The Last Remake of Beau Geste

Plot

Spoofing the classic Beau Geste and a number of other desert motion pictures, the film's plotline revolves around the heroic Beau Geste and his brother Digby's misadventures in the French Foreign legion out in the Sahara, and the disappearance of the family sapphire, sought after by their money-hungry stepmother.

Cast and locations

The cast features Ann-Margret as the brothers' adoptive mother, Jerry Orbach as the brutal Sergeant Markov, and Sinéad Cusack as sister Isabel Geste, with Spike Milligan (Crumble the Butler), Burt Kwouk (Father Shapiro), James Earl Jones (Arab Chief), Avery Schreiber (Arab Chieftain / Used Camel Salesman), Terry-Thomas (Warden), Trevor Howard (Sir Hector), Henry Gibson (General Pecheur), Roy Kinnear (Corporal Boldini) and Ed McMahon (Arab Horseman) in supporting roles.

The film was shot on location in Madrid, and in Ireland at Ardmore Studios in Bray, and on location at Kilmainham Gaol in Dublin and Adare Manor near Limerick.

Reception

The film received mixed-to-negative reviews, with a 33% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. That being said, Vincent Canby of The New York Times did give a positive review of the film, describing it as having "a whole range of jokes that are funny primarily because they are in absolutely terrible taste."

Release

Marty Feldman was disappointed with the print distributed in theaters because the studio edited its own version. Attempts have been made to have the director's cut restored, but so far these have proved fruitless. According to Michael York, "Marty's version was much funnier." The film was released in America on DVD on January 11, 2010 as part of the Universal Vault Series of DVD-on-Demand titles, sold on Amazon.com, in the UK, the film was released through Second Sight Films on January 24, 2011.