. The picture reaches high peaks of adventure when Markoff, having chosen only Beau and John for duty at an isolated desert fort, Fort Zinderneuf, gains command, and drives the men to mutiny with his savage treatment. His efforts to force Beau and John to shoot the leaders of the mutineers are interrupted by an attack by a wild desert tribe, the “Touaregs.” The ultimate fate of the brothers Geste and of the jewel is explained in an exciting flashback in which Digby figures prominently. Although “Beau Geste” is predominantly a great adventure picture, there are many romantic scenes in which Ray Milland and Susan Hayward, cast as the lovely ward of the Geste brothers’ guardian, figure prominently. At the special matinees to-day the first episode of “The Lone Ranger Rides Again” will be screened, and free “Lone Ranger” masks will be given to every boy and girl in attendance.