BEAU IDEAL (1931) Frank McCormick, Ralph Forbes & Loretta Young | Adventure, Romance, War | B&W

Beau Ideal is a 1931 American pre-Code adventure film directed by Herbert Brenon and released by RKO Radio Pictures. The film was based on the 1927 adventure novel Beau Ideal by P. C. Wren, the third novel in a series of five novels based around the same characters. Brenon had directed the first in the series, Beau Geste, which was a very successful silent film in 1926. The screenplay was adapted from Wren's novel by Paul Schofield, who had also written the screenplay for the 1926 Beau Geste, with contributions from Elizabeth Meehan and Marie Halvey.

SYNOPSIS
An American joins the French Foreign Legion in order to rescue a boyhood friend.

The last two surviving members of a French Foreign Legion detachment, who know each other as Smith and Brown, are consigned to a grain pit in the desert to die slowly. As they await death the two soldiers eventually realize that they were childhood friends, John Geste (Ralph Forbes) and Otis Madison (Lester Vail), respectively.

Once they recognize one another, they have a series of flashbacks to their boyhood friendship in England. These memories are followed by Otis' memory of his return to England and discovery that John has joined the French Foreign Legion. While in England, Otis also learns that Isobel Landon (Loretta Young), who he is enamored with, is betrothed to John. Despite his feelings for her, he vows to follow John to Africa and return him to England. He makes arrangements and leaves for the dark continent.

Upon his arrival in Africa, Otis, and his detachment, are ordered to garrison a French fort in the desert. As hardships ensue, his fellow legionnaires begin to mutiny. Otis does not participate in the uprising, instead he attempts to get the other soldiers to cease their rebellion. When the uprising is eventually thwarted, the commanders do not believe Otis' story, and assume that he was part of the rebellion, and send him to a penal detail. While part of that detail, he is again falsely accused, and is thrown into the pit, along with John, which puts them both in the pit where the film begins.

Back in the present, as they are about to die, they are miraculously rescued by a passing band of Arabs. Unknown to the two friends is that the Arabs intend to use them as bait to draw their fellow legionnaires into a death trap. Fortunately for the friends, the girlfriend of the Emir, Zuleika (Leni Stengel), also known as "the Angel of Death", is attracted to Otis. Otis uses that attraction and agrees to marry her, after which Zuleika informs him of an impending attack by the Arabs on the nearby fort, and then helps Otis and John to escape. The two legionnaires race to the fort, and help to repel the Arab attack, which earns both of them their freedom.

Otis now has to face up to his commitment to Zuleika. However, she has now transferred her affections to Major LeBaudy (Hale Hamilton), which allows Otis to be relieved of his matrimonial duties. Free from any entanglements, the two friends return to England. Once there, John releases Isobel from their betrothal, which clears the way for her and Otis to marry.

CAST & CREW
Frank McCormack as Carl Neyer
Ralph Forbes as John Geste
Lester Vail as Otis Madison
Otto Matieson as Jacob Levine
Don Alvarado as Ramon Gonzales
Bernard Siegel as Ivan Badineff
Irene Rich as Lady Brandon
Myrtle Stedman as Mrs. Frank Madison
Loretta Young as Isobel Brandon
John St. Polis as Judge Advocate
Joseph De Stefani as Prosecuting Attorney
Paul McAllister as Sergeant Frederic
Hale Hamilton as Major Laboudy
George Regas as The Emir
Leni Stengel as Zuleika - the "Angel of Death"

Directed by Herbert Brenon
Written by Paul Schofield (screenplay), Elizabeth Meehan (adaptation), Marie Halvey (dialogue)
Based on Beau Ideal by. P. C. Wren
Produced by Herbert Brenon
Cinematography J. Roy Hunt
Edited by Herbert Brenon
Music by Max Steiner
Production company RKO Radio Pictures
Distributed by RKO Radio Pictures
Release dates January 16, 1931 (Premiere-New York City). January 25, 1931 (US)
Running time 82 minutes, 79 minutes (Canada, Ontario)
Country United States
Language English
Budget $707,000
Box office $575,000

NOTES
The film was copyrighted in 1930. In 1958, the film entered the public domain in the United States because the claimants did not renew its copyright registration in the 28th year after publication.

#oldmovies #freemovies #adventure #romance #war #classicfilms #freemoviesonline #blackandwhite #lostandfoundfilms